Page 33 of Aspen's Defense

He disconnects before I can tell him that I do what I want. I fidget with my phone for a minute before dialing Nash's number.

"Aspen?" He sounds groggy. "Is everything okay?"

"Crap. I forgot how early it still is," I say apologetically. He's two hours behind me. It's not even five in the morning there. "I'll call you back later."

"It's fine. I'm up, baby sis. What's going on? Shouldn't you be elbow deep in pastry dough right now?"

"I'm taking a few days off."

"Really?"

"You don't have to sound so surprised."

"You love your job. You never take time off unless you're sick or you're flying out to visit."

"I do so take time off," I protest.

"Liar."

Brick lifts his head to glare at me, almost as if agreeing with Nash.

"Whatever," I mumble to both of them.

"You're at Noah's again."

How does he possibly know that?

"How do you possibly know that?" A frown tugs at my lips. "Did Noah tell you?"

"No, you just told me." Nash sighs heavily. "You spent the night with him."

"Maybe," I whisper.

He's quiet for a long moment and then he sighs again. "At least you picked someone worth a damn. Is he being good to you?"

"Very." I lick my lips. "He's the reason I'm calling, actually."

"You're in love with him," Nash says, not sounding surprised.

"Yes."

"I don't even have to ask to know how he feels. Knew this was coming when he told me he wasn't going to spy on you."

"That's why I'm calling."

"I won't apologize for being worried about you. You're up to something. I've known you for your entire life."

"Why did you skip the draft after the accident?"

"What?"

"Why did you skip the draft? You could have gone into the NHL that year, but you gave up your spot. It almost derailed your career," I remind him.

"You think it's your fault," he says quietly.

"I don't know," I whisper.

"I skipped the draft because I wasn't ready, Aspen. I won't say you didn't factor into my decision because you did, but you weren't the biggest part of it. We'd just lost Mom and Dad. Every damn time I was on the ice, I thought about how the accident was my fault."