Pulse: Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 6)

by Violet Vaughn

  Nick turns to me, and I take a deep breath. “Freebies for the girls.”

  Dannika reaches for the zipper, and Casey moves next to her to peer inside. “Whoa,” says Dannika. “This is the motherlode of Bellae.”

  Casey pulls out a tube of mascara. “This stuff is really expensive. There must be hundreds of dollars in this bag.”

  Dannika says, “This is awesome. Bellae’s my favorite brand.”

  The guys have no interest in cosmetics and wander into the living room. Nick slaps Jason on the shoulder. “You only have a few single days left, my man.”

  I turn my attention away from them to say to Dannika, “Well good, because there’s lots more where that came from, and if you put your post office boxes in my contacts, I’ll get you on the new products list.”

  Casey asks, “Whoa, how did you find such a sweet deal?”

  “Well.” I shrug. “It’s my family company.”

  Dannika’s eyes get wide, and I say, “Yeah.” My stomach churns, and I mask the urge to vomit. “And unfortunately, I have to move back to take over on April eighteenth.”

  “But that’s your birthday,” says Casey.

  Christian has caught wind of what we’re saying and asks, “Inheritance?”

  I nod. Casey grabs my hands and whispers, “No. You’re leaving?”

  Nick comes to my side and puts an arm around my shoulder. “She is. And I couldn’t be more proud of her. She’ll take Bellae to new places. Just you watch and see.”

  I slip my arm around his waist and squeeze him for his bravery. Jason says, “If you approach it like you do teaching, we’ll see great things.”

  “Thanks.”

  Christian says, “The long distance thing can be tough, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to work it out.”

  I want to tell him what’s really going to happen, but Nick speaks up instead. “Actually, once she goes, we’re going to call it quits. Neither one of us will have free time to travel, and it’s better this way.”

  His voice is so confident that my stomach flips with nausea. He’s really accepted our fate. He’s come to terms with our situation and is making the best of our last few days together. The way I should.

  “Yeah, so. Dannika.” I walk over to the bag, and plastic is slick on my fingers as I rummage through. I swallow the lump in my throat to keep from crying. “Help me find things that would be good for Lori.”

  She takes over sorting through the containers and giving Casey advice about different products as I pretend to care. I watch Nick out of the corner of my eye instead. He’s launched into an exam story, and my friends all give us the space to deal with our situation. As if it’s no big deal. But my heart says otherwise as I watch the man I love from across the room.

  Chapter 9

  Casey and Jason are one of the most outdoorsy couples I know. It’s no surprise that they chose to get married in the mid-station base lodge. Ski resort weddings have become trendy for this area, and the mountain has no trouble accommodating the event.

  Wind whips the purple silk of my dress around my legs and cowboy boots as I take Nick’s hand. His grip is strong, and I steady myself with it when I climb the steps of the snowcat. The trail-grooming machine turned transportation vehicle is equipped with bench seats like a school bus, and the rotating belt on its wheels will get us up and down the steep mountain safely. Voices are loud as the wedding party and families talk in excitement. Casey, Gretchen, and Dannika went up earlier, but Jason is in the cab with us. He’s teasing Casey’s cousin about the dangerous ride ahead, and she squeals when the snowcat begins to move.

  Nick grabs my hand, and I gaze at him. I can’t read the expression on his face, and I wonder if he’s put a shield on his heart. I say, “Jason looks so handsome.”

  “And happy. He and Casey give me hope.”

  I’m about to ask what he means when Kaleb turns around to talk to us. “Did you plan your toast?”

  Lori has turned around too, and she says, “I hate speaking in public. My face is going to turn bright red.”

  The three of them discuss what they’re going to say as I turn to look out the window and let my mind wander. We move past small chutes through the trees I’ve skied with Nick so many times I’ve lost count. It hits me that I’m never going to do that again, because after tomorrow I’ll be gone. My heart stops at the realization. In less than forty-eight hours, Nick will no longer be in my life.

  I turn back, and Nick puts an arm around my shoulders. He kisses the tip of my nose. It’s a loving gesture he’s done since the very beginning of our relationship, and I blink quickly, fighting the tears. I want to cling to his shirt and beg him to run away with me.

  Lori catches my eye, and she offers a sympathetic smile. I sit up straight and remember the secret the wedding party shares. The bride and groom plan to change into ski boots and ski down in their wedding attire. While it might be a bit chilly, the spring temperatures are warm enough that one run will be fine. I whisper, “Don’t you wish we could ski down with Casey and Jason too?”

  Lori says, “That would be awesome. I can’t wait to see people’s faces when they do.”

  I glance over at Jason and catch his eye. He winks at me, and I grin back. I recall when he first came to Breckenridge, and how he impressed Nick with his skiing even though he was a rookie ski instructor. I also remember the rocky road he and Casey had getting to where they are now.

  She came here to find a man who wanted a family, and left Jason behind. But he followed her, and his heart. That took courage. He didn’t know that Casey would let him back into her life. I reach over and take Nick’s hand. It’s warm, and he squeezes my fingers. I wonder if he’s considered showing up on my doorstep on Long Island one day.

  The snowcat groans to a stop. My feet clang on the metal steps when I get out, and I let Nick’s strength guide me to the snow safely. It’s soft from the warm sun baking on it all morning, so my feet sink. Nick scoops me up in his arms, and I gasp. “I can walk.”

  He shakes his head and gazes down at me. Moisture glistens in his eyes. Is he about to cry? “Just let me do this.”

  Kaleb lifts Lori up too and says loudly, “Got to keep the bridesmaids pretty.”

  Chuckles come from the group as we make our way into the lodge. Nick lets me down slowly and holds on to me for a moment before he lets go. I scan the area. The transformation from a functional space for skiers and snowboarders to warm up and eat is amazing. Tiny lights twinkle along the ceiling and posts, and the tables are covered with white linens. Candles and flowers make them appear elegant, and the faint scent of roses is in the air.

  Dannika rushes over to Lori and me and escorts us to the room where Casey is waiting until the ceremony starts. Casey’s eyes are wide with nervousness when we enter, and she asks, “What do you think?”

  Her red curls are in an updo with spiraled tendrils hanging down. The wedding dress fits like a glove, and the lines create the hourglass figure she craves. Dannika did her makeup, and it complements her pale complexion perfectly. “You’re stunning.”

  Casey moves her hands down the bodice of her dress to smooth it out. “I’m nervous.”

  Dannika says, “Oh, we’ve got the cure for that.” She pulls a bucket of ice from under a table, and it contains expensive champagne that Dannika favors. The cork pops loudly, and the four of us let out small screams as it flies out of Dannika’s hand and bounces off the ceiling.

  Gretchen says, “That’s appropriate.” She takes the glass Dannika hands her and waits for us all to have one before she lifts it up. “To a life full of wonderful surprises.”

  Our glasses clink, and I sip the decadent drink. The flavor is light on my tongue, and the bubbles match my growing excitement for my friend.

  I say, “I’m never going to look at this lodge the same way. This is such a fun place for a wedding.” Of course it may be years before I get to see this building again, and the thought is sobering.

  Kaleb pokes his head in.
“The last snowcat just arrived.” He notices our drinks. “Hey, is that champagne?”

  Lori walks over to him and gives him a taste. After he swallows, he says, “Oh, that’s good. That would have been better than the scotch Christian brought. Five minutes, girls.”

  Dannika says, “That’s what I said. We’ll be ready.”

  I walk over and take Casey’s hands to find they’re ice cold. “This is the day you’ve wanted for a long time. I’m so happy for you.”

  Casey nods. “I know. I can’t believe it’s really happening.”

  Gretchen touches her arm. “Believe it. You and Jason belong together.”

  Casey’s dad appears in the doorway. “It’s time.”

  The bridesmaids grab their bouquets of lavender roses and walk out the door first. I take the arm Nick offers me. The music starts, and the wedding party proceeds down the aisle created by the layout of tables. When we get to the small stage set up for Casey and Jason, Nick takes my hand and kisses it before letting me go so I can stand on my side. He mouths, “I love you.”

  I return the same words. It doesn’t escape me that this is the closest I’ll ever get to walking down the aisle with Nick, and I tuck the memory away for later as I turn to watch Casey come toward us.

  Her smile is radiant, but it’s the look on Jason’s face that just about does me in. When he sees her, his mouth opens, and he gasps. Low laughter comes from the crowd as more than one woman finds tears streaming down their face. Me included.

  Dannika hands me a tissue, and I notice her pass them around while she whispers, “Dab. We don’t want smears.”

  The ceremony is quick, and Jason hams it up for the crowd when he dips Casey for their kiss. The party begins, and while Nick stands in line to get us drinks, I wander over to the large windows that offer a view of the bowl. The bowl is a section of the mountain that is concave and offers a vast expanse of trail to ski. The snow is no longer deep, and rocks are peeking through the white like chocolate chips in ice cream.

  “This time of year used to make me sad.” Gretchen has come to stand next to me, and she continues. “We spend the whole season praying for snow, and then it disappears so quickly.”

  Gretchen was an Olympic hopeful for snowboarding before a terrible accident left her unable to compete. She and her fiancé, Dannika’s brother, moved back east to go to graduate school last year, which has to be a huge adjustment after seasons of skiing almost every day possible. I ask, “Do you miss it?”

  “Sometimes. But Derrick and I did get out almost every weekend this winter.” She turns to me, and I take in her appearance. She used to bleach her hair white blond, but it’s now light brown with golden highlights. It softens her appearance. She says, “There’s a great big world out there beyond ski resorts. You’d be surprised how happy you can be without wearing a helmet.”

  I smile at her joke and ask, “Did you hear I’m leaving?”

  “I did. Why didn’t you ask Nick to go with you?”

  Not one person I’ve told has asked me that, and her bluntness makes me share the truth. “Because I can’t ask him to leave all of this for me.”

  “Don’t you think that should be his decision?”

  I frown at her. “No. Why would I push for something that won’t make him happy?”

  Her mouth opens a little, and she lets out a small huff as if I said something stupid. “Because as awesome as this place is, if you’re not with the one you’ll always love, nothing else seems to matter.” She nods her head at Nick. He approaches us with two beers in his hand.

  I reach for the bottle he offers, and it’s cold in my hand when I grab it. I look into Nick’s eyes. No. I study the dark-brown color with flecks of gold that hint at the treasure before me. His brow knits before he cuts his gaze to Gretchen. She scans his body and licks her lips. “You’d look good in a suit.”

  She wiggles her fingers at us and strolls off. Nick asks, “What did I miss?”

  “Nothing. Yet.”

  Chapter 10

  The day after Casey’s wedding, Nick has to go to work. But the last week of ski school is slow, and it is easy for him to get out early, especially since Rick knows I am leaving tomorrow. Nick arrives home to me loading the car. I toss a bag in the open hatch, and it thumps against the other two. With my skis and bike on the roof rack, there’s extra room in my Subaru. Room for him.

  I shake my head at my wishful thinking. Water is dripping from icicles on the roof of the apartment building and landing on the pavement in a chaotic beat that matches my heart as I ask, “Hey, how about steaks on the grill tonight?”

  He holds up a canvas sack. “Already got them. And a nice red too.”

  I smile because for our first date Nick grilled rib eye. But I’m not going to be crying today. I have thirty hours in the car to do that.

  Nick must have brought home a few things from his locker in preparation for the end of the season. He has a bag on his shoulder, and his skis clap when he pulls them off of his car to snap them together. My trunk thuds shut, and I take the grocery bag from him as we walk toward the stairs.

  He asks, “What else do you have to do before you leave tomorrow?”

  “Nothing other than pick up my last paycheck from Rhinestone Cowgirl and say goodbye to Dannika. I was about to go do that. Want to come?”

  His arm muscles flex below the short sleeve of his T-shirt as he holds his skis and climbs the steps. “No. I have a birthday cake to make.”

  Nick glances over his shoulder at me, and his teeth gleam in the smile that won me over the first time I saw it. I say, “I was hoping you would. I love Nick cake.”

  I do. Each year on my birthday he gives me a slice with a cup of coffee for breakfast. But I’ll be eating it on the road this year. He says, “I’ll pack you whatever we don’t eat so you can have it in Ohio.”

  Nick holds the door open for me as my smile fades. He isn’t having any sadness either and asks, “Want your present early?”

  “Of course. What did you get me?”

  He chuckles. “Hang on, I’ll go get it.”

  I go sit on the couch, and the throw pillow of crushed velour is soft under my hand as I stroke it while I wait. Nick returns with a small box wrapped in red paper. He hands it to me, and I purposely brush his hand as he does. “Thank you. I know I don’t deserve this from you.”

  He shakes his head. “We agreed there will be no apologies or crying tonight. We’ve had a great thing, and I want our last memories to be happy ones.”

  I nod quickly and slide my finger under the seam of the wrapping paper. It rips open, and I flip it over to read the logo. It’s from a fancy jewelry store in town.

  I lift the lid and pull out a small velvet box. I open it to reveal a small diamond ring. I gasp when I remove it. It appears to be an estate ring done in the art deco style with a small stone in the center and tiny stones around it to make it appear bigger. “This is so beautiful. But...”

  “But nothing. I bought this a while ago with the intention of it being an engagement ring.”

  “Oh, Nick. I can’t.”

  He chides me. “Yes, you can. I don’t expect you to wear it, but I want you to see it in your jewelry box and think of me.” He takes the box from me and says, “Call me selfish, but I don’t want you to ever forget what we had.”

  I shake my head. “This should go to—” I can’t finish the words, because I know I don’t want it to go to anyone but me. I slip it on my finger. “I could never forget you. I don’t need a ring for that, because you’ll always be in my heart.”

  Nick lifts my chin, and his eyes are full of moisture. I whisper because mine are too. “No tears.”

  Nick smiles. “No tears.” He leans down to kiss me. It’s gentle and sweet, and salty moisture makes its way into both our mouths as tears stream down our cheeks.

  When he pulls away, he clears his throat and says, “Go get your check, and I’ll work on dinner.”

  * * *

  Nick stan
ds to clear the dessert plates, and I grab his arm. “I need to tell you something.” We shared a bottle of wine with dinner, and I’ve gotten my courage up.

  “Don’t apologize for us. I’m going to be fine. My heart is broken right now, but I’m going to survive this.” He takes the few steps to the kitchen, and the dishes he carries clatter when he sets them on the counter. He says, “Hey, maybe we’ll look each other up on Facebook someday.”

  I’m in the doorway and grab his arm. “Nick. Stop. I need to say this.”

  He wipes his hands on his jeans. “Okay.”

  My dinner rolls in my stomach, and I take a deep breath. “Do you remember the day we first met?”

  Nick and I started off at Breckenridge as rookies together. He smiles. “Yes.”

  “I fell in love with you that day.” I touch his arm. “It wasn’t supposed to happen.” I reach up and trace the plump lower lip that I’ll miss kissing. “I told myself it was okay because it would never last. But with each day, my love for you has gotten stronger.”

  Nick takes my hand and lowers it to his chest to place it over his heart. He holds it there. “I feel the same way.”

  “I’m about to ask you something that is so incredibly self-centered. But not asking you is too. You have the right to make this decision, and I shouldn’t have made it for you.” The cotton of his shirt is thin, and I grab onto it as if I’m falling as I blurt out, “Come with me. Please.”

  “Yes.”

  “What?” He answered so quickly I’m not sure I heard it right.

  He grins at me. “Yes. I already planned to follow you. Next week I was going to pack up my car and drive to Long Island. I was going to camp out on your doorstep until someone let me in.”

  “No.”

  “Okay, I would have called to tell you I was there.” He tugs me into an embrace. “If you turned me away, I was going to find a job and a place to stay so I could stalk you every day until you took me back.”