Save the Date (Chicago on Ice Series Book 3)

by Aven Ellis

  Major comes to an abrupt stop, refusing the jump. I go sailing through the air, over the top of him. Instinctively, I throw my hand out to try and protect my head from the fall.

  I scream as I hit the earth, and I feel my body snap in different places upon impact. Agonizing pain tears through me.

  Then panic fills me as I realize I might not be able to get up.

  Chapter 34

  Always work to resolve problems, no matter how impossible they seem . . .

  “Good news, Collins,” Dr. Anna Lenoy says, returning to my bed in the emergency room. “Your CT scans show exactly what I suspected. You have two broken ribs in addition to the broken wrist, but no damage to blood vessels or internal organs. I’m going to prescribe pain medication to take for the ribs so you can breathe deeply. This will help prevent pneumonia. I’ll give you a printout with some breathing exercises as well.”

  Relief washes over me when the diagnosis is confirmed. I cracked a rib once a few years ago, so I know rehab will take one to two months. I’m in pain, of course, but I will heal. I’ll be able to ride Major again, although it will be torture to stay away while I recover.

  She can fix my bones, but Dr. Lenoy can do nothing to heal my broken heart.

  “Someone will be here in a bit to put a cast on your wrist,” Dr. Lenoy continues. “Then I’ll come back and we’ll go over your discharge instructions.”

  “Thank you,” I say appreciatively.

  I still can’t believe everything that has happened. After I fell, other riders rushed to my aid. An ambulance came and whisked me off to the nearest hospital. Kristine dropped everything to go to the hospital with me. Mom and Dad arrived soon after.

  Yet the person I needed most wasn’t there.

  Luca. I blink back tears. I need Luca.

  As I rode in the ambulance, I realized how stupid our argument was. We were both wrong. Life can change in an instant. When I was alone and scared out of my mind, I wished for Luca to be the man who would stand by my side. During the good and the bad, sickness and health. I don’t want to share these ups and downs with anyone but the man I love.

  To think I lost Luca over something that we can work out? To give up on the man who loved me without a fight? No. Luca is The One.

  I vowed right there, in that ambulance, that we were not over.

  We’re only beginning.

  My mom exhales loudly from her chair beside me, interrupting my thoughts. “Oh, thank God,” she whispers. “I was so afraid!”

  “I know it’s hard waiting for results,” Dr. Lenoy says, her chocolate-brown eyes reflecting empathy. “But I anticipate a full recovery for your daughter. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Dad says.

  Dr. Lenoy leaves, and I turn to my mom. “I need your phone.”

  “Collins, I already told everyone,” Mom says. “Livy is here. Aubrey is on her way, as is Suzanne. Taylor also knows, and I promised I would text her updates.”

  “I need to call Luca,” I say, my voice cracking when I get to his name. “We had a fight. I need to talk to him.”

  “Is that why you fell?” Mom gasps, her hand flying to her chest. “Did that fight cause this accident?”

  “Major refused the jump,” I say simply, which is true. “That caused the accident.”

  “You don’t need any more unpleasantness,” Mom says, shaking her head. “You never had arguments with Gabe. He was so easygoing and pleasant.”

  “I didn’t love him!” I cry, losing all control of my emotions. “It doesn’t matter if he was the nicest guy on earth. I don’t love him!”

  Mom straightens in her seat. I know my anger is upsetting her.

  “Collins,” Dad pleads, trying to diffuse the situation. “Don’t get upset.”

  “No, I have spent my whole life hiding my feelings.” I turn angrily to my mom. “You even wanted me to hide my freckles!”

  “I—” Mom starts to speak, but I cut her off.

  “I’m not done. Mom, you might choose to live your life this way, but I don’t. Not anymore. If I’m mad, I’m going to be mad. If I want to cry, I’ll cry. I’m living fully now. Luca has shown me I can. I love him. He’s The One. We’ll fight sometimes. We’ll disagree. But we’ll work it out. Our lives will have ups and downs, but that is what a good life is all about. That’s what I want. This is my choice. Not yours.”

  My parents stare at me, stunned. I’ve never spoken like this to them before. I’m finally free. Weights I’ve carried since childhood have fallen away, and I can truly be myself.

  Mom goes pale. I hate that I’m hurting her, but I can no longer hide myself to make her life more pleasant.

  “Well,” Mom says abruptly, standing up, “I think I’ll go see if Aunt Suzanne is here.”

  Mom will always be my mom. I love her. But a new me has emerged, and she will either deal with it, or not. Either way, I don’t care. I’m living my life now for myself.

  Dad exhales loudly. “She tries, honey,” he says softly. “But she’s sensitive.”

  “I know, but I can’t keep pretending anymore. I won’t.”

  The curtain draws back, and I see Aunt Suzanne’s worried face peek in.

  “Oh my God, sweetheart,” she says, her eyes filling with tears.

  “I’ll go get some coffee with your mom,” Dad says, leaning over and brushing his lips on my forehead. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” I say.

  Dad turns and hugs his sister before he leaves. Then Aunt Suzanne sits down on the chair next to me.

  “Are you okay?” she asks. “I was scared to death when I got the phone call that you had been in a riding accident.”

  “I have some cracked ribs and my wrist is broken,” I say. “I’ll get a cast and everything will heal.”

  “Thank God,” Aunt Suzanne says. “Your mom didn’t know what happened, and I kept picturing a spinal injury or concussion.” She stops speaking, and I can tell she’s about to cry. “I was terrified.”

  “I was, too. But I’m okay. I promise.”

  She gently brushes hair off my cheek with her fingertips. “There are a lot of people in that waiting room who are very worried about you.”

  I nod. “I know Livy is here. Aubrey is coming.”

  “Aubrey came in when we did.”

  “We? Did Uncle Craig come with you?” I ask.

  “No. But Luca did.”

  What?

  “No,” I say, furrowing my brow. “He’s in St. Louis. He flew out with the team today.”

  Aunt Suzanne continues to stroke my hair. “No, he didn’t go.”

  My heart begins racing.

  “But . . . he had to,” I say in confusion. “Luca can’t miss a game!”

  “That young man,” Aunt Suzanne says, “loves you. I don’t think you have any idea how much he does. As I was about to head to the hospital, Luca came into the office looking for you.”

  “What?” I ask, stunned.

  “I told him you had been in an accident with Major,” Aunt Suzanne explains. “I’ve never seen a man look as stricken as he did. I’ll never forget it. He went white, Collins. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable.

  “Luca drove me here, and he said he called the coach and told him he had a personal problem he needed to resolve today, it couldn’t wait, and he asked for permission to join the team later tonight on a commercial flight,” she continues.

  “Sweetheart, he was on his way before the accident. You are what matters to him. You.”

  Her words send shockwaves through me.

  Luca put me first.

  Our fight meant something to him, and he was so upset he called his coach and asked for personal time.

  He was c
oming to the office to make things right with me.

  “I need to see him,” I blurt out. “Please go get him. Please.”

  “Nothing would make me happier,” Aunt Suzanne says, rising out of her chair. She pushes the curtain aside but turns back to me before she leaves.

  “This is the love you aspired for,” she says gently. “And I’m so happy you found it with Luca.”

  I choke back a sob as she leaves to get Luca. I realize how much this man does love me.

  He has placed me ahead of the game he has spent his whole life loving.

  I anxiously bite my lip, doing my best to keep the tears at bay, as I wait for him. The curtain is yanked aside, and Luca appears, his eyes filled with nothing but anguish.

  “Luca,” I choke out, his image dissolving through my tears, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  Before I can say another word, he’s at my side, down on his knees.

  I lift my good hand, and he wraps his strong hands around it.

  “Collins,” he says, his voice thick with unshed tears, “I’ve never been so scared in my whole life. Never. First, I thought I lost you after we fought,” he says, his voice breaking, “and I thought that was the worst. But when I heard about the accident . . .”

  His voice trails off, and Luca is unable to finish his sentence. My tears fall freely. Swallowing hard, Luca gently squeezes my hand and clears his throat. “. . . I love you. You’re my first love. My only love. There will be nobody but you for me.”

  “I love you, Luca,” I say through my tears. “You are the love I was searching for. You’re The One. Always.”

  Luca bites down on his lower lip, and I can tell he’s fighting to keep his composure.

  “You were right about balance,” he says softly. “I need to share my hockey life with you. No more leaving. I want you at home, with me, when I’m home. As long as that’s what you want.”

  “I do want that. I won’t interfere, I promise.”

  “I’m going to make changes,” Luca assures me. “I’ll still prepare, but I’m going to find more time for a life. It’s too damn short. When your aunt told me about your injuries—”

  He stops speaking and lowers his head down to my hand, resting his forehead against it, and my heart breaks as he struggles to talk about his feelings.

  After a moment he lifts his head, and his eyes are rimmed with red.

  “I realized what an idiot I was. How much I took for granted. I will never, ever, do that again.”

  Tears stream down my face. “I had the same thoughts. Luca, I’m sorry I didn’t share my feelings. But that changes today. I told my mom I’m no longer shoving my feelings aside. I promise you will always know what is going on in my head.”

  “You were right about me not wanting to hear the truth,” Luca admits. “I was good at preaching that shit, but not so good at dealing with it when it was directed at me. I need to take my own advice. I promise I’ll listen to your concerns. And we’ll work through them. Together.”

  “I’m sorry I thought you lied,” I say painfully.

  “I can see why you thought I did.”

  “Can you forgive me?”

  “Only if you promise me forever, Cinderella,” Luca whispers. “I know we haven’t been together that long, but I know I love you. I fell in love with the woman you are on our first date. You’re what I want. I want us.”

  “I do promise you forever,” I say, “because I’m madly in love with you. It’s the easiest promise I’ve ever made.”

  Luca rises and leans over my bed, gently brushing his lips against mine.

  “I think that’s how every good fairy tale ends, right, Cinderella?” Luca asks after he kisses me. “With the prince kissing the princess?”

  I smile up at him. “Yes, and we’ll live happily ever after.”

  “Hell yes, we will,” Luca says, bending down to kiss me again.

  As I receive the sweetest of kisses from my Prince Charming, I know he’s right.

  We’ll have ups. Downs. Disagreements. Struggles.

  But we’ll also have happiness. Laughter. Togetherness.

  Most of all, we’ll have love.

  And this Cinderella couldn’t be happier about it.

  Epilogue

  Valentine’s Day

  Chicago

  Always Save the Date . . .

  “You couldn’t have made our first Valentine’s Day more perfect,” I declare as I snuggle against Luca’s luxurious cashmere overcoat.

  We’re walking through Lincoln Park with big, puffy snowflakes falling from the velvety black sky, after a romantic dinner for two at an old-school Italian restaurant in the neighborhood.

  “Not bad for my first Valentine’s Day as a boyfriend, right?” Luca says.

  I glance up at him. The snow lands on the reddish-brown waves that peek out from his black knit hat, and love for him fills my heart.

  “Let’s see, I got breakfast in bed, a card with a beautiful note, flowers sent to the stables, and a seasonal chocolate cherry molten cake for dessert. You aced it, my love.”

  Luca laughs. “Oh, so I can take back the gift I have upstairs for you?”

  “No. I’m selfish. I want it all,” I declare.

  But I already have it all, I think as we walk through the snow.

  It turns out Major gave us everything when he refused that jump. My beloved horse made Luca and I appreciate what we had, both in life and with each other.

  Luca made good on his promise to cut back on work. He’s still the hardest working man I know, but he has more balance. Now, he spends less time obsessing about what the future will bring in the net and more time focusing on the present. He even started to make more time for sketching, which brings him great joy. And he adopted a husky puppy from a rescue. Wells is our baby now, and I take care of him when Luca’s on the road.

  I’m practically living with Luca at this point. When he watches a game, I’m right there with him, reading a book or watching a Hallmark movie on my iPad with ear buds in. Now, Luca always stops his prep early so we can end the evening together. Talking, laughing, planning our future. Each day, I fall a little more in love with him, as impossible as that sounds.

  We’ve met each other’s families and shared holidays with them. I love his huge family, and his mom is trying to teach me how to cook. I’ve set off her smoke alarm twice, so I’ll say it’s a work in progress. My dad loves Luca, and Mom is warming up to him. I think in her movie, Gabe would still be in the picture, but she knows I love Luca and always will. Aunt Suzanne adores him, though, and has since the day of the accident.

  My life has changed so much, too. I work for Kristine, and I can’t wait to get to the stables each day. I’m surrounded by horses and equestrians, and never in a million years would I dream work could be so fulfilling and bring me so much happiness. I apprentice under Sean two days a week, and he’s an amazing instructor. I’m like a sponge around him, soaking up as much as I can. I also shadow the vets when they come, learning more about equine anatomy. It doesn’t feel like work.

  I’m living my dream.

  Mom is still Mom, but I accept her without catering my answers to suit her. Aunt Suzanne’s business is going strong, and Katie has stepped up in my absence and flourished with the extra responsibilities.

  The Buffaloes are in the playoff hunt, and I have a feeling a trade will be made to get them some extra help before the trade deadline closes in March. They need some defensive help if they are to make a deep push. Considering they didn’t make it last year, it’s exciting to see unfold. Knowing Luca has been a huge part of the turnaround makes me so proud.

  Beckett and Aubrey are getting married Fourth of July weekend in Hawaii. I’m helping her plan on the side, and I can’t wait to be a bridesmaid. Land
on and Livy planned theirs for the last week of July, and it will be in Chicago at the Chicago Botanical Garden. Once again, I’m a bridesmaid and thrilled to stand by when she marries the love of her life.

  Taylor is my one concern. Her parents encouraged her to give Minneapolis a year before quitting, and to my dismay, she took their advice. I know she’s miserable. Nana pointed out to me and Livy that we can’t make her see her truth. She will have to find it on her own, but Nana assured us Taylor would—when she was ready to face it.

  Nana. I smile to myself. We now have monthly Magnum P.I. binge-watching parties when the Buffaloes are out of town. The guys take turns scheduling drivers for us, and let’s just say whiskey sours might be involved in our get-togethers.

  Luca leads me down the sidewalk to his building, and we step inside. His gloved hand remains wrapped around mine as we head up the stairs. I can’t wait to be alone with him for the rest of the night.

  Luca puts the key in the lock, and Wells barks eagerly on the other side of the door.

  “Someone is ready for us to be home,” Luca says, smiling at me.

  We step inside, and Wells eagerly chases around us, happy to have us home. Before Luca removes his coat, he plays with our puppy on the floor, ruffling his fur and talking affectionately to him. Luca is a dog man through and through, and seeing how good he is with Wells foreshadows what kind of father he will be someday.

  I unbutton my coat and hang it up, then yank off my gloves and remove my hat.

  “You’re beautiful,” Luca murmurs, his eyes soft with affection for me.

  Happiness fills my heart. I’ll never get sick of him telling me so or of him telling me how much he loves me.

  He slips out of his coat and tosses it over the back of a kitchen chair.

  “I’m going to get your present,” Luca says, reaching for me and dropping a sweet kiss on my forehead.