Chapter 23

Amber

He doesn't say anything, and I can practically feel the tension coming off him. "Come on. It wasn't that bad."

He looks down at me as we're walking. "That place is terrible. You're not going back there."

I laugh. "Hate to break it to you, Buddy. That's the only place that will take my insurance. So, while it's maybe not all roses and sunshine, at least it's something." I look away, feeling defensive. I start to veer towards my car. "Well, thanks for coming with me. Even though you didn't need to." I told him a million times he didn't need to come to this appointment, but he insisted.

"How's the cramping and bleeding?" he asks, stopping my retreat.

I turn back to him and study his face, trying to decide if he really wants to know or if he's just being nice. "It's fine."

"It's fine as in it has stopped completely or it's fine in that you're not going to tell me?" he pushes.

"It's fine."

"Amber," he says in frustration.

"What?" I give an exasperated laugh.

"Anybody ever tell you you're stubborn?" he growls.

My eyes widen. "Have you ever looked in the mirror?" He rubs his chest, and I reach out and put my hand over his. "Don't do that." He looks at me in surprise. "You do that when you're nervous or frustrated." He gives me a look I can't decipher. I sigh. "Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk. I appreciate everything you've done for me—"

"I'd do so much more if you'd let me," he says, cutting me off.

I shake my head. "You've done more than enough, Rico."

"Amber, would you let me in?" he says in frustration. "Please. You keep pushing me away. Do you not want me more involved? If not, you have to say so directly because that's how I deal. I deal in black and white. If you want me to butt out, you're going to have to come out and say it. But if not…" he steps closer. "You have to stop pushing me away and start trusting me."

I stare at him wide-eyed. "Why would you want to get more involved with me?"

He huffs out a laugh, and his dark eyes meet mine. "You just don't get it, do you?"

I cross my arms over my chest. "Get what?"

"The fact that I want to be so much more involved in your life if you would just let me in," he says in a low voice.

"Why?" I can't help but ask. "You barely know me."

He steps closer, and I fight the urge to step backwards. "Because from the first moment I saw you, and you yelled at me..." he smiles. "You have fascinated me. You're the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen. I have this ache to be near you, to make you smile, to see you return to the person you were before...before Adam." His eyes darken.

"BA....before Adam. That's going to be my new timeline," I say with a smirk. He doesn't return my smile.

"I just want to help, Amber. I want to be involved in your life, as much or as little as you'll let me." I stare at him, unsure what to say. He smiles softly. "I can see I've shocked you, which is frankly surprising because I haven't been subtle when it comes to you."

I wrinkle my nose. "You're interested in me?" I can't wrap my head around what he's saying.

His smile grows. "Yeah." He tweaks my nose. "Have been for a while."

I stare at him, trying to take this all in. "No, you're not." It's his turn for his eyes to widen. "I'm a mess, Rico. I'm not warm and gushy and emotional like Bri."

"You've been plenty emotional lately," he counteracts, and I scowl at him.

"That's just pregnancy hormones."

"Is it?" he asks with a smile.

Feeling cranky, I glare at him. "Yes. I'm not an emotional person. At all."

He looks like he's barely refraining from laughing. "Okay. Non-emotional. Got it. Anything else?"

"I'm not a warm person. I'm argumentative and strong and independent."

"Okay."

"And I don't wear dresses and skirts and tons of makeup or heels...ever."

He nods. "Got it."

"And I'm not a sweet person. I'm difficult to deal with and say things how they are. I'll always tell the truth over lying, even if it hurts your feelings."

He smirks again. "If you're trying to scare me off, it's not working. I already know those things about you."

I wait a beat and then bring up the biggest thing. "And I'm pregnant, Rico."

"Yeah. Caught that." I stare at him, waiting for him to say more. "What?" he asks.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

He runs his eyes over my face. "I don't know what you want me to say, Amber."

"I have another man's baby in my belly." I throw up my hands in exasperation because he's just not getting it.

He steps close and snags one of my hands. "That's not going to push me away. None of those things are. You're going to have to try harder than that to push me away."

"Why?" I whisper. He's standing so close.

"Because I've waited a long time for you to notice me the way I notice you. And everything you just said about yourself—the things you said to push me away? Those are the things that draw me to you." His eyes drop to my lips just for an instant, and my breath stalls in my chest. "Now, if you say you're not interested, I'll back off. But if not, you're going to need to come to terms with this thing between us. I'm a patient man, Amber. I'll wait until you come around."

I stare at him and take a small step backwards. The old me would be kissing him by now, but the old me is the one who got herself into trouble. "Okay," I say instead, taking another step backwards and putting space between us. If he's disappointed, it doesn't show on his face.

He stares down at me. "I'm not Adam, Amber." I flinch at the sound of my ex's name. "I can't say I will never hurt you because I will. But if we commit to a relationship, I will never leave you on your own. I take my commitments seriously."

"Are you talking about marriage?" I swallow.

He's quiet for a moment. "I'm talking about whatever you'll give me." I take a breath, trying to take all this in. He reaches up and touches my cheek with his rough thumb. "I'll give you time to take it all in." He bends down so we're eye to eye. "Will you at least give me a chance? Will you let us see where this thing goes between us?"

"I don't know. You seem pretty serious if you're talking about marriage." I rub my belly self-consciously.

"I am, but I'll give you time to get used to the idea."

I nod, unsure what else to say. "I'm pretty sure you're going to realize this is a terrible idea," I finally say.

He studies my face again, and I fight not to fidget under his gaze. "How about this? We have a big game in two weeks against one of our rivals. It's the Friday after Thanksgiving. You come to that game if you want to go forward with this. If not, then we won't."

He makes it sound so easy. "Two weeks?"

He nods. "Two weeks. I'll try to leave you alone until then."

I smile in spite of myself. "Okay."

He walks me to my car. "I know I said I'd give you time, but—"

"Backing out already, Garcia?" I use his last name like the guys always do.

"No," he says with a sexy smirk. "I was just going to say that I'll give you space, but if you need me, call or text any time."

"Even if it's in the middle of practice or a game or three o'clock in the morning?" I push.

"Anytime," he reiterates. "If I can't answer, I'll return your call as soon as I'm able."

He's really serious about this. " Okay," I cave. He steps close, and I stare up at him. He leans forward, and I hold my breath. His lips graze the side of my cheek. When he pulls back and stares down at me, I realize I'm not breathing and take a small breath. "You're going to the library, right? I'll make sure you get there safely."

"You're going to follow me?" I frown.

"Yes, because I don't trust this piece of junk you drive."

"Hey, this car has been good to me."

"And how did it do the other night when it wouldn't start?" he questions.

"That was a one-time thing," I argue.

"Was it?"

"Okay, fine. Follow me to the library." He laughs and walks over to his truck. I'm practically drowning in my thoughts as I drive to work. He beeps and drives off once I'm on campus. So I have two weeks to decide if I'm ready for a relationship with him. No pressure.

The next two weeks fly by. Thanksgiving sneaks right in, along with the opening of Bri's shop. Between helping her, the holiday, work and school, the time slips right by. Suddenly, it's the day before the game, and I'm totally panicking. After my classes finish on Thursday, I drive to the nearest sports' store during my break before I start my shift at the library.

"Can I help you find anything?" a girl probably about my age asks.

"I'm looking for Green Thunder jerseys," I tell her.

"Those are right over here." I follow her to the large green section of the store. "Any particular jersey?"

"Um, do you sell jerseys for the goalie?"

"Rico Garcia?" she asks with a grin. "Yeah, right here. Number 82." She pulls out a jersey and pauses, eyeing my belly.

"Yeah, I need one with room to grow."

She smiles and snags a larger one. "This one should work."

"Thanks." I grimace at the price. "I'll take it." Minutes later, I walk out of the store with my new jersey in hand. I throw it in the back of my car and head to the library. "Hey, Mrs. Randolph," I say after clocking in.

"Good afternoon. How's that hockey player doing?"

I shake my head. She literally asks me the same thing every day. I tell her the same thing every day. I haven't talked to him lately. That's the truth, but today I have something different to report. "Well, I just returned from the sports store."

She turns her head to me. "And?"

I grin. "I bought a number eighty-two jersey." After a pause, I add, "That's Rico's number."

"I know what his number is," she snaps at me.

"You do?" I ask, surprised.

"Of course, I do. I know all those boys' numbers; I've been watching them for years."

"Wow, color me surprised."

"Why? Because I'm old?"

I hold back my smile. "Nope. You just never mentioned that you watched them play."

"Like I said, I've been watching them for years. Of course, I've taken a liking to a certain one of them recently," she says, her voice heavy with implication.

"Aiden Brooks?" I ask.

"Nope. The goalie." I smile and turn away. "So why did you get the goalie's jersey?" she pushes. "You gonna do something about that boy? Finally put him out of his misery?" I turn to look at her. "Oh, don't look at me like that. That boy is very into you, and you know it." She pauses. "If you don't know that, you're not as bright as I thought you were."

"Hey," I protest. She waits for me. "Okay, fine. Yes, I got his jersey so I can wear it to his game. It may mean something," I admit.

"Of course it means something," she snaps. "That boy sees you with a baby in your belly and his name on your back, and he's going to be putting a ring on your finger as soon as he can."

My mouth dries, and no words form.