Chapter One

Theo

Seven Years Earlier

– Late September-

“D o you really have to go?”

Danica’s words come out on a wistful sigh, and I roll to my side. Resting my head on my fist as I prop my arm on the windshield of my Corvette, the glass is cool against my clammy skin. The late September Oregon sunset is heavy with the heat of the day; the crisp campfire smell still lingers from the last end-of-summer wildfire that was only recently contained.

She is lying next to me on the hood of my old Chevy, riotous auburn curls splayed out all around her in a halo that reflects the last dying rays of the setting sunlight. I can just make out the multitude of freckles sprinkled across her cheekbones like splattered drops of paint as the shadows start to fall across her face, but I know each one by heart; I have traced their patterns more times than I can count while watching her sleep over these last few months, knowing our time together was going to be cut short sooner than I would like.

Reaching over with a steady hand, I tuck a rebellious curl behind her ear before responding.

“Training camp starts in two days, and then the preseason games. I have to be there.” I hate the words even as they leave my mouth; I hate the sadness on her face, and her silence in response even more. I don’t want to leave her. Things have been so tense between us the last few months. Even before I followed her across the country to Oregon to help her get settled in at her new University and her new Gymnastics program.

Really, things have been a bit strained ever since I found that note left in my locker, and the envelope full of pictures in my car at the end of last season, though I still haven’t found the words to tell her about them. She just knows things have been. . . a little off. . . since the start of summer, and though I have tried my best to keep it from her, I’m sure my frustration with each new note over the last three months has led her to believe it has more to do with our having to part ways as she goes off to school and I move up to Washington to join the NHL pros with the Seattle Sabretooths for my first season.

I know she can tell I’m stressed, and I hate that I let her think it’s just because of me starting my first pro season in the NHL. But how do I tell my girl that things are still so horribly wrong when for the first time in years she is finally in a good place? She was so excited to come to Oregon and leave her past behind her; to start fresh in a new place where no one knew her complicated history with her family and ex. No, it’s definitely better this way, she can focus on herself and her goals while the guys and I have been trying to figure it out. While we let our girl heal. This isn’t a burden she needs to carry with her.

After years of being stuck in an abusive relationship with her shitty ex, and being treated like dirt by her own parents, Danica has finally started to find herself, and it has been such an incredible honor watching that inner strength shine through as she has fought past her inner demons that have plagued her for so long.

After everything that went down last spring, as much as I hated her being out of my arms at night, even I have to admit that moving into Caleb’s new place was the first step in the right direction for Danica. A new home, with no history of trauma to haunt her every step seemed to help her breathe easier. Being able to start her gymnastics training again, and volunteering to coach the children’s classes seemed to help too. And then hanging out at my place, spending time with Ma while I was away for practice or games gave her something the guys and I couldn’t, a real Mother’s love.

“What is that look for?” Danica now asks, her face quizzical.

I raise an eyebrow in question.

She just shoots me a pointed stare. “You had this funny look on your face. Come on, spill it. ”

Leaning over, I can’t help but give her a quick peck on the lips before grinning sheepishly. “I was just thinking about this summer, watching you and Ma get to know one another better, all of the time we spent together. I’m really gonna miss this. All these quiet moments with you, la mia diavoletta. You’ve gotten under my skin and I don’t know how I am going to manage going weeks on end being away from you. I’ve gotten too used to having you with me all the time.” With my free arm, I reach over and snag her around the waist, pulling her until she is lying on top of me.

“Mmm.” Snuggling her head onto my chest, she raises a hand and places it over my wildly beating heart. “Can’t we just pretend that it isn’t the end of September? We can go back in time a few weeks to when I didn’t have to start classes at my new school and you didn’t have to go all the way up to Washington to be this big, badass NHL star?”

Blowing out a breath, I chuckle to myself at her flattery, running a hand through her hair while the other slides down her back, resting just inside the waistline of her tight denim jeans. “I wish it were that easy.”

Placing a kiss on the top of her head, I hold her head to my chest a little more tightly, not wanting to let go of this moment. Laying in silence, we watch as the world around us fade from pastels and shadows into darkness, bringing with it the cool relief of the night. Reality shifts as the crickets begin to chirp to their own tune, a contrast to the soft music drifting through the open windows of my parked Corvette, and one by one the twinkling lights of a million shining stars break through the deep blue hues of the peaceful night.

“Oh! I love this song!” Shattering the serenity of the moment, my wild girl jerks upright as one of her playlist tunes shuffles on. I laugh, shaking my head in bemusement as she quickly slides her fine ass down the hood of my car, hopping to the ground and racing over to lean through the window and turn up the volume. “Come here, Hoodie Guy.” She beckons me with a come-hither look and a waggle of her finger as she begins to sing and dance, without a care in the world in that moment. There she is, my beautiful songbird.

I roll my eyes, feigning annoyance, but sit up and hop off the car to join her, and as I reach for her hand, spinning her out and into a twirl I can’t help but take it all in; the light from the stars reflected in the twinkle of her eyes, the joy on her face as she sings along to a song about two teenagers dancing in the star light, and I let myself get lost in the music as the guitar rift fills the night.

Danica’s giggle fills the air and as the bridge starts, she croons in the most beautiful voice about those dreamers getting married and teaching their own kids how to dream, and I can’t help but think how perfect this moment is; how I want it all with her someday too. Pulling Danica to my chest, I sway softly along with her as the song changes into a slower tune, and I lean down to kiss her softly as she tilts her face up to meet me.

She pulls back slightly, gazing deeply into my eyes and I am mesmerized by the crisp green emeralds reflected in the moonlight. “Promise me something, Theo?”

“For you, il mio passerotto? Anything.”

“Promise me that it will always be like this. I know things are going to be crazy for a while. With me starting a new school, and hopefully training for the Olympics. And you, with your first season with the Sabretooths. But no matter what, I want us to always be able to come back to this. When life gets hard, when our jobs keep us apart for weeks at a time, or when our kids drive us crazy someday, I want us to always be able to find our peace in the quiet, together. Okay?”

With that, she smiles brightly, kissing me softly once more as we dance to our own rhythm, completely oblivious to the music now that is still playing in the background.

I want that. I want to dream with her, and have it all. The house, the kids, the happily ever after. First, I just have to figure out how to deal with whoever is trying to shatter those dreams before they ruin everything that is precious to me.