She looked over at him, and then shrugged her shoulders, “I’ll own the Assassins in five years, tops, from what he is saying.”

Shea sat there speechless, blinking a few times as he stared over at his girlfriend who, if he was still with the team, would be his boss.

What. The. Hell.

“What did you say?”

“I said yes, of course. I love the Assassins; of course I would want to own them.”

“What about the studio?”

“I could still do that on the side. I was thinking of selling it to Harper, but then I don’t know because she is probably going to want to go wherever Jakob goes, even though I would want to keep him when I come on, but he might get traded before that, so I don’t know. But anyway, if Harper didn’t want to buy it, I would probably sell it. I mean, own the studio or own a hockey team? It’s not a hard decision.”

She was rambling, which meant she was nervous, probably because she was going to tell him that if he didn’t stay with the Assassins, they wouldn’t be together.

“Yeah, it really isn’t,” he muttered as he looked out at the ocean. Off in the distance, he saw dolphins jumping out of the water. He thought that would bring a smile to his face, but he sat with his heart slowly breaking from the mere thought of not being with Elli for forever.

“So I guess that answers my question, huh? You can’t stay with me, when you own the team I left,” he asked, refusing to look over at her.

“Well, don’t say that. That’s like putting an expiration date on our relationship, and there’s no telling what will happen in the next few years. What if you retire, or God forbid Papa dies, and I get the team tomorrow, because then you’re never leaving.”

“Yeah.”

“Shea, look at me,” she said. He took a deep breath before looking over at her, and she reached over, taking his hand in hers, “I’m not saying that we would be over if you got traded, but it’s not like I could have gone with you before my papa asked me to take the team, anyway. I have a career here, I can’t just leave it.”

“So you would sell the studio to own the Assassins, but not to follow me to the next place I play?”

She exhaled loudly, and he could tell she was getting angry. Good, he was already pissed.

“We’re about to get into a fight about a ‘what if’ situation. You aren’t going anywhere at the moment. You are an Assassin, so why ask questions? Let’s wait until we get there.”

“I don’t like the uncertainty, Elli. I know that you don’t love me, but I love you and each day I fall more and more in love with you. So I’m sorry that I want the reassurance that one day, if it happens, my girl will be by my side, going with me.”

Elli shook her head, frustrated.

“I think you’re asking more than you mean to, Shea. We’ve been together for three months, and you’re asking for my forever. I don’t think you realize that.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“So you are asking me to marry you?”

“No!”

She stood up, glaring down at him.

“Just what I thought. So come on, let’s go. I’m getting cold.”

“Wait, we’re not done,” he said as he stood, grabbing a hold of her hand to keep her from walking away.

“Oh yes we are. I don’t want to fight with you on our vacation, Shea. We’re happy, let it be. We’ll cross that bridge when it comes.”

She dropped his hand to pick her things up, he ran his empty hands through his hair, letting out a defeated sigh. Elli looked over at him, taking his hand in hers.

”Do you want to do something else? Because if not, we’ll need to say our goodbye down here since Papa will be inside and won’t like watching you feel his niece up,” she gave him a cheeky grin, and he nodded.

“The guys are getting drinks, wanted us to join.”

“Cool. Let’s go, then.”

So much for reassurance on their relationship.

Elli stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, checking out the little black tube top dress she was pairing with a beautiful pair of sparking Christian Louboutin heels. She looked over her body, liking the fact that she looked skinny in the dress. She actually thought she looked good. But then she looked at her face, seeing the red splotches that covered her cheeks, and shook her head.

She had been crying since she left Shea at the elevators.

Why did he have to do this to her? Why couldn’t he be happy with the way they were? Why did he have to bring up the things that could or would not happen? He wasn’t leaving, so why did he have to ask her if she would follow? She shook her head, trying to keep the tears that were welling up at bay. Lord knew she wanted to follow Shea to the ends of the earth, but the truth was she couldn’t.

If he left, he was going to be leaving her, too. She had too much in Nashville, and it wasn’t like they were married. She tried to get that point across to him, but he just didn’t get it.

It wasn’t as if Elli wanted him to ask her to marry him, either. That wasn’t it; it would be nice, but not right now. They were still young in their relationship, and he wasn’t going anywhere! There was no need to stress about it! With that thought, Elli stomped out of the bathroom, pushing all her thoughts of marriage, Shea leaving, and her owning the team to the back of her head.

If she didn’t, she would drive bat shit crazy with worry.