Falling for the Backup Read online

  Fuck, this was going to be hard.

  “Aynslee, listen, I’m sorry. When the Adlers asked me out to celebrate the deal, I didn’t expect to see you at dinner. I was going to invite you, but you had that thing. I wanted to tell you,” he said, as he walked toward her.

  She shook her head, turning around and going up the porch stairs. There was no way she was having this conversation with him in the front yard, where the neighbors could hear them. Once inside, she kicked off her heels and went to the kitchen for a beer. Cracking the top as Jordan shut the door, she said, “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change what is happening, Jordan.” She ran her hand over her face, wiping away her tears—then she slammed her beer down, causing it to spray everywhere. “It still means that you are leaving, that you are taking my heart and breaking it into pieces.”

  “That’s not fair, Aynslee. I told you from the beginning that my life was up in the air.”

  “I know, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt!”

  “I understand that; it hurts me too, baby. I don’t want to leave you,” he said, reaching for her.

  “Then don’t!” she said, stepping out of his reach. “Don’t leave me.”

  He stopped, looking down at her as he ran his hand through his hair.

  “Don’t you know that if I could stay here and be content with being some shit-ass backup goalie, I would? I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried to go to every team that was close to here, because I don’t want to leave you, but no one has a starting position. Please don’t make me choose between you and hockey. I’d pick you, Aynslee, I would, but I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t resent you later.”

  She wished that it made her feel better that he would give up hockey for her, but it didn’t, and it wasn’t as if she’d let him do that anyway. She wanted him to ask her to go with him, but he wasn’t getting that! Shaking her head as tears rushed down her face, she said, “No, I’d never ask that of you.”

  Silence filled the house as the tension gathered around them. “So you’ll leave after the playoffs?”

  He nodded, his gaze piercing. “They want me to train with their goalie staff.”

  “Oh,” she said sadly.

  “It’s because of you that they offered me so much money to sign with them.”

  She looked up at him, confused. “Me?”

  “You know that guy you sat next to at the Buffalo game? He is my new boss.”

  “Sean?”

  “Yeah. He told my dad that after talking to you and seeing how much you believe in me, he couldn’t pass me up, and he offered me one hell of a contract,” he said, a small smile playing at his lips. But it fell as he reached for her. Threading his fingers through her hair, he tilted her head back and said, “Thank you.”

  “I believe in you because you are the best. No thanks are needed.”

  “No—thank you for being here and for everything. I’m back to being the guy I was before, and it’s all because of you.”

  Her heart aching, she said, “That’s good for the next girl you meet.”

  Jordan shook his head, moving his thumb along her cheek. “There will never be another girl,” he whispered, looking deep into her eyes.

  “Sure there will.”

  “No,” he said more sternly. “My heart is yours.”

  He slowly laid his forehead against hers and kissed her nose. He then asked, “So what do you want to do?”

  Aynslee closed her eyes, tears leaking out as she backed away, shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

  He looked lost and broken, his hands limp at his sides as he said, “I don’t either.”

  She couldn’t believe that this was going to happen like this. How could she let this end without knowing why he didn’t want to take her?

  “Tell me why you haven’t asked me to go with you,” she demanded.

  He paused, a confused expression on his face. He looked as if she wanted to know the cure for cancer. “You have a life here. A great job, friends, and you are happy. How is that fair to ask you to leave it for me? You’ll someday resent me.”

  “Are you kidding me?” Her eyes wide, she said, “This life I have here doesn’t matter without you.”

  “What?” he asked, and she could tell that he was flabbergasted.

  “My life has been completely altered by you, and I’d rather move from the place I’ve been for only a year than lose you.”

  His mouth slowly fell open. She couldn’t believe this: He thought she wouldn’t go and that’s why he didn’t ask? She should have just told him from the beginning that she would go with him; it would have saved her a month of stress.

  God, they were a mess.

  “Okay, let me get this straight,” he said, pointing at her. “You’ll come to Carolina with me?”

  She smiled as her heart slammed into her chest. Running her hand over her face to wipe the tears away, she said, “Yes, Jordan. I love you. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth as long as you loved me and wanted me too.”

  Jordan took a step toward her, his eyes locked on hers as he asked, “Really?”

  “All you have to do is ask me, and I’ll go.”

  The air crackled around them. This was the turning point. A wide grin came over his face, and he took her in his arms and kissed her hard on the lips.

  Aynslee moved her arms around his neck, holding him tight as he deepened the kiss. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest, matching the rhythm of hers. She loved this man, with everything inside her, and would for the rest of her life.

  He kissed the side of her mouth as she asked, “So we are doing this?”

  “Oh, yeah, there is no backing out now. You’re mine, Aynslee Shaw. I want you there when I start in every game. I want to come home to you and make love to you every night. I want to marry you someday and have little blue-eyed redhead babies,” he said, making her laugh. Then he became serious as he leaned his head into hers and said, “But I swear I will make you the happiest woman on earth, because I’ll never love someone the way I love you.”

  “You’ve already accomplished that,” she said, threading her fingers into his hair. She softly kissed his lips while her body tingled under his touch. He held her as if he would never let go. And she hoped he never did, because she sure as hell wasn’t going anywhere.

  Pulling back, she looked up at his gorgeous face, excited for their future together. She didn’t know what it held, but she knew as long as she was with Jordan, it would be everything she wanted.

  Moving her fingers down his face, loving the feel of his beard, she closed her eyes as she whispered, “I love you.”

  Leaning his head against hers, Jordan said, “Not as much as I love you.”

  And they lived happily ever after.…

  Acknowledgments

  Every day I have the love of two kids, OH, a lazy bulldog, and the most amazing man in the world. He supports me completely and loves me unconditionally. I love you, Michael; thank you for being the greatest love of my life. My little bits, Mikey and Alyssa: I love you two so much, and I am so blessed to have you both. Thanks for thinking Mommy is a rock star.

  To my family: I love you and thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams.

  To all my friends: Thank you for all the support and love.

  To my amazing agent, Alix: Thank you for taking a chance on this Southern girl who loves hockey!

  To Sue and Random House: Thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to make my dreams come true.

  To Heidi, thank you for being there!

  Again, thank you, readers, for everything. Y’all really rock.

  TONI ALEO is the author of the Nashville Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, and Blue Lines. When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel. She lives in the Nashville area with