Clipped by Love (Bellevue Bullies #2) Read online

  Pulling away, he kisses my nose before sitting down, his fingers lacing with mine. “I’ve wanted to do that all day.”

  “Me too,” I admit shyly as our fingers dance along each other.

  “I heard your dad yelling at you. He let us have it in the waiting room,” he says then.

  “Yeah, he’s pissed,” I say, rolling my eyes. “I heard the benches cleared out.”

  “Yeah, no one touches our girl,” he says with a wink, and I grin.

  “He actually suggested I go play for the girls.”

  His face doesn’t change as he nods. “And I’m sure you told him not just no, but fuck no.”

  A grin pulls at my lips as I nod. “In so many words.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “No, I’m mad at him,” I say, meeting his gaze. “I mean, how dare he, right? He’s supposed to support me at all time, and because I get knocked out, he wants me to give up? What the hell?”

  “Is this the first time you’ve been hurt?”

  “Like this, yeah.”

  “Then he just doesn’t know how to handle his feelings. No one wants to see someone they love lying lifeless, Baylor.”

  I shrug. “I can understand that, but still. We’ve worked so hard for this. I already have so many interviews with teams set up for the first of the year, why would he want to pull me from that?”

  “I agree, and you’re going to make it,” he says almost like a promise. “He knows that. He’s just freaked out right now. He is your dad.”

  “I know,” I breathe, shaking my head. “He makes me so mad though.”

  “With reason,” he adds as he squeezes my hand. “But it’s fine. You’re fine.”

  “I am,” I say as his green eyes burn into mine. Then I ask something that I wouldn’t usually ask, but I need to know. “What do you think?”

  “About?” he asks.

  “Me quitting. Stupid, right?”

  He grins as he shrugs. “Doesn’t matter what I think.”

  Making a face, I say, “Yes, it does. I want to know.”

  “The truth?” he asks, his brows coming up, and my heart sinks to my stomach.

  “Truth.”

  Looking down at our hands, he kisses the back of my hand as he holds it with both of his. Biting into his lip, he looks up at me and I can see it in his eyes. He’s hesitating because he’s worried I’ll get mad, which means he wants me to quit.

  “You want me to quit,” I supply, and he shakes his head.

  “No way. I want you to do what makes you happy. Hockey is that, and you’ve worked hard, Bay. But I do I want you safe.”

  Holding his gaze, I think that over before asking, “But if you had a say?”

  “I’d beg you to quit and I’d wrap you in bubble wrap, but that’s just me being overprotective. It’s part of being the boyfriend guy,” he says with a goofy grin, and I smile back.

  “Yeah, I get that. It’s the same with the dad thing too, I guess.”

  “For sure, we care about you. We don’t want anything to happen to you, and it’s hard to remember that you’re the strongest girl in the history of ever.”

  “I just don’t want him doubting me,” I say, letting out a breath. “Or you.”

  “I’d never doubt you,” he promises. “You don’t want to quit, right?”

  “No fucking way.”

  “Then don’t,” he says simply. “No one can control you but you.”

  “Yeah,” I agree.

  “Come on, control freak, you should know that,” he teases, lacing his fingers with mine before sending me a small grin. I smile back as he says, “But no matter what you choose, Baylor, I believe in you and stand behind you, one hundred percent.”

  Yup, my heart just exploded in my chest. But wasn’t that what my dad was supposed to say? I’m not sure how that makes me feel, but soon I’m pulling him to me and out of his seat. He grins as our lips meet, and as I kiss him, I can’t believe how important it was for him to say that to me. For him to believe in me. Dragging back, I cup his jaw while my finger swirls through the scruff on his jaw.

  “Thank you,” I whisper, and his eyes darken as he looks deep into my eyes.

  “For?”

  “For believing in me.”

  Leaning into me, he brushes his nose against mine before sucking in a deep breath. He wants to say something, I can see it in his eyes, but instead he kisses my top lip and whispers against it, “Always, Baylor.”

  Slamming her bag on my bed, Delanie looks over at me and shakes her head. “Only you get a concussion the week we come to visit!”

  I laugh as Mandie hugs me tightly. “Really though, what the hell?” she teases, and I roll my eyes.

  “I’m fine, completely fine, been skating all week,” I say with my hands up in a calm-down motion.

  “Still, that’s dumb.”

  “’Cause I wanted to get knocked the fuck out by Wilkie! You guys should yell at him.”

  Delanie sets her eyes on me, her hands on her hips as she nods quickly. “You know I did. I even told everyone he has herpes, but it didn’t matter, he got suspended for the rest of the year. Bye-bye, draft,” she sings as she lies down on my bed.

  “Oh, I didn’t know that,” I say, surprised, and Mandie laughs.

  “Oh yeah, big trouble. Most of the guys are too. It’s bad, but who cares? They deserve it. They can’t hurt people like that,” she says, falling next to her sister.

  “For sure,” I agree, lying next to Delanie. “But whatever, it’s in the past. We’ve got the weekend to party, and since we don’t have a game tomorrow, we get to go out.”

  “Sounds good,” Delanie says with a grin. “And will boys be joining us?”

  I roll my eyes, bumping into her shoulder. “Well, since all my friends are dudes, yes.”

  “But will Jace?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good,” she says as Mandie grins.

  “And your boyfriend?” Mandie sings.

  “He’ll go too,” I say shyly before hiding my face, which causes them to laugh.

  “Aww, you’re so cute!” Mandie teases before tickling my side. “Are you in loooooove?”

  Smacking her away, I scoff. “Please. No way. He’s great and I like him. A lot. But love? Be real.”

  “Whatever,” Delanie mocks. “You are for sure falling. We bring his name up and your face turns bright red.”

  Making a face, I hop out of the bed and reach for my jacket. “Whatever, let’s go. We have Nashville to explore!”

  “Told ya,” Delanie says, getting out of the bed.

  Mandie nods, agreeing, “Totally.”

  “What?!” I snap, and they both grin at me.

  “You are so in loooooove with him,” Delanie challenges, but I shake my head.

  “No, really, I’m not,” I answer, but I can tell they don’t believe me.

  Hell, I don’t really believe me

  “Sure, Baylor, it’s fine. Don’t admit it to us or yourself; we know the truth,” she says, putting her jacket and hat on.

  “Whatever, you’re insane. But really, remember not to say anything to anyone. We are keeping it quiet,” I remind them, and Delanie waves me off.

  “And he’s okay with that?” Mandie asks and I shrug.

  “Yeah.”

  Looking over at her sister, she grins. “He’s so in loooooove with her.”

  “What! What the hell?” I ask, my heart speeding up in my chest. “That’s ludicrous!”

  But they actually believe it! Looking at me like I’m the insane one, Mandie says, “Baylor, if he wasn’t in love with you, he wouldn’t have agreed to that. He’s taking what he can get, just to be with you.”

  My face scrunches up as I shake my head. “No, he is respecting my wishes.”

  “Because he loves you, doofus,” Delanie says. “Plus with all the shit he’s said to you, yeah, he is head over heels digging you.”

  “Y’all are insane and have no just cause to think that,” I say, w