Falling for the Backup (Novella): The Assassins Series (13 page)

“I was so mad! I tried to explain that he shouldn’t do that, but then the girl was like but I want to sparkle!! I died, I couldn’t hold it in, I was laughing so hard.”

“Oh my stars, that is crazy! I can’t wait for my daughter to go to school. She’ll probably be the one throwing glitter on herself,” Elli laughed as Shea nodded.

“She would, she’s crazy, gets it from her side of the family,” Shea said pointing at Elli.
 

Aynslee giggled as Jordan brought her hand up to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. His heart was aching as she held his gaze. Playoffs were starting that week, which meant that their time was winding down. The guys weren’t playing the way they usually did and people didn’t think they were going to get out of the first round. He could be leaving in two weeks, especially since he signed the contract today. The GMwanted Jordan to start training with the goalie staff as soon as possible and Jordan also needed to find a house and get settled before training camp started. Things were about to change, whether he was ready or not.
 

“So I bet you are just so proud of Jordan.”
 

Aynslee nodded before looking back over at Elli.
 

“Yes, he is amazing. I’m very lucky,” she said running her thumb up and down the small space between his thumb and index finger.
 

“You are. I’m very proud that he has fully recovered from his injury. He will do great things in Carolina for the IceCats.”

Her strokes stopped as she looked up at Jordan, shock written all over her face. Jordan’s heart seized and all he could do was look into Aynslee’s eyes. He should have known Elli would have brought up the transfer. He should have called Aynslee but instead he let this happen and he could see her shutting down. Neither one of them wanted this but it was happening.
 

“He will,” she said taking in a deep breath before looking back at Elli, her hand slowly sliding out of Jordan’s. “I have no doubts about that,” she added before reaching for her drink.
 

“Are you excited about living in Carolina? It’s so beautiful.” Elli asked with a bright grin.

“We haven’t figured all that out yet,” Jordan said quickly, feeling like the world was coming down on him. He tried to reach for Aynslee’s hand, but she just shook her head.
 

Taking in a deep frustrated breath, he looked up at Elli as she said, “Oh, well you better! If we don’t beat these damn Blackhawks, playoffs will be over in a week.”

He knew that, he also knew that he may very well be losing the love of his life.
 

***

Aynslee couldn’t breathe.
 

The room was spinning and her heart was breaking inside of her chest.
 

He signed a contract? And didn’t even tell her?

What the hell?

Standing up suddenly, she looked over at Shea and Elli and said, “I’m so sorry, but I need to get home. I have school tomorrow and I’m worn out!”

She laughed trying to be lighthearted, but it was taking everything she had to keep the tears in.

“Oh, we completely understand. It was so nice to meet you,” Elli stood up to hug her tightly.
 

Aynslee shook Shea’s hand and then looked back at Jordan. He was watching
 
her and she could see the hurt in his eyes. Fighting back the tears, she quietly said to Elli & Shea, “Nice to meet you too, bye.”

And she left. Without saying one word to Jordan. She wasn’t sure if she could actually speak to him without crying. Making her way outside, she took in a lungful of air as tears ran down her cheeks. After getting into her car and starting it, she cried the whole way home. She didn’t understand, why he hadn’t told her? Why hadn’t he given her at least a little warning. Instead, she had to find out from his fucking boss.
 

He could be leaving in a week and she had no clue what that meant. Would he just walk away, say, ‘nice knowing you’ and that would be it? He still hadn’t asked her to come with him, so did he even want something more than what they already had? Had she been wasting two months of her life? She didn’t know and it was killing her.
 

Pulling into her driveway, she slammed her car door as a sob broke out of her. As she made her way to the door, she heard someone pulling up into the drive.
 
She knew who it was even before she turned around Jordan jumped out of the car, looking unbelievably handsome in a nice black dress shirt and khaki dress pants. He had trimmed his beard, just the way she liked it and even though she was so upset and torn up over the recent news, she still wanted to wrap her arms around him and get lost in his kisses.
 

Fuck, this was going to be hard.
 

“Aynslee, listen I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to see you at dinner and when the Alder’s asked me out to celebrate the deal.
 
I was going to invite you, but you had that thing. I wanted to tell you,” he said as he walked towards her. She shook her head, turning around and going up the porch stairs. There was no way she was going to have this conversation with him outside 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 as she slammed her beer down causing it to go 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.
 
I told you that my life was up in the air.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean it still 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 contentwith being some shit ass backup goalie, I would? I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried to go to every team that was close to you because I don’t want to leave you but no one has a starting position. Please don’t make me chose 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 as she asked, “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, how could he not want me and offered me one hell of a contract,” he said, a small smile playing at his lips, but then it fell as he moved toward her reaching 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, there is no thanks needed.”

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

Aynslee looked down, her heart aching as 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 in her eyes.
 

“Sure there will.”

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

He slowly laid his head 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.”

Looking up at him, 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?
 

 
“Why haven’t you ask me to go with you?” She demanded.

He paused, a confused look on his face. He looked as if she had asked for the cure to 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?” she exclaimed, her eyes wide.“This life I have here doesn’t matter without you.”

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

“My life has been completely altered by you and I’d rather move from the place I’ve only been at for six months then lose you.”

He continued to look at her as 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 have gone; 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 towards 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, just as he took her in his arms, and kissed her hard on the lips. She 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 to 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 moving her fingers in his hair. She then 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 down at his gorgeous face, excited for their future together. She didn’t know what the future 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….

Acknowledgements

Every day I have the love of the most amazing man, two kids, OH and a lazy bulldog, 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 that loves hockey!
 

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

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 her husband, two children, and a bulldog.