In the Crease
Page 56
Vaughn shrugged. “You knew that from the rip, bro. This whole relationship has been like the moment in the crease—where the puck could go in, or you could block it. She’s the blocker, and you’re the puck trying to go in. It’s a gamble. A big one.”
Swallowing hard, Jensen admitted he had known that from the beginning. He did, but hearing it once more made it even more real.
And scared the living shit out of him because he didn’t know what to do.
Should he stay strong, wait for her to feel something for him?
Or should he just take her to bed and hope for the best?
Fuck, this was complicated.
Wren’s heart ached in her chest as she watched Tate struggle in front of her.
He looked so wrung out. His shoulders were down, and his eyes were full of such defeat. She wished this wasn’t happening, and she hated her stupid hormones that were making her want to hug him and cry with him. As he looked up, meeting her gaze, she clutched her notepad as he tried to smile.
“You’ve thought this through?”
He nodded slowly, his eyes filling with tears. “Audrey and I have been talking since our last session. She started crying last night because I was still so unsure, and she just wanted me to be happy. She said that if I want to push myself and try to get back on the ice, she’d support me and she’d love me no matter what, even in a wheelchair. And that hurt me. I don’t want to do that to her or my kids. If I retire now, I can give my body the time it needs to heal, and I can be there for them.”
“You’re right. And good for Audrey. You’re lucky to have such a great woman.”
His lips turned up in a true smile. “I’ve loved her since the moment I met her. She’s so strong. So beautiful and the best woman I know. She loves me hard, and she loves our children with her whole soul. We’ve stood beside each other through thick and thin, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner for this life.” Wren’s heart shattered as he inhaled deeply, his lips quivering. “As much as I will miss the ice, miss being between those pipes, I miss playing on the floor with my kids more. Being able to lie with my wife the way she loves…sorry, TMI,” he laughed and she smiled. “But I’d rather be able to be there for my family and love them, like they’ve always loved me. The best thing for me is to retire.”
“And that’s what you want?”
“Yes.”
“Good, I’m glad that we’ve all worked together to come to this realization. I think it’s for the best, but in the end, it’s what you want.”
He nodded. “I know, and I do. I might not like it fully yet, but I know that if I keep trying to push myself, I’m not only going to hurt myself but my family too, and nothing is more important than family.”
Wren’s lips started to quiver. She missed Wells. She missed him so much, but she was still so angry with him. It wasn’t only that; it was the fact that she knew, like Tate, Jensen would do the same thing for her and her child.
And she wasn’t sure she would do the same.
That hurt her.
Pissed her off.
Why couldn’t she be like Audrey?
Reaching out, she took Tate’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m proud of you, Tate.”
“Thank you,” he said, squeezing back. “I don’t want to stop our sessions, though. I think I still might need them.”
Wren smiled, loving that he wanted to keep seeing her. She had been worried he would drop her since he had come to this decision, but she knew he would continue to need her. The pain was still so overwhelming for him, and not playing would take its toll. “I’ll always be here for you, Tate. Except for the next three weeks.” She laughed. “I’m going back home. But my phone is always on.”
He smiled. “That’s great. You need a break. Especially with dealing with me.”
Wren laughed, shaking her head. “Never. You’ve been a joy, Tate. I’m so proud of you.”
They shared a smile as he slowly got up, reaching for his crutch, before leaning on it. “Thanks, and oh, congratulations. Audrey told me that you and Monroe eloped.”
She blushed. “Yeah, we did.”
“And that you’re having a baby. I hadn’t realized.”
“Yeah, I just look fat,” she teased, waving him off, and he turned bright red.
“Never.”
“I was teasing you.”
He smiled as she walked with him to her office door. “You know, Wren, he’s the greatest guy ever. He texts me at least three times a week to check on me. When everything happened, he brought food for my family so Audrey wouldn’t have to worry about it. He babysat for us while I was in the hospital. He’s got a great heart, and since I think you’re the best, I’m really happy for you two.”
Her lips trembled as she placed her hand on the middle of Tate’s back and met his gaze. “Thank you. He’s wonderful.”
“He is. Congratulations again and enjoy your trip.”
“Thanks, Tate. Get with Leah for your next session.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
“Thank you,” she called as she watched him walk to Leah’s desk.
When her tears started to spill over her, running down her face, she shut the door and leaned her head into it. Everyone had nothing but nice things to say about Jensen. Everyone. She knew the only person who probably didn’t like him was his ex-wife, but she was a cunt, so it didn’t matter. Wren was married to the best damn guy on earth, and she wasn’t one hundred percent committed. She would be home in a matter of days, and she knew in her soul that everyone would see right through them.
She felt like she wasn’t doing anything right. She was fighting with Wells. She hadn’t talked to Shanna in almost seven months. She missed her friend, she did, but what she had told Jensen was the truth. Shanna would judge her and then push to know the father. Wren knew she would see Shanna when she went home, and she was dreading it. Then on top of all of that, she couldn’t allow herself to even entertain the chance that she and Jensen could work. It seemed so foreign to her, and that bothered her. He was such a great guy, and apparently, he adored her. So what was the issue?
Meanwhile, she was in charge of helping men with their mental health?
She was a fucking impostor.
As she wiped away her tears, she shook her head.
Swallowing hard, Jensen admitted he had known that from the beginning. He did, but hearing it once more made it even more real.
And scared the living shit out of him because he didn’t know what to do.
Should he stay strong, wait for her to feel something for him?
Or should he just take her to bed and hope for the best?
Fuck, this was complicated.
Wren’s heart ached in her chest as she watched Tate struggle in front of her.
He looked so wrung out. His shoulders were down, and his eyes were full of such defeat. She wished this wasn’t happening, and she hated her stupid hormones that were making her want to hug him and cry with him. As he looked up, meeting her gaze, she clutched her notepad as he tried to smile.
“You’ve thought this through?”
He nodded slowly, his eyes filling with tears. “Audrey and I have been talking since our last session. She started crying last night because I was still so unsure, and she just wanted me to be happy. She said that if I want to push myself and try to get back on the ice, she’d support me and she’d love me no matter what, even in a wheelchair. And that hurt me. I don’t want to do that to her or my kids. If I retire now, I can give my body the time it needs to heal, and I can be there for them.”
“You’re right. And good for Audrey. You’re lucky to have such a great woman.”
His lips turned up in a true smile. “I’ve loved her since the moment I met her. She’s so strong. So beautiful and the best woman I know. She loves me hard, and she loves our children with her whole soul. We’ve stood beside each other through thick and thin, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner for this life.” Wren’s heart shattered as he inhaled deeply, his lips quivering. “As much as I will miss the ice, miss being between those pipes, I miss playing on the floor with my kids more. Being able to lie with my wife the way she loves…sorry, TMI,” he laughed and she smiled. “But I’d rather be able to be there for my family and love them, like they’ve always loved me. The best thing for me is to retire.”
“And that’s what you want?”
“Yes.”
“Good, I’m glad that we’ve all worked together to come to this realization. I think it’s for the best, but in the end, it’s what you want.”
He nodded. “I know, and I do. I might not like it fully yet, but I know that if I keep trying to push myself, I’m not only going to hurt myself but my family too, and nothing is more important than family.”
Wren’s lips started to quiver. She missed Wells. She missed him so much, but she was still so angry with him. It wasn’t only that; it was the fact that she knew, like Tate, Jensen would do the same thing for her and her child.
And she wasn’t sure she would do the same.
That hurt her.
Pissed her off.
Why couldn’t she be like Audrey?
Reaching out, she took Tate’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m proud of you, Tate.”
“Thank you,” he said, squeezing back. “I don’t want to stop our sessions, though. I think I still might need them.”
Wren smiled, loving that he wanted to keep seeing her. She had been worried he would drop her since he had come to this decision, but she knew he would continue to need her. The pain was still so overwhelming for him, and not playing would take its toll. “I’ll always be here for you, Tate. Except for the next three weeks.” She laughed. “I’m going back home. But my phone is always on.”
He smiled. “That’s great. You need a break. Especially with dealing with me.”
Wren laughed, shaking her head. “Never. You’ve been a joy, Tate. I’m so proud of you.”
They shared a smile as he slowly got up, reaching for his crutch, before leaning on it. “Thanks, and oh, congratulations. Audrey told me that you and Monroe eloped.”
She blushed. “Yeah, we did.”
“And that you’re having a baby. I hadn’t realized.”
“Yeah, I just look fat,” she teased, waving him off, and he turned bright red.
“Never.”
“I was teasing you.”
He smiled as she walked with him to her office door. “You know, Wren, he’s the greatest guy ever. He texts me at least three times a week to check on me. When everything happened, he brought food for my family so Audrey wouldn’t have to worry about it. He babysat for us while I was in the hospital. He’s got a great heart, and since I think you’re the best, I’m really happy for you two.”
Her lips trembled as she placed her hand on the middle of Tate’s back and met his gaze. “Thank you. He’s wonderful.”
“He is. Congratulations again and enjoy your trip.”
“Thanks, Tate. Get with Leah for your next session.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
“Thank you,” she called as she watched him walk to Leah’s desk.
When her tears started to spill over her, running down her face, she shut the door and leaned her head into it. Everyone had nothing but nice things to say about Jensen. Everyone. She knew the only person who probably didn’t like him was his ex-wife, but she was a cunt, so it didn’t matter. Wren was married to the best damn guy on earth, and she wasn’t one hundred percent committed. She would be home in a matter of days, and she knew in her soul that everyone would see right through them.
She felt like she wasn’t doing anything right. She was fighting with Wells. She hadn’t talked to Shanna in almost seven months. She missed her friend, she did, but what she had told Jensen was the truth. Shanna would judge her and then push to know the father. Wren knew she would see Shanna when she went home, and she was dreading it. Then on top of all of that, she couldn’t allow herself to even entertain the chance that she and Jensen could work. It seemed so foreign to her, and that bothered her. He was such a great guy, and apparently, he adored her. So what was the issue?
Meanwhile, she was in charge of helping men with their mental health?
She was a fucking impostor.
As she wiped away her tears, she shook her head.
