“I didn’t want you to quit hockey. I wanted you to play for the girls’ team.”

“Not happening,” I say simply. “I’m too good.”

Shaking his head, he looks down at the ground and says, “I know, but you’ll be safe.”

“I’m good, Dad, and that’s final,” I say as his eyes meet mine. “But the question is, are you going to help me get to the NHL or not?”

Looking away, he sucks in a deep breath and I fully expect him to say no, but instead he says, “You know I will.”

“Then nothing else needs to be said,” I say, tears threating to fall since I feel like all his faith in me is gone. “I’m fine. Don’t let this scare you.”

“Easier said than done, Bay.”

Shrugging my shoulders, I don’t care if it is.

I have one goal.

And that’s to bring the Cup home to him.

And I will succeed.

“I guess I’ll tell the boys to come in,” he says then, reaching for the door, and I nod.

“Thanks,” I say, wiping away the stupid tear that falls.

When the room fills up with my teammates, I almost start crying from the overwhelming love they all show me. Everyone is asking if I’m okay; they even brought me gifts. Some brought me flowers while others brought me candy and snacks since they decided to keep me overnight. I’ve never been showered with this kind of attention or love, and it feels amazing. But as I look out at my teammates, I can’t believe that I’ve only looked at these guys as my competition. That’s not what they are—they are my family.

When I don’t see Jayden, I start to freak out a bit, but then I notice that he’s standing in the corner, watching as everyone checks on me. When our eyes meet, I can tell he’s worried about me, but then he smiles and all my anger from before with my dad vanishes. It’s funny how one look from Jayden can make everything seem so trivial. I just feel better when he’s around, and while I really do appreciate everyone coming to see me, when they leave, I’m not sad to see them go.

Especially when Jayden hangs back.

Coming toward the chair by my bed, he reaches for my hand and kisses the back of it. When he looks up at me, I smile and then he stands up, taking my mouth with his. Letting my eyes drift shut, I bask in the feel of his lips against mine. I’ve missed his lips, his warmth, and soon I feel nothing, not the pain, the anger, anything, just him. When he pulls back too soon, I look up at him as he cups my face.

“You scared the shit out of me,” he says, his thumb trailing along my bottom lip.

“Sorry, dumbass got me. I was looking down,” I say, shaking my head. “Rookie mistake.”

He shrugs. “Happens to the best of us,” he says before kissing me softly again. Moving my hand up his jaw, I hold him in place as I deepen the kiss, needing to feel him. When we are like this, just us two, and I get lost in the way he makes me feel, I’m convinced that nothing can touch me.

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.”