Whispers of Winter: A Limited Edition Collection of Winter Romances

by Nicole Morgan

  “You like super hero movies?” I smiled. Another thing we have in common.

  “I love ‘em.” He pulled out his keys and showed me his Iron Man keychain. That’s awesome.

  “Marvel or DC?” I asked, hoping he’d answer the way I wanted him to.

  “Marvel of course,” he said. “Except I have a thing for Wonder Woman.”

  I laughed. “So do I!” There is no way this man is real. He’s too perfect to be real. “Give me a minute,” I said. “I need to lock up and put this stuff away.” He nodded. Grabbing the broom and dust pan, I jogged to the back room, clicking the deadbolt on the back door on the way by. Propping the broom in the corner, I stared at it for a moment and smiled. “You’ve been a great partner the past few years,” I said. “But I don’t think I need you anymore.”

  “Peyton,” Austin yelled from the other room. “If you hurry we can make the ten-thirty show.”

  “Coming,” I yelled back. I looked at the broom one last time. It might be just a broom to most people. But not to me. “Thank you,” I whispered. I turned off the light and shut the door, smiling, feeling as if I was moving into a new chapter of my life.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Walking out onto the street, the chill of the air bit at my skin. I sucked in my breath. “Ooh, wow. That’s cold,” I said. No one was there, but I didn’t care. I watched my breath on the air. It was beautiful. I noticed the holiday lights adorning the nearby shops and in the windows of the apartments above. I smiled. I love the holidays.

  The large metal lock clanked as I turned the key. I rotated to the left to begin my short walk to Steak to the Heart to meet Austin and skidded to a halt as I noticed Kelsey standing a few steps away. Great. This is just what I need.

  “Hello,” she said. She wore a scarf over her head, a pair of red glasses, and instead of her thousand-dollar suit, she was wearing jeans. But I knew it was her. I could tell. “Do you have a minute?”

  “Um, actually,” I said. “I really don’t want to do this right now.” I felt uneasy, and a knot formed in the bit of my stomach.

  “I promise you, it will only take a minute.” She stood her ground. Apparently, she was not going to take no for an answer.

  “I’m already late,” I continued, using the keys in my hands to point the way of my path.

  “I’ll walk with you,” she insisted.

  I tucked the keys and my hands into the pockets of my jacket, which barely offered any warmth at all, and began walking. “What do you want, Kelsey.” Didn’t Austin ask you to leave? To go home? Why didn’t you just go home?

  “First, I want to apologize for being so rude the other day,” she said. We began walking slowly, keeping perfect stride with each other.

  “It’s fine.” It’s not fine. But whatever will get you away from me. “Anything else?”

  “Yes,” she said, keeping her gaze straight ahead. “I need you to break up with Austin.” I brought my feet together and stood perfectly still. Did she really just say that? I began to feel nauseated. She can’t be serious.

  “Excuse me?” I said. I didn’t look at her.

  “I need you to break up with Austin.” Yep. That’s what she said. I clenched my jaw and tried not to let my anxiety take over. I tapped my toes inside my shoes. One, two, three, four, five. I wanted to run away but I stood my ground. “He apparently really cares for you, loves you even, and he’s not going to return to playing football while he’s with you.”

  I turned to look at her. “What the hell makes you think he wants to play football again?” She thinks he loves me?

  “Please. Of course, he wants to play again.” I could see the frustration on her face, even behind the disguise. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, letting out a huff of air through her flaring nostrils. “He’s just scared. And you’re safe.”

  Is she fucking serious? “I’m not keeping him from playing football. And I’m not keeping him here.” I tried not to allow the animosity I felt inside boil to the surface.

  “Then break up with him so I can talk him into going home with me and getting back into the game.” She grinned.

  “Be honest with me. Do you love him?”

  “No.” She answered with no hesitation whatsoever. “It’s not like that with us.”

  “Then what the hell is it?” I felt a small sense of relief at her answer. She doesn’t love him. But I was still pissed. How could she ask me to do something like this?

  “That’s not why I’m here.” she crossed her arms over her chest.

  I started moving away from her. I wanted to get away, get away from her, and get the hell away from the whole conversation. She was starting to piss me off. “So tell me,” I looked down at the ground. “Why are you here?”

  “I told you. I need you need to break up with Austin.” Her voice sounded upbeat, almost cheerful. She was asking me to end my relationship and didn’t care how it made me feel or what it did to me, or Austin.

  “And I told you, I’m not keeping him here. He’s free to leave whenever he wants.”

  “Then tell him that,” her tone changed. The nearly cheerful quality that was present only moments ago had vanished. “He has it in his head that he’s done, that he’s not going back to playing football. And I think it’s all because of you.”

  “It’s not because of me,” I snapped. My voice held a tone of bitterness that I wasn’t aware I possessed. “I’m sorry, but maybe you should actually ask him what he wants instead of assuming you know. When we first met he told me he was done. He told me he never had any intentions of going back to the game.”

  “He loves football. It’s been his life since he was sixteen. It’s all he’s ever wanted. It was his passion. He worked his whole life to accomplish his dream.” Kelsey adjusted her scarf. “I’m sure you can’t understand what that’s like.”

  Oh, bitch, please. You did not just say that to me. I took a deep breath and the cold air stung my lungs nearly as sharp as Kelsey’s words. The street lights flicked on as the darkness set in, creating dancing shadows on the sidewalk at our feet. Delicious smells wafted from Austin’s restaurant, reminding me I hadn’t eaten dinner.

  “Actually, Kelsey,” I over emphasized her name, adding a sarcastic tone. “I used to be a dancer.” I felt the broken pieces of my heart shifting in my chest. They tinged against my skin to remind me they were there, that the pain was ever-present and would be with for the rest of my life. “I understand perfectly. And I also understand that things change. Things can change to the point of where you won’t, can’t, or don’t want to go back to it. I think that’s where Austin is now.” I turned, took a step toward her, and stood directly in front of her, only inches away. She was at least six inches taller than me. Stupid model height. “And what makes the relationship between Austin and me any of your damn business?”

  “Austin and I have been dating on and off for almost five years.” She pulled off her sunglasses and tucked them in the pocket of her coat. She wore very little makeup but still looked more beautiful than I could ever imagine myself.

  “You mean fake dating.” You’re not his girlfriend. I’m his girlfriend. You just said you don’t love him. My stomach knotted. How could he let her do this to him? He deserved so much better. He deserved to have someone that truly loved him, that truly needed him, and that truly wanted him to be a part of his life.

  “Whatever.” She flicked her fingers at me. “The point is I know him better than you do. I know what he wants. I know what he really wants.”

  “You do?” I stared at her. My body began to shiver from the cold. At least I thought it was from the cold. At that point I was so angry I wasn’t sure anymore. “You think you know what he wants – truly wants?”

  “Of course.” Now she just sounded like a bitch.

  “Did you know that he wants to travel to the Grand Canyon? He’s never been there?” Kelsey stood silently. “Did you know that he wants to take a cooking class to learn how to make pasta – lik
e real pasta?” She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. “Did you know he learned how to dance?”

  “Dance?” A look of disgust came over her face. “Austin? Na uh. Nope. Not a chance.”

  “Yes,” I said proudly. “He did. He learned to dance.” He learned how to dance. I began to think about the words as they drifted from my lips. Austin learned how to dance – for me. The realization of what I had just said hit me like a ton of bricks. He learned how to dance for me. What the hell am I so scared of? I looked down the street toward the steak house, needing to get to Austin.

  “I’m sorry, Kelsey,” I said, pushing by her. “I have to go.” I slowly walked toward the restaurant.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “It’s absolutely, positively, and completely none of your business.” The words came out in a swirl of unintentional, but enjoyable, laughter.

  “What are you going to say to him?” She shouted after me. “You’re making him give up everything to be with you – everything he has ever worked for. Everything.” I didn’t want to listen to her. She would say anything right now to stop me, to make me give up on Austin. “You think a man like that is actually going to be happy with someone like you? You think he’s going to settle for some hometown girl who has nothing, is nothing, and will be nothing?”

  I turned around, continuing to walk in a backwards motion. “Maybe I am just a hometown girl. But apparently, Austin is turning into just a hometown boy. So which one of us has a better chance of making a life with him? “

  “You are so naïve,” she shouted. Her words bounced off the emptiness of the street. “You don’t know anything.”

  “I know enough,” I replied. I know Austin wants to be with me. And that’s enough.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I stood at the front window of Steak to the Heart, gazing into the nearly full dining room. Glancing around, I hoped to see his face. I watched the people inside. Diners smiling and laughing. Waiters darting here and there. A group at the bar cheering. I looked over my shoulder, checking to see if Kelsey had followed me. I didn’t see her anywhere in sight. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with dread. Her words began to haunt me. The things she said bounced around in my mind, pinballing throughout my body, landing on my heart.

  He has a chance to get back in the game. But he said he didn’t want to go back. Was that the truth? It’s been his dream since he was sixteen. I didn’t want to be the reason that he gave up his dream. I knew firsthand how devastating it is when your dream is stripped out of your life. He’s only staying here because of you. Was she right? If he hadn’t met me, would he be working toward returning to the playing football? Would he be working harder to get back to the Texans? Was I keeping him here? Was I being selfish? Was I the reason he was giving up? I couldn’t do that to him.

  Austin. Tears pooled in my eyes. I knew what I had to do. And now I had a reason to hate Kelsey – at least I wanted to believe that. I quickly turned away from the glass and wiped my eyes with my sleeve. I let out a breath, and I could see the puff of air as I exhaled into the night air. The cold made me shiver, harder than before. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to stave off the chill in the air.

  A couple exited the restaurant, chattering and laughing. I finally mustered my courage and walked inside, waving to a few of the staff members as I strolled through the main dining room. Passing through the bar area, I noticed all the memorabilia on the wall. Pictures of Austin playing football. One of his football jerseys in a frame. A team picture. And a signed football helmet on a shelf in the center. His life is football. He is a football player. My steps quickened as I continued down the hall to the back office.

  The name plate on the dark oak door read “Austin Mathey, Owner / Manager.” I let out a huff of breath and knocked, my knuckles rapping on the solid wood. Five knocks. Only five. I saw shadows under the door and my stomach began to flutter. Is that him? I knocked again, louder. Again, only five knocks.

  The door swung open and there he was, standing in front of me, the most perfect male form I had ever seen in my life. He smiled. “Peyton,” he said. I thought I heard excitement in his voice. At least I wanted it to be excitement. “I was wondering where you were.” I didn’t speak. He motioned me inside the office and my eyes glanced toward the small heater on the floor. I walked inside, grateful for the warmth. Austin shut the door and wrapped his arms around me. “I’ve missed you.” He rubbed my arm, attempting to warm me. “Holy shit, babe. You’re freezing.”

  “It’s getting really cold,” I said. “And I’m sorry I’m late.” My words reverberated with my shivering. Austin wrapped his arms around me again. I could feel the warmth of his body through his clothes and mine. I wanted to stay there, in his arms. I would miss this.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure.” I leaned my head on his chest. He smelled so good, like cedar and chocolate. He was so warm. He was so firm. He was so safe. “Kelsey came to see me.”

  I thought that he would get upset or scream or yell or something. But he didn’t. Instead, he just let out a big sigh and held me tighter.

  “I’m sorry,” he said softly. He kissed the top of my head and stroked my back with his hand. “I’m so sorry.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Austin placed a cup of hot chocolate on the table in front of me and moved around the large desk to his office chair. It was beautiful. The perfectly formed whip cream spiral sprinkled with chocolate shavings. It was the best hot chocolate I’d ever had.

  “Kelsey made a lot of sense,” I said. I dipped my finger into the whipped cream and lightly sucked it off.

  “What do you mean?” Austin asked. He poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe on his desk. “What did she say to you?”

  “She told me that you’re only staying here because of me.” I picked up the spoon next to the mug and took a bite of the whipped cream. “She said if it weren’t for me, you’d be training to play football again, not just to fix your injury.”

  “She’s crazy,” Austin said. “I gave up football. I have no intention of going back. Never did.”

  “That’s what I told her you said, but she claims you only feel that way because of me. And if that’s true, I can’t let you do that.” I took another bite of whipped cream, avoiding making eye contact with Austin. “I know what it’s like to give up your dream. To have it taken away from you. Stolen before you’re ready to let go.”

  “What are you talking about?” Austin put his arms on the desk, leaning in closer.

  “Nothing,” I said. “Never mind.” Me and my big mouth.

  “No, you brought it up.” Austin reached out and touched my hand. “Let it out.” I played with the whipped cream and took a drink of the hot chocolate.

  “This is really good,” I said. I flashed him a sweet smile.

  “Thank you,” he said. “Now stop trying to change the subject. What did you mean by having your dream stolen away?”

  I took a deep breath and let it out in a frustrated huff. “Fine,” I said. I began straightening the items on his desk, making them line up perfectly with the edge of the wood and with each other. “I was a professional dancer once.” My words started as a whisper. “I worked with a contemporary company. We toured all over the world.” I noticed Austin watching my actions, so I sat back in my chair. “During a long practice, my partner dropped me.”

  “Dropped you?” Austin looked shocked.

  “It wasn’t on purpose,” I assured him. “It was an accident that shattered my knee cap and tore my ACL. We’d been partners for a long time. He was great. He felt horrible about it for a long time. In fact, he still calls me all these years later to check on me.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Austin caressed the back of my hand with his thumb. “I didn’t know.”

  “After two surgeries, scar tissue has formed and decreased my range of motion by about twenty percent. So, even though it’s healed, I’ll never dance professionally
again.” I could feel the hurt, the disappointment, the anger building inside me.

  “Yeah, but –” Austin sat up tall in his chair.

  “And there’s the pain,” I said, interrupting. If I stopped talking about it now, I wouldn’t finish. He would never know the whole truth. I had to finish telling him everything. “The pain is still horrible some days. The tearing, the pulling, the burning. It’s like I’ll never stop reliving the nightmare.” My hand instinctively reached down and rubbed the scar on the side of my knee, releasing a small tinge of discomfort, reminding me it was still there.

  “But I’ve seen you dance,” he said. “I’ve watched you. You’re beautiful.”

  I paused as his words set in. Shock set in. My brow lifted, and my mouth opened. “What do you mean you’ve seen me? When the hell did you see me?”

  A rush of color washed over Austin’s face, his cheeks, forehead, and ears all turning dark pink. “Well, I … it was a … back when …” He fumbled over his words, stuttering and stammering. It was kind of adorable to see such a strong man so frazzled. It would have been fun if I wasn’t so angry.

  “Austin!” I roared. “What the hell?”

  “Okay,” he slid into a chair beside me and held onto my hand. His face started to regain its normal color. “It wasn’t like I was stalking you or anything. I was walking back from the store and I passed by your shop. Before I knew it was your shop. Before I met you. Before I knew you.” Austin took a deep breath and kissed the back of my hand. “You were dancing with a broom at first. Then you just started dancing. I was on the other side of the street. I just watched for a minute. It was only a minute. I couldn’t help it. You were so beautiful. Please don’t be mad.”

  I looked into his eyes. I didn’t see anything malicious or creepy or mean. All I saw was kindness and admiration. “I’m not mad,” I said. To be honest, his words were flattering. “You’re sweet to say those things, but I’m nothing compared to what I once was.” I stood from the chair, stepped toward the middle of the room, and pushed my hair back from my face. I could remember the feeling of being on the stage, the adrenaline running through my veins, the energy from the audience. “I was good. I was great. I was a star.” I spun around and looked at Austin. “Now I’m broken.” I swallowed hard, fighting back tears. “I can still do some of the moves, the motions, but I will never dance like that again.”