Breaking the Ice (Juniper Falls)
Page 29
“In February?” Fletch says. He looks stunned now. “Even though I’d still be in—”
“High school,” Coach Caruso finishes. “Yep, we’ll make it work. I’ve got a couple guys who are only sixteen starting with me this season. Some are as old as twenty.” He waits a beat for Fletch to say something, and when he doesn’t, he adds, “Talk it over with your family and get back to me either way.”
“Yeah, um, sure,” Fletch says, stumbling on the words a bit. “Thanks.”
We both stand there watching Coach Caruso exit the rink, and then I turn to face Fletch, dying to know his real reaction.
“Did that just happen?” he says, still stunned.
I nod slowly, a smile spreading across my face. “It definitely happened.”
Fletch leans against the rink wall and tugs our linked hands, pulling me closer to him. “I think you might be good luck.”
“Of course I am.” My insides warm again. “What do you want to do today? Go home and tell your dad and gramps about this Caruso guy?”
He glances over his shoulder at the empty rink and then rests both hands on my face. “The whole rink to ourselves, that’s hard to resist…” He kisses me gently on the mouth. “I think we need a rematch from our last race. Got any skates lying around?”
“Maybe.” I loop my arms around his neck. “But only if I’m allowed to knock you over and end up on top of you again.”
“I’m counting on it.” He kisses me, longer and slower this time, and while my eyes are still closed, the taste of him still lingering, he whispers, “I love you.”
My eyes fly open, and Fletch looks even more shocked than he had a minute ago with Coach Caruso’s proposition. “I’m sorry, I didn’t…”
“Mean it?” I prompt, blood rushing to my cheeks. “You got caught up in…in…”
He cups my face, closes his eyes, and releases a breath. “I didn’t mean to say it out loud.” He opens his eyes to look at me, the defeat from earlier turned to determination. “But I meant it.”
I nod, more than a little stunned myself. “Okay.”
“Okay?” He releases a short nervous laugh. “I guess it could be worse.”
“I mean, okay as in that’s…that’s good. Really good.” I rest my head against his shoulder. “I thought after the game that maybe you were going to tell me that this was all too much.”
“Haley…” Fletch says in a way that makes my heart flutter. “We’re not that fragile. I’m sorry if I made it feel that way. All these moments we’ve had…it hasn’t broken us down, it’s made things stronger, more secure. Harder to live without.”
This time I can’t exactly stop a few tears from falling. He’s kind of perfect. Even when he isn’t. “Okay,” I say again. “I love you, too.”
His mouth collides with mine, and now that no one is around, this kiss is more hungry. More…everything.
The summer romance that wasn’t supposed to happen might actually be here to stay. And I couldn’t be happier about that.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank my agent, Nicole Resciniti, for her amazing support over the years. Liz Pelletier at Entangled for always finding a place for me and my stories. Thanks to Stacy Abrams who helped shape Fletch and Haley’s characters and their love story. The phenomenal team at Entangled does an amazing job of spreading the word about my books, creating beautiful sexy covers, and listening to readers…Heather Riccio and Melissa Montovani to name a couple. Thanks to my family and their continued support during the writing of this book, which also coincided with my return to college and my family’s move from Illinois across the country to California (2017 was a busy year for us) where I’m currently continuing my education at Stanford University. Thanks to the wonderful staff and leaders at Appel Farm Arts Camp in Elmer, New Jersey, where I wrote the ending of this book, special thanks specifically to the photo department whose fan I borrowed during my day off so I could finish the last chapter without heat exhaustion after the air conditioning went out in my room. And special, special thanks to the readers who continue to stick around to see what I’m writing next, I love all of you and wouldn’t be here without you.
About the Author
Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast and longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credentials, Julie is a committed—but not talented—long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar-weather survivor, and expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym-shoe addict.
www.juliecrossbooks.com
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