Bound and Blitzed (Knoxville Coyotes Football #4)

14. Valentina

Chapter 14

Valentina

“Can you ice-skate?” Avery asks as we eat dinner in a cozy restaurant downtown. Out the windows, we can see the ice-skating rink in Market Square and the skaters spinning in the center. Young couples are skating in sync, with cute pompom hats on their heads, their hands pressed together. And young children, who are learning for the first time, have a mixture of fear and determination on their faces.

I laugh at the earnest expression on his face. “ Si ! Yes, I can ice-skate.”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. You grew up next to a beach.”

“My parents also have a chalet in the Swiss Alps,” I remind him.

“Of course they do,” he mutters, shaking his head as he takes a bite of his pasta. “About your family, do they want to…I don’t know, meet me?”

I sigh and wipe the corner of my mouth with a napkin. “They don’t know about you…yet.”

“What?” Avery frowns.

“I haven’t told them,” I admit. “I’m sorry.” And then, “But I did tell my abuela about you. Last night.” I wince. “She wants to meet you.”

“But I heard you, that night on the phone, and?—”

“They were disappointed that my visa worked out. They were hoping I was going to return to Spain,” I confess.

Avery shakes his head. “Lena, that’s awful. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I avert my gaze. “I was embarrassed.” I fiddle with the napkin before forcing myself to meet his eyes. “Ashamed. You had just married me, and your family embraced me, accepted your choice, because they accept and respect you …” I shake my head. “After my parents’ reaction to my visa news, I didn’t want to share anything else.”

Understanding flares in his eyes and he nods. “I get it.”

“But now…we need to tell them the truth. Ale and Carla have been wondering why I’ve been so quiet. My parents are flying to Chicago on December 27th to visit Carla, and Ale is also trying to join. There’s a fútbol —soccer…” I pause to correct myself for Avery’s sake. “Gala that my family likes to support on December 28th as it’s sponsored by the Tornadoes.”

“Right. Raia will be flying up for that. Unfortunately, Cohen and I are out of town that day for an away game.”

“Boston,” I confirm.

His eyes spark with recognition and a smirk ghosts his lips. “Boston. I like that you know my schedule.”

I blush at his words, trying to shrug them off. “Nova asked about the team Christmas party, and it made me look at your schedule and?—”

“I’d like us to go to the party,” Avery interjects, crossing his arms and leaning over the table. “I want my team to get to know you, Lena.”

I meet his eyes and sigh. “Even though I won’t be around long?”

At the honesty in my voice, Avery’s expression darkens. “Don’t say that. I know this is confusing and things have been hectic, but whether this is only two years or more, I want us to live it with each other. I want us to give this fake marriage a shot, Lena. Even if all we have is friendship, I care for you too much to make it any less than that.”

His words cause a spark to flicker in my abdomen, for heat to unfurl through my limbs. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I want us to try. For real. To make a go of our marriage. I want to know your family and I can’t wait to meet your abuela. Please, let me come to your speaking engagements and show up for your sessions at Ijams. I’d love to see you cheering for the Coyotes at my games and have you on my arm at the Christmas party. Introduce you to my teammates. And if, after two years, it’s not working, that’s one thing. But if it is… I want a shot, Lena. A real chance with you.”

“You do?” I whisper, my eyes widening. “For real?”

“For real, beautiful. Seeing you present tonight, the way I feel when I’m around you, I don’t want to regret holding back with you. And if I don’t give this a true chance, I know I’ll regret it. These past few weeks without really seeing you, without communicating or knowing what’s happening in your life, have been awful. I don’t like it.”

“I don’t either,” I admit. “I’ve…I’ve missed you. I hate coming home to a quiet condo or leaving while you’re still asleep.”

“I know. I feel the same.”

I reach across the table and his hand is there, his fingers inching toward mine, until our fingers twist together. “I’ve never been in a real relationship before, Avery,” I admit.

Surprise flares in his irises.

“Much less a marriage,” I continue. “And then, add in the fact that it’s fake… I don’t know how to do this with you. I don’t know how to act or what’s too much. What’s not enough. I hate walking on eggshells all the time but that’s how I feel,” I admit.

For a blink, Avery looks stricken. “I never want you to feel that way,” he says, his tone low. “Ever.”

I shrug.

“Lena, tell me you’ll give us a chance. We’ll take it day by day. No eggshells, no worrying if something is too much. I married you because I like you.”

“You married me because you wanted to do something selfless,” I remind him.

He smirks. “Sweetheart, I’m not that altruistic. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t like the way I feel in your presence, if I wasn’t attracted to you, if I didn’t feel like there’s something here.” He gestures between us. “I always knew I’d leave it up to you if we act on it…but I want to. I want to act on all the things I feel for you. Shutting you out isn’t an option anymore; it wasn’t working anyway. So, Lena, will you give me—us, a chance?”

I lose myself in his gray eyes. They’re simultaneously stormy and serene, which doesn’t make any sense and yet, that doesn’t make it any less true. Nothing about Avery and me makes sense and still, this tug between us persists.

Dane flickers through my mind. Sweet words and hurtful actions.

Betrayal and pain and shame.

But Avery isn’t Dane.

I exhale slowly. “Yes.”

A broad smile crosses Avery’s mouth. “Yes,” he repeats.

I nod.

“Tomorrow, we tell your parents we’re married. For real.”

“For real,” I agree. “And we call Abuela.”

“Yes. And we rework our schedules, so we spend more time together, prioritize each other and our marriage.”

“Yes,” I promise, feeling nearly giddy at the prospect. This is what I want—a partner who wants to be in it with me. Not just for the good times or fun parts—but along for the ride, whatever comes our way.

Even though my marriage with Avery may not be forever, right now, we’re treating it as much. And that’s more than I hoped for when he slid my wedding band on my finger. This is progress.

“I care about you, Valentina. I mean that. I’m not a hearts-and-rainbows kind of man but being with you makes me want to try to be the things I’m not.” Avery’s thumb brushes over my knuckles as he says the most beautiful—and honest—words I’ve ever heard.

“I care about you, too,” I murmur. As I blink back the swell of emotion that glistens in my eyes, I try to smile. “Probably more than I should.”

He shakes his head. “ Too much is never a bad thing.”

I squeeze his fingers in agreement.

Avery’s eyes hold mine. A tenderness sweeps his expression, softening the lines in his face.

“Here you go.” The server drops off our check, breaking the moment.

I giggle nervously, easing back in my seat and releasing Avery’s hand. He smirks at me, not at all bothered by the interruption. He plucks up the check and settles it quickly, tapping his watch. “Want to go ice-skating?”

My mouth falls open. “Now?”

“What happened to fun and spontaneous?” He arches a questioning eyebrow.

“Yes, but we talked and…”

“And? I still want to be with you, Lena.”

“Okay. Yes. Let’s go ice-skating,” I agree, excitement filling my veins. I can’t remember the last time I looked forward to an activity this much. But I look forward to all the time I spend with Avery.

We leave the restaurant and walk across Market Square to wait in line for the skating pond. When it’s our turn, Avery holds my hand, and we glide onto the ice.

He wobbles and I grip his hand harder. “Do you know how to ice-skate?” I question.

He snorts and bumps his hip against mine. “Barely.”

I laugh. “Don’t worry. I got you.”

“Yeah? That’s what I’m counting on.”

Shaking my head, I glide down the skating rink, tugging Avery along for the ride.

“I haven’t done this in years,” he admits, stumbling. “And even then, I was terrible.”

I laugh and lace my fingers with his. The first few go-arounds are shaky at best but slowly, Avery gets the hang of it.

We skate until the wind bites at my bare legs, and I fumble to wrap my scarf tighter around my neck.

“Come on. Let’s get you home,” Avery suggests.

Our walk back to campus feels longer, most likely because I’m exhausted. While I was grateful for the pair of flats I keep in the office so I didn’t have to walk to and from Market Square in heels, the exertion from the skating is catching up to me.

I slide into the driver’s seat of my car and follow Avery’s SUV home.

Once we get home, Avery takes a phone call from his mom. I use that time to shower, dress in comfortable pajamas, and slide my feet into slippers.

When I venture into the living room, Avery looks up from his seat on the couch. A bowl of popcorn and two mugs of hot cocoa rest on the coffee table.

“What’s this?” I ask, biting my bottom lip. Hope rises in my chest.

“Movie night?” Avery asks.

“Yes!” I agree, hopping into the space next to him.

“Oof.” He catches me, wrapping one arm around my back as I snuggle into him. His chest is broad, his arms long, and his body warm. When I’m with Avery, I feel safe and protected in a way I’ve never experienced.

In a way that makes me want to trust and confide in him.

“What are we watching?” he asks.

My mouth falls open. “You’re letting me pick?”

He frowns. “Of course I’m letting you pick. What kind of question is that?”

I shrug, not admitting that Dane never let me pick. Dane didn’t really let me do anything but fawn all over him.

“Do you have a Christmas movie tradition or something?” Avery asks.

“We actually do and you’re never going to believe it,” I admit.

He grins. “What is it?”

“ Miracle on 34 th Street . It’s my abuelita’s favorite. One of her closest childhood friends was an American girl whose father was sent to work in Alicante. She spent seven years in Spain and every Christmas break, she and Abuela would watch the movie together. It’s something she passed onto us.”

“Then that’s the movie we should start with.”

He says the words sincerely, causing my heart to skip a beat. I shift closer to Avery and melt into him as he grips the remote control and presses play.