Chapter Twenty
We successfully keep what’s now our secret relationship from Arden. But what I told Ellie is true—I think we should tell him together.
I mean, how mad can he be once he knows we’re in love?
This isn’t some random fling.
This is the real deal.
Unfortunately, though, when two people are so in love and into each other, like we are, time gets away from you.
Another week passes, and we put our plan to tell Arden about us on hold. He’s busy with away games anyway, and we still have that lunch to do.
That’s fine.
I’m busy falling deeper and deeper in love with Ellie. We spend so much fucking time together, laughing and loving. It keeps me occupied while my ankle heals, and the next thing I know, I’m cleared to skate.
Yes, life is almost perfect now!
In fact, it will be perfect once I can play again.
Oh, and once Arden knows about us.
After I’m cleared, I’m allowed to practice with the team, which is fantastic. I have to wear a no-contact jersey, but that’s okay with me. It feels so fucking good to be back out on the ice with a stick in my hand.
After one of our practices, I’m walking out to my car with Arden, and he mentions lunch again. This time, however, he tells me he has a better idea on how to celebrate.
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?” I ask as we approach my Range Rover.
His car is in a different area of the players’ lot, but he stops with me by mine.
Raking his fingers through his dark hair, still damp from his after-practice shower, he says, “I was talking with Willow, and she’d like to join us. So, what about a dinner instead of lunch? We were thinking tomorrow night, if that’s good with you?”
Hmmm, if Willow is there, maybe we won’t tell Arden about us. I’m not sure if Ellie prefers to hit her brother with the news while he’s alone or if she’ll be cool with Willow finding out at the same time.
I need to ask her, but for now, Arden is waiting for me to say something.
Mustering up some excitement, I nod and say, “Yeah, dinner tomorrow sounds great. It’ll be fun going out the four of us.”
“Yeah, it’ll almost be like a double date,” Arden says, chuckling.
I look at him and swallow hard.
Could he be okay with the idea of me and his sister dating?
I’m feeling elated that he might be, until he busts out into laughter and says, “Just kidding.”
Oh God, we are so fucked.
I’m dying a little inside, but I laugh along with him. “Yeah, that was a good one,” I mutter.
He tells me he’ll text Ellie to verify she’s on board with dinner. “In fact,” he says as he takes out his phone, “let me create a group chat for the four of us. This way we can decide on a restaurant and a time.”
I nod. “Okay.”
So now, not only are we going on what really will be a double date from Ellie’s and my perspective, but we’re also now all in a group chat.
One thing’s for sure: dinner tomorrow should be interesting.
When I get home, I find Ellie in the living room with her e-reader.
When she looks up and sees me, she lowers the device and sets it on the coffee table.
As I walk over to the sofa, I notice her phone is next to where she put down the e-reader.
Nodding to it, I ask, “Did you get the text from Arden?”
She laughs. “You mean the one he sent in the group chat he created?”
I roll my eyes. “That would be the one.”
She chuckles. “Yeah, I got it.”
After giving her a kiss on the top of her head, I sit down beside her on the sofa.
“So,” I begin, “are you okay with this dinner idea tomorrow night?”
She shrugs. “Sure, it sounds nice.”
Meeting her eyes, I ask, “What are your thoughts on telling the two of them about us? Should we still say something with Willow there? Or should we wait until another time with Arden alone?”
She sighs as she picks off a piece of lint from her black leggings. “I don’t know, Nils. I guess the best course of action at this point is to play it by ear. If the timing feels right, then let’s tell them. But if not…”
“We’ll wait,” I finish for her.
“Yeah, then we’ll wait.”