Chapter Twenty-Six
Dash
The ride home is mostly silent while I cling to Ruby’s hand like she’ll float away if I don’t hold on tight.
My mind flies between how I’ll make this relationship work once I leave DC, if it’s weird to ask her if my sisters can contact her, and how I’ll muster up the courage to talk about my injury.
Ruby seems content with the quiet, something I like about her. I never feel like I have to force conversation or find something to talk about to fill the space. Being with her is easy. Comfortable. Natural. All I’ve ever really wanted in a relationship.
Still, I know my sisters will harass me until I’ve gotten an answer from her and that topic feels like the easiest to broach right now.
“So about my sisters’ request,” I say carefully. “Did you decide if you’d like me to make an excuse for you or are you willing to brave a day with them?”
I can see Ruby smile even in the dark. “I’ve given it some thought, and if you’re okay with it, I think I’d like to brave the day.”
I give her hand a squeeze. “If you’re sure, I’m definitely okay with it. But I don’t want you to do something just because you think that’s what I want.” I pause, letting my thumb skate over her hand. “I’ll still like you, whatever you decide.”
It might be my imagination, but it feels as if a shiver courses through her.
“I appreciate that. But I actually think it will be fun. Alayna says I can’t complain about not having more friends if I refuse to go out and make them.” She lets out a small hum of a laugh. “Accepting an invite for a girl’s day is probably the first step to making new friends.”
Her frank explanation leaves a bittersweet feeling in my chest. I’m glad she’s willing to put herself out there for my family but sad that she doesn’t have many friends. Who wouldn’t want to know someone as kind and gentle as Ruby?
“Well, brace yourself,” I say teasingly. “Not only will you make five friends instantly, but my mom will want to keep you.”
“Keep me?” Her head angles my way.
“That’s right. She’ll feed you, pepper you with questions, butter you up until you’re singing her praises. Then she’ll make you promise to come and visit her back in Ohio.”
Smiling, she says, “She seems very sweet. And so do your sisters.”
“They can be sweet. But be aware, they’re a little loud and extra feisty. Good hearted, all of them, but they don’t hold back.”
Ruby begins tapping the arm rest with her free hand. “I see. Well, I guess I’d better talk you up, then. Stay on their good side.”
I shake my head. “No need. They’ll likely share every embarrassing detail about my life that they remember. If anything, they’ll drive you away with their honesty.”
“Not a chance.” This time, she squeezes my hand. “I like you too much."
Her declaration sends warmth rushing through my body at hyper speed. “I like you too much, too, Tinsel.” So much so that I want to pack you in my suitcase and take you back to Utah with me.
That would scare her, though. So I don’t share my desperate longing aloud.
“Enough that you’re willing to talk about your injury with me?”
Her quietly spoken question catches me off guard.
Keeping my eyes on the road, I bolster myself for the coming conversation.
How much should I share? Will I lose my appeal if I tell her the truth—that I’ll be done with playing professional hockey after this upcoming season?
Maybe even before if I can’t hold it together long enough?
I don’t like looking weak, but it’s become impossible to hide.
“Guess I should start with how it happened.” I share how my shoulder got messed up, keeping the date and names of the people involved to myself. It doesn’t matter at this point anyway. All that matters is it’s going to force me into an early retirement.
“Wow,” Ruby breathes. “Who knew a bad fall on the ice could cause such damage?”
“It’s been tough. And it pains me every day. Right now, I’m able to manage it with over-the-counter medication, but Lynette warns me that if I don’t take it easy, I might need surgery.”
“Lynette?”
“Yeah. She’s my physical therapist back in Utah. She’s like a grandma to me.” I tack the last part on, so Ruby knows she’s not competing for my attention. She’s got all of me. If she wants it.
“Surgery sounds serious.” Ruby rests her other hand on top of our joined ones, stroking her fingers down the length of mine. Tingles race up my arm from each point of contact.
“It is serious. So serious that I’m going to lose my career over it.”
She halts her movements, turning in her seat to look at me. “Wow, Dash, really?”
I simply nod.
“So you might have to give up hockey? For good?”
“Yeah.” The one-word response is all I can manage.
If she’s anything like Sarah, here’s the part where she tells me I’m better off without hockey, that I never should’ve built my career around a silly little game.
Except Ruby’s not like Sarah, and she doesn’t say that. She just stares, shock and pity rolling off her.
“I’m sorry, Dash.” Her soft-spoken apology breaks up the tension building inside me.
“Yeah, me too.”
“What will you do?” she asks. “If you have to give up hockey?”
“That’s the question I’ve wrestled with for weeks,” I say with a derisive chuckle. I pull my hand away, needing to grip the steering wheel for support. “I hope to build my online gaming platform up enough so I can solely rely on that. Through subscriptions and sponsorships, that sort of thing.”
“People do love your livestreams.”
My interest piques. “Have you ever watched one?”
It takes her a second to respond, but when she does, she sounds…embarrassed. “Maybe. Once or twice.”
”Aw, come on, Tinsel. You can be honest with me.” Keeping my eyes on the road, I lightly drag my finger along the top of her thigh. “You watch it every week, don’t you?”
She scoffs.
“Am I your favorite online influencer?”
“I don’t have a favorite online influencer.”
“You do. It’s me.”
The sound of her adorable giggle fills the space, settling into my heart. I want to memorize it and replay it once I’m back in Utah, wishing I was sitting here with her.
“Fine,” she says, dragging out the word. “I suppose I’ve seen more than one. But it’s Beck’s fault. He always has you on in the background.”
“Uh huh. Sure, he does.” I flip on the blinker and check my mirrors before changing lanes.
“It’s true!”
“Tell me, Tinsel. Do you put my streams on at night just so you can hear my voice? Or is it because you think I’m hawt?”
“Dash.”
“Come on. Scold me. Tell me how badly you had it for me before you decided to douse me in shaving cream.”
Her wheezing laughter fills the car as she slinks down in her seat, covering her face with both hands. “You’re…so… mean.”
“I am not mean. I am flattered.”
Still keeping my focus on the road, I reach over with one hand and try to pull her hands away from her face. She bats my hand away, still laughing, until finally letting me grasp her fingers. Our mixed laughter dies down, and I feel her staring at me.
“You could do it, you know.”
I glance over at her before turning back to the road. “Do what?”
“Make it as a gaming influencer. Your comment section is flooded with people who don’t just admire you for what you can do out on the ice—they enjoy you. Your personality, your charm. At the risk of making your head any bigger, you’re kind of…addicting.”
Her unexpected praise is just as addicting as she says I am.
“Thank you,” I say, knocking our joined hands against her thigh. “You’re very encouraging.”
“I’m just being honest.”
“Since we’re being honest…” I dig deep, pulling on whatever reserves of courage I inherited from Dad. “I don’t want to give you up when I have to go back to Utah. I’m hoping…” I pause and search for the right words to say. “I guess I’m hoping you’ll be okay with us continuing to talk.”
She goes silent and still. I can tell she’s thinking it over. Every part of me wants to say more, to clarify what exactly I’m asking her for, but if I push her for something she’s not ready to give, I could scare her off and lose precious time with her. Best to go slow and wait.
“I would love that,” she finally says.
I gently bring the back of her hand to my lips, pressing them to her warm skin. Both of us are quiet after that, lost to our thoughts. I’d share mine, but I’m too afraid to breach the trust we’ve formed tonight. Too worried I’ll say the wrong thing and lose her before I even earn her love.
Yeah, that’s right. Love.
I didn’t expect to want that from someone ever again after Sarah. But with Ruby, I can’t seem to help myself. She makes me want again. And it’s as scary as it is thrilling.