Playmaker by Jami Davenport

Author:Jami Davenport [Davenport®, Jami]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cedrona Enterprises

Chapter Eighteen

Star Adjacent

~~Kaden~~

* * *

I walked Lanie to the inn. We kissed for several minutes before she pushed me away. I was reluctant to let her go for fear this might be the last time I saw her. Lanie was skittish at the best of times, and these times were the best and worst of times for both of us.

“If we keep this up, I’ll be inviting you inside.” She placed her hands on my chest and looked up at me. Her lips were swollen from my kisses, and the sight was the sexiest thing ever, in my opinion.

“That’s not a bad thing.” I grinned at her, and she, in typical Lanie fashion, rolled her eyes.

She patted my chest and shook her head. “I need to think things through. This is the biggest decision I’ve ever made. I’m tired of running, tired of losing everything I’ve worked for and lived for, yet I’m scared.”

“I understand. Anyone would be scared. I’m scared, too, for us, for you. I don’t want to influence your decision, but I can’t help trying. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“I’ll always forgive you, but I’m the only one who can make this choice.”

“I hope you’ll choose not just me but your freedom. Running and hiding is no way to live your life. You abandoned your hopes and dreams, all those things you worked for, went to school for, fought for.” I pulled her in close and held her because I wasn’t good at picking the right words, especially ones that profoundly affected my heart. She hugged me tight, and we stood on the front porch like that for several minutes.

Finally, she released me, and I did the same.

“I did abandon that life. I’d wanted to do good in the world, to make my mark, to better people’s lives in some small or significant measure.”

“You want that life back?” A different kind of fear burrowed into the pit of my stomach. What if I wasn’t enough? What if she needed to be in the thick of things again? I was a simple hockey player, not an activist or a politician. I didn’t have the kind of platform she strove to develop.

Lanie put a finger to my lips. “You suddenly look so sad.”

I forced a smile. “I’m worried, that’s all.”

She held my gaze for a long moment. To my credit, I didn’t waver. The last thing I wanted was to influence her decision in a way she’d regret for the rest of her life. I hadn’t realized until a few minutes ago she had three choices, run, return to her old life, or stay and build a new life with me. Was that even feasible? I don’t think I would be able to walk away from the one thing I’d striven for my entire life. How could I expect her to do the same?

The troubled look in her eyes indicated I wasn’t doing a great job of hiding my feelings. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

She studied me, seemed to accept what I’d said, and backed a few steps away from me.

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