Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40297 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40297 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
As I headed downstairs, the bag felt heavier with every step. I was almost to the front door when my parents’ voices stopped me cold.
“Cecily, honey, where are you going?” Mom asked, stepping out of the living room with Dad right behind her.
Their gazes went straight to the duffel on my shoulder, and I knew we were about to have a conversation I’d been hoping to avoid on a night when I really didn’t want to have it.
I shifted my weight. “Ares is picking me up. I’m staying at his place tonight.”
Dad’s jaw tightened, and Mom let out a slow breath, like she tended to do when I had disappointed her.
“We’ve put a lot into your artistic swimming career.” Dad crossed his arms over his chest. “We don’t regret the years of early mornings, travel, coaching fees, and sacrifices because we know how much you love it.”
“I hope you both know how much I appreciate all of your support.” I flashed them a grateful smile. “And that I understand I never would’ve gotten this far without it.”
“We do, sweetheart.” My mom shook her head with a soft sigh. “But we’re not going to stand by and watch you throw everything away for some guy.”
I bristled, my grip tightening on the strap of my duffel. “I get that me being with Ares might be hard for you since I’ve never dated anyone before, but he’s not just ‘some guy’ to me. He’s…important, okay?”
Mom’s expression softened slightly. “We assumed he was since you’re spending almost all of your limited free time with him.”
I winced a little, unable to argue her point since it was true. “But my training hasn’t suffered at all. I’m still hitting every session and pushing just as hard. I’m as determined to make the Olympic team as I’ve ever been.”
“If the call comes—and we all know it could any day now—what are you going to do?” my dad asked. “Drop him so you can pack up and move back to California like you’ve been planning ever since you left?”
My shoulders slumped, the fight draining out of me.
“I don’t know,” I admitted quietly. “We haven’t talked about it yet.”
Dad shook his head. “Then you need to end it now, Cecily. Before you risk everything you’ve worked your entire life for.”
Even though I’d come to the same conclusion on my own only minutes ago, I wanted to argue. Tell them they didn’t understand. But they were right.
I swallowed hard and nodded, even though it hurt.
“I know,” I whispered. “I was already planning to talk to him.”
Mom looked relieved, and Dad gave me an approving nod.
But when Ares’s motorcycle rumbled into the driveway a few minutes later, I still walked out carrying my bag. I needed one more night of memories with him to keep me going over the coming months, and I hoped like heck he’d still want to give me that after we talked.
“Hey, baby.” He gave me a quick kiss before holding my helmet out to me, then took my duffel to put it into the saddlebag. After I climbed on behind him, he pulled away from the curb.
I held him a little tighter than usual while the wind rushed past us. When we got inside his house—the place he’d basically called ours just yesterday morning—he didn’t push. Instead, he gave me another kiss and pulled me into the kitchen, where he made us a simple dinner.
We ate on the couch with the lights low. He kept touching me, and the small brushes of his fingers along my arm felt so good it hurt.
But he was an observant guy, and he knew something was off.
Halfway through the movie we weren’t really watching, Ares muted the television and turned to face me fully.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” There was an edge in his voice that let me know he wouldn’t be easily fobbed off. “You’ve been somewhere else all night. Don’t shut me out.”
My stomach twisted into knots, but I couldn’t put it off any longer. I took a shaky breath and told him everything I’d been holding inside.
“The members of the National Team Training Group and Residency Program are going to be named any day now, and if I get the call—”
“When,” he corrected, interlacing our fingers and squeezing my hand.
The gesture was so sweet, tears welled in my eyes. But I didn’t let them fall. Not yet.
Taking a deep breath, I continued, “The team is based in Los Angeles. All of the training takes place there, which means I’ll have to move back there. After coming so close to making the roster for the last games, I can’t turn down the chance to finally fulfill my lifelong dream. So um…” I squeezed my eyes shut because I couldn’t get the last part out while I was looking at him. “Maybe we should end things now, before it gets even harder.”