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Money neither of us are going to have if Nick doesn’t keep skiing or at least get a job here. I’m sure Ethan would hire him for something. We have to make this work.
7
NICK
Idrop my arm around Lis’ shoulder as we walk toward the lodge, fucking loving that we don’t have to hide the fact that we’re together anymore. It had been great being out with all of our friends last night too and thankfully none of them had seemed too pissed off that we’d hid things from them. Pretty sure they all assumed something was happening anyway.
I’d got a solid amount of shit for most of the night from both Alex and Max about the fact I was having a kid though. Especially after my previous comments at Thanksgiving about loving the fact that I could sleep in and spend all my time skiing, but I didn’t care. I don’t care at all.
Because the more I think about it, the more real it all becomes. And the more real it becomes, the more I love the idea of having a baby with Lis. I mean I’ve always wanted to have kids with her one day, and even though it’s sooner than we had planned, now that it’s actually happening for real, I’m really fucking excited.
“You know you didn’t have to come to work with me,” Lis says, elbowing my side before she slides her arm around my waist.
“Please,” I say, glancing down at her with a grin. “Like I’m gonna let my pregnant girlfriend get up at the crack of dawn and go to work while I lay around in bed all day. Kinda shitty of me, don’t you think?”
Lis laughs. “Yeah, but unless you’re skiing, I know you hate mornings, so I would get it.”
I pull her closer, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. “Well, I’m gonna have to get used to less sleep pretty soon, so may as well start now.” She smirks at me, and I laugh as I ask, “What?”
“I don’t know, you’re just…” Pausing, she waves a hand at me before continuing. “Taking all of this amazingly well.”
I wait as she unlocks the door to the lodge, before holding it open for her. As she walks in, she flicks on the lights and I walk over and switch on the computers, already so familiar with how this whole place works now. Now that I’ve basically made the decision to stay, maybe I should just see if Ethan will give me a job here with Lis. It might help her stop worrying.
“Nick,” she prompts, walking behind the counter to join me.
Turning, I pull her close. “Babe, all of this, everything that’s happening, is everything I’ve ever wanted with you. Just because it’s not playing out like we expected it to, doesn’t make it any less exciting or change the fact that I want it.”
“I know,” she says, slipping her arms around my neck. “But?—”
“No. No buts,” I say, shaking my head. “I love you and I’m really fucking happy about everything that’s happening.”
I watch as her concern slowly morphs into a smile, her eyes shining with happiness. “I’m really happy too,” she whispers. “For so long, I never thought I’d ever get you back or that we’d…” She stalls out, not finishing her thought.
Leaning in, I drop a soft kiss to her lips. “You absolutely have me back and that’s never changing. And…” I say, pulling back as I grin. “Seeing as everyone here now officially knows, what do you say we tell my parents they’re gonna be grandparents again?”
“Oh god,” Lis says with a laugh. “What do you think they’re going to say?”
“Are you kidding, they’ll be ecstatic!” I tell her, knowing how much they love having Emmie around and how more grandkids are only going to make them happier.
“Okay,” she says with a nod. “Maybe after work?” I nod, pulling her in for another kiss, just as she says, “But what about your coach?”
“What about my coach?” I ask.
Lis takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she says, “You need to at least let him know what your plans are. I mean, he wants you back in Park City and maybe you should go back and see how it?—”
“No, I’m not leaving you, Lis,” I say, resting a hand against her stomach. “Not now.”
“Nick, we’ve got months until the baby comes and maybe you could just?—”
“Elissa,” I say firmly, needing her to believe me. “I don’twantto leave you. I did it once before when I shouldn’t have and look what happened. I’m not doing it again, babe, I can’t. I’ll talk to my coach, tell him there’s been a change of plans. It’s gonna be fine, people crash out all the time.”
That’s not entirely true. I mean sure people get cut when their form drops or newer, better talent is discovered, but no one actually volunteers to walk away from this opportunity. And I know people are going to think I’m nuts for doing exactly that, especially given everything I’ve done to get here. Everything I’ve achieved and everything I still have to look forward to.
But Elissa getting pregnant also changes everything. And while I know I could still go back, because I legit believe she wants me to do that, and she would still support me if that’s what I said I wanted to do, I just don’t know if I can now. I mean I never, ever saw a future where I willingly chosenotto ski competitively, but shit I never saw a future without Lis either. And right now, with everything else, I don’t know how to make both of those futures work.
Something has to give and now, after everything that’s happened, after the last four years apart and these past three months back together, I know that what has to give this time is skiing. I won’t ruin us for a second time by leaving when I shouldn’t.
“Everything’s going to be okay, Lis,” I whisper, dropping my forehead to hers. “With you, me and this little bean,” I add with a wink, my hand still resting on her stomach.
