Page 303 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

“I know so.”

She crosses the room until she’s standing in front of me.

“I expected luxury.”

I glance around. “I suppose it is.”

“No.”

She shakes her head. “I mean, I expected something colder.”

I understand. People assume wealth should look a certain way.

“I wanted somewhere quiet.”

She glances around the room again.

“You built a sanctuary.”

The word catches me. Sanctuary.

That’s exactly what it became.

It’s the one place where Captain Jamie Walker never had to exist.

Only Jamie.

Annette reaches for my hand. “So…”

She looks toward the windows. “You’ve definitely explained where you’ve been hiding.”

“A little. But…” Her gaze returns to mine. “I don’t think this is the real reason you brought me here.”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so.”

I lead her toward the windows overlooking the city. For a long moment, I stand there beside her.

Looking out across Frostholm.

Trying to figure out how to begin.

***

Finally, I turn toward her. “The penthouse isn’t the secret.”

Her expression stills.

“It’s just where the secret lives.”

Silence settles between us. Then Annette steps closer and slips her fingers through mine. “I’m listening.”

I close my eyes for only a second.

There’s one more part of me she hasn’t met yet.

And somehow, showing it to her feels harder than telling her I loved her.