Page 308 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

"Good." She nods with obvious relief. "That would have complicated family dinners."

I shake my head.

"I love you."

"I know."

"And you're ridiculous."

"I've accepted that."

She grows quiet again, her thumb tracing circles across my hand.

"You know what doesn't make sense?"

"What?"

"You've had dozens of chances to tell people."

"I know."

"You could have been on magazine covers."

"I didn't want to be."

"You could have bought sports teams."

"I already have one demanding team."

She smiles.

"You could have driven one of those ridiculous cars that costs more than my student loans."

"I like my truck."

"I know you do."

She looks around the room once more. "And yet this..." She gestures toward the apartment. "This feels like you."

I follow her gaze across the bookshelves, the old leather chair, the photographs covering the mantel.

"I bought this place after my second season."

"Why here?"

I smile toward the arena glowing in the distance. "Because after road trips, after interviews, everyone wanted something from Captain Jamie Walker..."

I look back at her. "I wanted one place here in the city where I could just be Jamie."

Her eyes soften. "And that's what this became."

I nod.

"My sanctuary."

***

For a moment, neither of us speaks.