Pulse: Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 6) by Violet Vaughn Read Free Book Online

everything he needs is already in it, but he says, “Sure.”
    When four o’clock rolls around, it’s time for Nick to go realize his dream. When Stacy gets to the door, I hand her a cooler with food for them both. “Take care of him for me. He’ll be nervous and won’t want to talk. Don’t make him, it’s how he deals.” I cringe at my words. What is he, a toddler?
    Nick bristles when I touch his arm, and he steps back to hoist his bag over his shoulder. But I don’t let him escape and grab his face with my hands to kiss him. “You’re going to crush this.”
    He nods, and I say, “I love you.”
    Nick’s face is blank when he says, “Thanks.” He steps out the door to a waiting Stacy. Their feet thump down the stairs, and it’s as if each one is taking Nick farther away from me.

Chapter 8
    A round three in the afternoon , I start checking my phone to make sure I didn’t miss a text from Nick. He should find out if he made dev team at any minute. My skis rattle as I drop them in the locker room rack, and I clomp over to my aisle. I gaze over at Stacy’s locker and hope for a moment she doesn’t make the team.
    The familiar vibration of a text rumbles against my chest, and I pull my phone out of my fleece pocket to find it’s from Nick. Made it! Stacy too.
    My fingers tap out a reply. Awesome!!! Hurry home, and we’ll celebrate.
    My stomach clenches thinking about him with Stacy when he texts back. Should be home by five.
    Want me to get people together?
    Sure, cards at our house would be good.
    My introverted guy would rather do something at home than go out to a bar, and I’m happy to oblige. Perfect, I’m on it. See you soon! Love you.
    I watch for a few seconds, hoping he’ll reply he loves me too, but the dancing gray dots that would indicate he’s typing don’t appear, and I think he’s done with our conversation. Our love is dying a slow, painful death, and my tears are dangerously close to falling as I send out a group text to our friends to come over for cards.
    My boot buckles snap open, and I tug my foot out as Casey comes racing down my aisle. She says, “Oh my God! He did it.”
    “He did.” I have a huge grin on my face too.
    Jason pokes his head around the corner. “Tell your boy we’re so proud of him, but I’m still kicking his ass at cards tonight.”
    I grin at him as the soft cotton of my jeans slithers up my legs.
    It takes me longer to leave the locker room than usual, because I’m stopped by people who have heard Nick’s news. While I’m excited for my boyfriend, I can’t help but think it could have been both of us people are congratulating. A puddle splashes up from my boot as I walk across the parking lot. The warm spring temperatures are melting the snow, and it’s racing off the mountain in tiny streams, as if it can’t leave fast enough.
    When I get to my car, I pull out my phone to review the confirmations from our friends who are up for a night of fun. Our apartment is tiny, and I jump at Dannika’s invitation to do it at her house. It means I can take Nick home when he’s tired instead of him having a house full of people at the time he’d rather be in bed.
    It occurs to me that it’s also the perfect opportunity for me to share my secret in a safe place where my good friends hear it from me first. I should dig out the huge bag of makeup my mother has sent me over the years and let them take what they want.
    By the time Nick gets home, I’ve showered and am in the kitchen making pasta for dinner. I step out to greet him as he walks in. “Congratulations. I’m so proud of you.”
    The door snicks softly behind him as he closes it. “Thanks.” Nick lifts me off my feet as he hugs me, and I squeal. “Wow. You must be happy.”
    “You could say that.” He sets me down and gives me a quick kiss. “Do I have time to clean up before we eat?”
    “Sure. We’re not going over to Dannika’s until seven if you want to rest for a bit.”
    “That