Chapter 0489

I laughed, momentarily taken aback by her directness. "Yes, I'm married. Happily, might I add."

Mila's smile morphed into something enigmatic, a strange blend of amusement and intrigue. She tossed a lock of blonde hair over her shoulder and folded her arms across her chest. "Well, I must say, I'd be very curious to meet the woman who captured you."

Her comment stirred a blend of unease and curiosity in me. It was not the first time women had flirted with me; the combination of athleticism and the sort of 'celebrity' status that came with being a hockey player often attracted a certain level of attention.

Yet, something about Mila's tone-maybe it was its unsettling blend of sincerity and humor-made the moment linger in an uncomfortable way.

But I shook it off. "I'm sure you will get to meet her," I said. "She's the team doctor in Mountainview. Perhaps you two could get along."

Mila nodded, but there was something in her gaze that indicated that she didn't particularly like my comment. A silence fell between us as we continued watching the scrimmage. It was then, after having mentioned Nina, that a pang of guilt washed over me; I hadn't called her since last night, and I knew she wasn't feeling as well as she let on. I should have checked on her, but I got so caught up in everything that it slipped my mind.

her voice took on a softer tone. "You look like you've got a lot

of professional and personal disclosure. Finally, I opted for a generalized truth. "Just the future, I guess. There's a lot happening right now, and I have

too."

but something else... hope, maybe? "Well," she said, "if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. That is, assuming your... wife...

mouth to respond, but before I could, I

my

face tightened. "No worries. It was nice meeting you,

managing

walked away, I returned my attention to my phone. The screen displayed a notification for a new voicemail-from Nina. My heart tightened instinctively; she rarely ever left voicemails unless something

stepped away from the arena, finding a quieter corner to listen to her message. Her voice filled my ears, sweet and soothing as always, but there was something in her tone that I couldn't quite place. A hesitation, maybe? "Hey, it's me. I'm..." There was a long pause. Too long, in fact. Instantly,

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255