The Workaholic and the Realist (New Hampshire Bears #2) (25 page)

He didn’t look pleased to see us. “Boys.”

“Were you in a car accident?” I asked. He had two black eyes, his arm in a sling, and there was a gash on his forehead.

“Um…a simple stumble down the stairs. Nothing to worry about it.”

“Figured you’d be in Wisconsin, living it up.” Kyson changed the subject since obviously Coach didn’t want to talk about his injuries.

“My niece and daughter are taking some college classes this summer here in Manchester, and we’ll staying here for a while,” he explained. “You boys stay in shape and I’ll see you soon.”

We said our goodbyes, and when he left, Remington spoke first. “Do you find it strange he’s always hurt?”

“He could be a klutz.” Kyson shrugged.

“Maybe.” Remington didn’t seem pleased with the answer, but our food came, and we began to eat.

As we were finishing, I glanced up to see Maxima rushing over to us, with a blonde girl, who I assumed was Arabella.

“Hey, Remington.” She sounded out of breath.

“Hey.” He seemed shocked to see her, but smiled when his daughter jumped in his arms.

“Daddy!” she squealed.

“Hi, baby.” He kissed the top of her head.

“I have a meeting, and I have to go. I’m so sorry.” Maxima said hurriedly.

“It’s fine.” Remington said, sitting Arabella down next to him in the booth.

“Arabella, when I get home we’ll watch
Inside Out
, I promise.” Maxima kissed the young girl’s cheek.

“It’s okay, Max.” The little girl smiled.

“Hi, guys.” She quickly greeted us, but turned back to Remington. “I’m sorry I’m late; I have to go.” And then she rushed away.

“Baby, are you hungry?” Remington turned to his daughter.

“Nope, Max fed me, but I’m thirsty.” She smiled.

“Okay. And Arabella, this is Keaton and Kyson. Guys, this is my daughter.” He introduced us.

“I know who they are Daddy.” She giggled. “Hi.”

Kyson and I said hello, and we finished up our food, Remington ordered a chocolate milk for Arabella.

“So, you haven’t said much about Harlow?” Kyson eyed me with a smirk.

“Please censor the conversation.” Remington nodded down to Arabella who was playing with her tablet.

“I will.” I hadn’t planned on being vulgar. “Everything’s great, but she still is hung up about me leaving her again. I’ve said I’m sorry a million and one times, but I still can’t get it through to her. She wants my word, and I gave it, but who knows? I wish there was something I could give her to show her I’m not going anywhere.”

“A promise ring.”

I turned to Arabella. “What?”

“A promise ring. When I was in I was in first grade, I planned on marrying Justin Pattes, but Stacy Roberts liked him too. So, he gave me a ring pop as a promise not to like Stacy and just like me,” she explained.

Kyson chuckled. “A promise ring sounds…like a good idea.”

“Oh my God,” I gasped. “That’s perfect. Arabella, whatever toy you want I’m going to buy it for you.” I jumped up from the booth and tossed money on the table. “I’ve got to go. Kyson, drop my stuff of at my apartment.”

I didn’t have my car because I rode with the guys, but I wasn’t too far from a jewelry store and I ran over to there. I talked to the saleswoman, and she knew exactly what a promise ring was and they had them in stock. Personally, I didn’t like any of them and decided to look at other rings.

Then I found it.

A beautiful, large sapphire ring. It gleamed in the light and was perfect for my honey-bunny. I bought it, and she wrapped it for me. Outside the store, I called Felicia, asking if she could pick me up. She had been using Grams’ car. It had been sitting in the garage, and I didn’t want it to become junk.

A few minutes later, Felicia pulled up. “What’s going on? Where’s your truck?”

I quickly told her everything that happened from practicing with the guys to Arabella telling me about the promise rings. “I’m going to give it to Harlow and tell her what’s between us is real.”

“Oh, Keaton, I’m so happy for you. I knew you going on the cruise would be good for you both.”

I lightly chuckled. “Now, if she’ll accept this ring, it’ll be perfect.”

“She will. I know it.” Felicia pulled up in front of Harlow’s, and I suddenly felt nervous. “Keaton, it’ll be fine. I promise. She’s going to love it, and you both will have a long life together. I know it,” she repeated. “I’m your mother; I know things,” she joked.

I looked at Felicia before getting out of the car. “Are you as surprised as I am on how far you and I have come?”

The question came from nowhere, but it was true. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be having a motherly relationship with her.

“I’m glad.” She smiled.

I rubbed my two fingers hard on my mouth and thought about Grams’ letter. Something I’ve not thought about in a couple weeks. Felicia and I had built our relationship. She was giving advice and helping me out. She was my mom.

“Keaton, what is it? Don’t be nervous about this. It’s Harlow, and she loves you.” She rubbed my arm.

“I’m not thinking about that, actually.”

“Well, what is it?” She sounded concerned.

I acted on impulse and leaned over and kissed her cheek, the way I did with Grams. “Thanks, Mom. For everything.”

Felicia’s eyes widened and tears formed. “You called me
mom
. You’ve never called me
mom
.”

“Please, don’t make me regret it,” I begged softly.

“I’ll buy you a promise ring if it’ll help.” She laughed, and I joined her. “I won’t ruin this, Keaton.”

For some reason, I felt she was telling me the truth, and it warmed my heart a bit to know she was in my life. Would our relationship be perfect? Nope. But, I felt like we had a good foundation now.

“I’ll let you know what happens.” I said, jumping from the car and rushing into Harlow’s house.

It’s now or never.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Harlow

Dacey’s and my to-do list was beyond long, but slowly, we’d been knocking it down task by task.

“Harlow, I will need to leave soon. I’m sorry. My mother is in town for the wedding stuff.” Dacey didn’t sound pleased by any account.

“Go on. I’m good.” Just I finished saying it, I heard Keaton yell out my name from downstairs. “In the office.”

He seemed to appear in a flash. “Hi.” He breathlessly smiled.

“Hi.” I greeted him back, confused as to why he seemed paler.

“Hi, Dacey.” He nodded at her.

“Hi, Keaton. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” She grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

Keaton said nothing, just staring at me. “Something wrong with my hair?” I teased.

“No, you’re the most beautiful being ever created.”

I giggled. “Working on your new poetry book, are we?”

“Not really.” He took a deep breath and walked up to my desk. “We need to talk.”

My stomach dropped. “About?” I held my hands together, and they shook slightly.

“Wait. Before you flip out in that realist head of yours, I have a disclaimer to say before I give you something.” He pulled out a small black velvet box, and I leapt up from my desk chair, knocking it over.

“What the fuck is that?” I pointed at the ring box. “What the fuck?” I stared into Keaton’s eyes.

“Honey-Bunny, I just said I have a disclaimer.”

“Talk fast, puppy. Talk very fast.” My finger still pointed at the box.

“I love you.”

“That’s great. What’s in the box?”

Keaton signed. “Listen to me. Stop flipping out, and listen to me.” He held up his hands.

I put my finger down and crossed my arms, protecting myself.

“I love you,” he started again. “I can’t apologize enough to you about hurting you. I know you want my word, and I’ve given it to you. I even swore on my dick, but you want more, and I’m willing to give it.”

“Marriage is not more to me,” I rushed out. He knew I didn’t want to get married. Hell, he didn’t either.

“I’m not asking you to marry me.” He picked up the box and opened it. Inside, cushioned in the pillow slit, was the most stunning ring I’d ever seen. But it wasn’t a diamond.

“What is it?”

“A promise ring.”

I scrunched my face up. “You mean, you promise to marry me later.”

Keaton shook his head. “Again, no marriage. Nothing I’m saying has anything to do with marriage.”

“Talk faster,” I growled.

“This is a promise ring, and every time you look at it, you will see the promise and love I’m giving to you forever.” He held the ring out to me. “You don’t even have to put in on your left hand.” He smiled.

Tears formed in my eyes. “You’re serious?”

“For you. Yes, I am. We have a lifetime together, and I just want this to symbolize us. No marriage, just us.” He took the ring out of the box and came closer to me. “What do you say honey-bunny? Are you ready to give us a full clean slate and promise to love me as much as I love you?”

It took me a full ten seconds while the tears fell. I couldn’t say the words because the emotions were coming over me.

“Honey-Bunny?” Keaton wrapped me in his strong arms. “Please, don’t cry. You don’t have to take the ring. I have no other way to show you how sorry I am.”

I buried my face in his neck and sobbed. He and I were more similar than I’d thought. “I love you, Keaton. I want a clean slate with you.” I stepped out his embrace and took the ring.

I knew what my left ring finger meant, and it was for Keaton and me. For us. I slipped it on and gazed deep into his eyes. “This doesn’t get you out of sending me chocolates everyday though.”

Keaton laughed loud, kissing me hard. “You’re the greatest woman ever.” When he kissed me again, I knew my life was finally beginning.

Next Installment
:

The next book in the New Hampshire Bears series will introduce you to Remington Rosin and Maxima Keck.

Be on the lookout for the June 2016 release!

About the Author

Best Selling Author, Mary Smith, has been coming up with stories her whole life. She has written A HOCKEY TUTOR and THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BEARS SERIES along with numerous other titles, as well as co-authored THE PENALTY KILL TRILOGY, OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN SERIES, and THE NINTH INNINGS SERIES with Lindsay Paige. When not busy writing or rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks you can find her with her nose stuck in her Kindle.

You can visit her website at:
www.authormarysmith.blogspot.com

Follow her on Twitter: @maryms1980

Or Faceook:
www.facebook.com/authormarysmith

Books By Author:

The Ice Series (Adult Sports Romance trilogy):

Melting Away the Ice

Breaking the Ice

Shattering the Ice

Thawing the Ice (A Novella)

A Hockey Tutor (New Adult Sports Romance)

Dart and Dash (New Adult Sports Romance)

Always Forever (New Adult Rocker Romance)

DREAM (Adult Romance Suspense)

The Matched Trilogy (Paranormal Romance Trilogy):

A Royal’s Love

A Protector’s Second Chance

A Controller’s Destiny

New Hampshire Bears Series (Adult Sports Romance)

The Muse and the Fairy Tale

The Workaholic and the Realist

The Fat Girl and the Hero (coming summer 2016)

The Arrangement (coming summer 2016)

Books with author Lindsay Paige:

A Penalty Kill Trilogy (New Adult Sports Romance):

Breakaway

Off the Ice

Game Over

Our First Christmas (A Novella)

Oh Captain, My Captain Series (Adult Sports Romance)

Looking for You

A Hockey Player’s Proposal

Finding Carson Lee

Let’s Be Crazy

Their New Beginning

You and Me, Forever

Tainted

The Ninth Inning Series (Adult Sports Romance)

Felix

Blake

Hector

Trent (Releasing March 2016)

Jordan (Releasing April 2016)

Colby (Releasing May 2016)