Make Your Move (Aston Archers Hockey #1)

13. Nova

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

NOVA

P osey squeezes my hand, pointing at the counter at the bakery. Her little eyes have been scanning the case, looking for the most perfect donut for the past four minutes. There are so many to choose from, each with different colored icing and decoration combinations.

“That one,” she tells me, pointing at the donut with pink frosting, pink glitter, and sprinkles. It’s like someone took a handful of whatever they could find in that color and threw it onto the soft pastry. I smile at Posey before telling the woman behind the counter which one she wants.

I should have known she would pick the pink one. It is her favorite color after all.

“Here you are, my dear,” the woman says as she crouches down and hands the donut to Posey. Posey takes it from her with the brightest smile on her face. “She’s so sweet,” she tells me as she stands upright. “How old is she?”

“She’s two,” I tell her as she hands me the coffee I ordered. “Do you have any children?”

She shakes her head at me, her brunette ponytail waving behind her head. “I don’t, but I’d like to one day.”

The bell rings as the door to the bakery opens, and she directs her attention to the customer who walked in. “Have a great day,” she says to Posey and me before we walk over to a small table by the window.

I pick up Posey and set her down on the chair beside me and help her get her things set up before she starts to dig into the donut. She has frosting all over her face, and sprinkles are all over her lap. A soft laugh escapes me as I try to wipe her face between bites before I end up giving up.

“There you are.” Riley’s voice breaks through the moment as she comes striding over to our table. “I don’t know how I didn’t see you guys sitting over here.”

I watch my best friend as she takes a seat next to Posey. She’s off work today, so she was able to come meet us for coffee. She owns a flower shop in town, so she’s able to make her own schedule.

“Did you want me to come spend the night again?” Riley asks me as she tears off a piece of her croissant and pops it into her mouth.

Nash and Lincoln left three days ago, but it’s felt like a lifetime has passed since they’ve been home. Riley stayed with me last night and I shake my head at her. “We should be okay.”

I’m not a fan of being alone in that big-ass house, but I also don’t want to disrupt Riley’s entire life. She’s been great about keeping me company and making sure I feel comfortable. She doesn’t come over every night that I’m alone, but at least once or twice if they’re gone for a week or more.

“Well, if anything changes, let me know, okay?”

I look at my best friend and nod once more. “I appreciate you always being here for me.”

“Of course,” she says as she waves her hand at me dismissively. “That’s what I’m here for.” She pauses for a second, tilting her head to the side. She glances at Posey who is now distracting herself with the coloring book and crayons I brought along for her. “Have you talked to Lincoln?”

Inwardly, I groan. When she spent the night two nights ago, she questioned me relentlessly on why Lincoln and I were outside together and what we were doing. I finally caved and told her everything, but only if she agreed to let it go. I didn’t want to talk about it any more than I had to, even if my mind was constantly overanalyzing what happened that night.

“No,” I tell her, shaking my head before I take a sip of the piping-hot liquid in my cup. “I don’t even know if he has my number. I think Nash gave it to him when he first moved in, but he hasn’t used it. So, he either has it and doesn’t want to talk to me, or he didn’t save it in his phone.”

Riley stares at me for a second. “I think he has it, and he’s afraid to talk to you.”

I narrow my eyes at her, scrunching my nose. “Why would he be afraid to talk to me?”

“Um, maybe because he has feelings for you?” She shrugs and rolls her eyes. “Guys are stupid. Even when they turn into adults, they still act like little boys.”

“Or maybe he changed his mind and didn’t mean anything he said that night.”

Riley lets out an exaggerated sigh and hangs her head back before righting it. “I am not going to let you do this, Nova. You will not be spiraling over this man and the scenarios you are creating in your head. Lincoln Matthews likes you, whether you want to believe it or not. He’s probably intimidated by you, as he should be.”

“There’s literally no reason for him to be intimidated.”

“Bullshit,” she scoffs. “You’re fucking sexy as hell and independent. You’re a badass single mom who is out here doing it by herself. You don’t need anyone, and he knows that.”

I raise an eyebrow at her. “Am I really doing it by myself when I live with my brother?”

She waves her hand dismissively. “You don’t live with him because you can’t do it alone. You’re living with him because you’re smart.” Her face lights up again. “Hello. Just another reason for Lincoln to be intimidated by you.”

I mull over her words, pursing my lips before taking another sip of my coffee. “I don’t want him to feel that way, though.”

“Why don’t you make the first move then?”

My eyes widen. “I don’t even know what I would say to him. I swear, it feels like I don’t know how to act around him. Every word I speak sounds so stupid.”

Riley laughs quietly. “I can’t believe this is actually happening.”

“Shut up,” I mutter, feeling slightly embarrassed and a little defeated. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me. I’ve known Lincoln my entire life, so I don’t know why I feel like I can’t function around him. Things with him come easily and are always comfortable, but lately, I just feel so off balance.

“I think you need to get everything out there with him. Just lay it all out and see what happens.”

I give her an incredulous look. “What the hell is wrong with you? I thought there was something about being cool and calm, not impulsive and irrational.”

Riley shrugs with indifference. “You’re actually asking the wrong person. I’ve realized I make the wrong decisions every time when it comes to men. I don’t think there’s a right or a wrong way to go about this. If you were just getting to know Linc, I’d say not to do that because you don’t want to run him off. You have known him long enough. I think it’s safe to at least give him a few breadcrumbs.”

“Breadcrumbs,” I say, my voice trailing off. “I like the idea of that instead of just laying it all out there.”

Riley smiles at me. “Yes. Just enough to keep him engaged and let him know how you might feel, but you don’t have to spell it all out for him.”

“Even though you just told me to lay it all out?”

“I think you should just do whatever feels right to you,” she tells me with another shrug and an apologetic smile. “You were right. My first suggestion was impulsive. I think you should go with your gut, but don’t chicken out. You need to say something.”

The thought alone freaks me out. I’ve never been one to be forward about my feelings for someone, especially Lincoln. He was always my secret crush. Even after we kissed that one night, I never planned on telling him how I truly felt…but after the other night, everything between us has shifted.

Lincoln told me his truths—the ones he’s kept to himself for all these years.

The truths that involve his feelings for me.

He was honest when he said he isn’t the type of person built for a relationship. I respect his honesty, yet there is a part of me that wishes he felt differently. I know things can always change, but I can’t hold on to the hope that one day he’ll want more.

And if he never does, I still owe him the same courtesy.

I owe him my truth, even if it ends up hurting me in the end.