This Love Will Be Our Downfall

“Cause, honestly, I am in love with you Katey.”

For the past ten minutes, all I could think about was that sentence and how three little words can change everything.

After he told me that, I sat there speechless, not knowing what to say. To say he didn’t look scared would be an understatement.

“Brent, yo- you don’t mean it.”

He took my hand. “Bullshit. I’ve known I loved you since you left to go back to Pittsburgh. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get you out of my head. I want this to work. Things aren’t going to be simple with us; I have come to realize this. But you have to trust me.”

“But what about-“

“Luke? I’m not forcing you to make a decision. But you how I feel and deep down I know you feel the same.”

He threw some money on the table to cover the bill and started to walk out.

I sat there for a minute before deciding what I was going to do.

“Brent wait.” I said running out after him.

He turned around. “What?”

I sighed. “What if I said I loved you too? What would happen then?”

He smiled and walked until he stood in front of me. “Then we would try to work on us and not give up like we have in the past.”

“I don’t know how I am going to break this to Luke.”

He lifted my chin so I was looking at him. “Something tells me he will understand.”

After we agreed to meeting up the next day before his game that night, we parted ways.

When I arrived back at the condo, I checked my phone and saw a missed call and several texts from Luke. I sighed and dialed his number.

“Hey babe, I’ve been trying to call you.”

I rubbed my forehead. “I know I went out for dinner, I apologize. Do you want to come over for a bit?”

“Yeah give me a few minutes.”

After changing into more comfortable clothes, I texted Brent.

Text to: Brent
Luke is coming over. I think I might just get this out of the way now.

Text from: Brent
All up to you. Take your time if you aren’t ready. I’ll wait.

I smiled as the doorbell rang.

Text to: Brent 
No. I’m ready tonight. I’ll text you when it’s down and over with.

Text from: Brent
Okay. Love you.

I sighed and went to go open the door, seeing Luke standing there with a bottle of wine.

“You sounded a little stressed over the phone so I figured you could use this.”

I smiled and took the bottle from him. “Thanks I will need this here in a few minutes, we have to talk.”

He followed me to the kitchen. “It’s about Brent isn’t it?”

I looked at him in shock. “How did you-“

“Lizzie and Patrick told me. And every Hawk game we have gone to you always seemed depressed. I kind of put two and two together.”

“Luke, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He smiled. “No it’s fine. I knew this day was going to come soon when I hung out with Patrick and a few other players and I saw the way he looked when the guys asked questions about you. He loves you.”

I gave a weak smile. “I know.”

“He is one lucky guy.”

I gave him a hug. “I didn’t want it to end like this.”

“Me neither. But hey, we had our fun right?”

I laughed. “Yeah. We did.”

We sat and bullshitted for a few more minutes before he decided to leave.

I sat in the kitchen for the next several minutes, drinking the wine he brought, when my doorbell rang again.

“What the-“ I said as I opened to door to see Brent.

“Well hello to you too.”

I rolled my eyes. “You camped out here until he left didn’t you?”

He tried to look innocent. “Me? I would never!”

I laughed. “So what are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet up tomorrow after your game?”

He wrapped his arms around my waist and walked me backwards into the living room. “I missed you.”

I fell back on the couch. “You just saw me what, 30 minutes ago?”

He sat down beside me and pulled me close to snuggle. “So? Am I not allowed to miss you?”

I rolled my eyes. “I guess so.”

He started to play with my hair as I started a movie. “I could stay like this forever and be happy.”

I moved away with him. “So you really want to try this? I mean, I am a bitch to deal with.”

He laughed. “Yeah, I know. But I can deal with it.”

I moved back to my comfortable position. “And you promise to not run when we fight?”

“I promise never to run, no matter what.”

The next several weeks flew by. Brent had become what seemed a permanent fixture at the condo, of course after he got the ‘If you hurt her again I swear I will rip your balls off’ lecture from Lizzie. We spent as much time as possible together between my hectic work schedule and his hockey schedule. Both he and Kane were gone on a long road trip to the West Coast, so Lizzie and I spent a good bit of time together, leaving me to deal with her crazy pregnancy hormones and food cravings.

When the guys finally arrived home from the road trip and had a few days off, I dragged Brent out baby shopping with me.

“What do you think about this one?” I asked as I held up a onesie with “Daddy’s Little Horror” on it.

Brent laughed. “That is so perfect for them it isn’t even funny.”

I looked back at the onesie. “I thought it did too. Did you find anything?”

He looked down at the empty basket. “Um no? You are better at this than I am. I’m a guy.”

I put the onesie in the basket and rolled my eyes. “Typical. Wanna buy them a crib or a bassinet?”

He shrugged. “I don’t care. I am here to carry bags and nod to whatever you say.”

I laughed and kissed him. “At least you can admit it.”

An hour later, we were standing in front of two cribs trying to figure out which one to get.

“I don’t know whether or not I like the cherry finish better than the oak finish.”

Brent rolled his eyes. “It’s dark versus light. Personally, if it was going to be for my child, I would go oak. It would go better with everything.”

I looked at him in shock. “Where has this been all day?”

He looked confused. “What?”

“Your opinion! It miraculously made an appearance!”

He rolled his eyes. “Ha ha. You think you are so funny.”

“Don’t lie to yourself, you know I am.”

Later that day, Brent dropped me off at the condo before heading to the team meeting, promising to call me after. I headed up to the condo to find Lizzie sitting on the couch staring intently at her computer screen.

“So what are you up to?” I said shedding my coat and boots.

She closed her computer screen real fast. “Nothing.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah okay. What are you hiding?”

“Don’t hate me okay?”

“Lizzie…”

“Patrick asked me to move in with him.”

“And I am suppose to hate you why?”

“Cause I will be leaving this condo?”

I rolled my eyes. “Lizzie, you practically live there anyways.”

“But what about the condo? And the bills?”

“Lizzie, I can always find something smaller or cheaper. It will be fine.”

She got up and hugged me. “I promise we will still hang out and everything.”

I rolled my eyes. “Jesus Lizzie, you aren’t moving three states away. We will see each other almost every day. Besides, that’s my nephew you are carrying. You can’t get rid of me ever.”

A week later, I stood in an empty condo, thinking back on the past several months and how things have changed. Lizzie is starting a family with the man she loves and I finally got mine back on track and finally being happy.

Maybe things have started to change for the better.