“Yeah, she told me about that. But didn’t really elaborate.”

“She’s never elaborated to anyone that I know of, including me until very recently. But I think that’s the key to what’s going on. You need to talk to her, get her to open up to you. I know she loves you. And she’s miserable without you.”

At least that made him smile. “Yeah, the feeling’s mutual. I love her, too.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. Her sister, Greta, is in town and I’m going to take her Christmas shopping tomorrow. I told Stella we were shopping for her, which means Stella will be home alone. Please talk to her, Trick. I know the two of you belong together.”

Carolina was right. He’d let Stella walk away without forcing her to talk to him. “I will. Thanks for this, Carolina.”

“Hey, I believe in you two. You’re welcome.”

He hung up, feeling a lot more hopeful than he had the past week.

Now he just had to find out what was going on in Stella’s head, and figure out a way to fix it.

She belonged with him, and he needed to make it happen.

Chapter Fourteen

Stella spent the morning wrapping Christmas gifts, not at all in the holiday spirit. But she refused to allow her current mood to affect her sister. Greta and Carolina were going Christmas shopping, and hopefully Greta would enjoy spending the time with Carolina, who was always excited about the holidays. Her sister needed to hang out with someone who was cheery and in a great mood, because that sure as hell wasn’t her right now.

She loved having Greta here. She wouldn’t have survived the past week without her. Despite her resolve to end things with Trick and move past it, she’d been a wreck.

What had she been thinking? She loved him. Did she think it would be easy to dump him and move on like it had been nothing? It hadn’t been nothing. He hadn’t been nothing. He’d become everything to her. The snow on the ground reminded her of him. When she turned on the TV and saw the hockey game on, her heart ached. When she walked past the ice-skating rink she thought of how much fun they’d had together. The big Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center reminded her of the tree they’d put up and decorated in his apartment. Even dancing reminded her of him.

Damn the man for infiltrating every part of her life. How was she supposed to get over him?

And why the hell had he decided to get himself traded to Detroit? Why couldn’t he be different from other men?

When her buzzer sounded, she went to answer it.

“Yes?”

“It’s me, Stella.”

Her heart thumped, her eyes closed, and she leaned against the door. “Go away, Trick.”

“I’m not leaving until you talk to me. And it’s fucking cold out here. Let me in.”

God, she wanted to see him, to touch him, to kiss him. But what was the point? Still, she was curious why he’d come over here. She hadn’t answered his calls or texts. Maybe it was time for some closure, for her to tell him exactly why she’d walked out on him.

It was the only way she’d ever be free of him. “Come on up.” She pressed the buzzer and ran into the bathroom.

Her hair was a wreck, and she had on yoga pants and a sweatshirt. She swished some mouthwash around, though she had no idea why. It wasn’t like he was going to be kissing her.

Ever again.

The thought of it made her stomach clench.

He knocked on the door and she went to answer it. He looked tall, dark, and delicious in his navy blue pea coat and black jeans.

“Thanks,” he said as he came inside.

“I’m only doing this so I can explain to you why I ended things between us.”

He slid his coat off and laid it over the edge of her loveseat, then turned to her. “You walked out on me. We had something together and I think it’s worth fighting for.”

She crossed her arms. “Shouldn’t you be spending your time worrying about your imminent trade to Detroit?”

He frowned. “My . . . what? I’m not being traded to Detroit.”

“Aren’t you? When your agent called that morning you were in the shower, he said he was messengering over paperwork, and that it was time sensitive and had something to do with the trade to Detroit.”

He paused, and she knew then that she had him.

Then his face lit up with recognition. “Oh. That. It’s part of contract renegotiations with the Travelers, Stella. It’s all a ploy. My agent hits them up about a potential trade in order to get more money for me. Fuck no, I’m not going to Detroit. I love the Travelers.”