Ashley's POV:
"No.." Patrick said looking sad
Suddenly, I felt sad too..
"I'm sorry for making you fly here for this.." I said
"Hey, I wanted to be here.. I know you aren't ready for a baby yet, but I would have loved being a dad to our baby.."
"You want kids?" I asked him
"Yeah, with you." He said back to me
That brought tears to my eyes and I said, "If you want kids, find someone who can give you kids."
"No, there is no woman that I've ever met that I would trust to be the mother to my kids. They all just want to fame, money, and name.."
"Patrick.." I said
"I need to go back to Chicago.." He said cold
"You can't even stay for one night?" I asked
"Why? It's not like you we are together. You have a boyfriend, remember?"
I kissed him and he pulled back..
He looked at me with those beautiful eyes and he kissed me again.
"I have to go.. I'm sorry.." He said leaving
A few says passed and I was now on an East coast road trip.
"The first game was in Boston, we lost.
The second, Toronto. Auston was so happy to see me.
He hugged me and I started crying.
"What's wrong?" he asked
"I hate LA... I miss Chicago.." I said
"No, you miss Patrick.."
"Yeah, I do.. I also miss Jonathan and Shaw and Crow, and coach Q.. I miss the snow... I miss the fans.."
"I'm sorry Ashley.." He said
"You're the one who basically blackmailed me into doing this.."
"No, I didn't.." He said
"Auston, I love you, but I don't want to be controlled by you anymore.."
"Ashley, I love you too.." He said kissing me
We beat Toronto and then we went to Buffalo. I took an Uber to the Kane house. I rang the doorbell and Donna answered. I was standing there in tears..
I told her everything. She said, "I'm so sorry this is happening to you.."
"I would fight it, but I've looked into everything. Patrick will be removed from the NHL and he will have a ten year sentence in prison..."
Donna cried and I said, "I'm sorry and I promise you that I will do everything to protect your son, but I need you to not tell him anything I told you because he will do something stupid and get arrested."
Donna hugged and told me she would keep my secrets and that I could call her anytime I wanted.
I went to Patrick's Buffalo house and I went inside and on his nightstand was a picture of us. I grabbed a piece of paper and I wrote:
Patrick,
I don't know when you'll see this, but what happens in Buffalo stays in Buffalo. I'm sorry for everything I said and for leaving without telling you. Things are just really messy and complicated. It's best if we stop all communication..
Here is the ring back, I don't deserve it. I'm sorry for everything.
- Ashley
I left the ring on the piece of paper on his bed. I left his house and went to Patrick's favorite spot. I cried and cried. I re-joined my team at the hotel and soon, I was learning to forget about Patrick. It helped not wearing that ring everyday.
We didn't make the playoffs and I drove back home to Duluth for the summer. The Blackhawks didn't make the playoffs either, that meant Patrick would go home.
Today was my eighteenth birthday. I spent it driving alone to Chicago. My mom, dad, sister, brother, and Auston were all calling me. I arrived in Chicago and I went to coach Q's house.
"Ashley, what are you doing here?" He asked
"I want to come back.. Leaving was a huge mistake.."
"I wish it was that easy, but I will see what I can do."
"Thanks coach.." I said
I went back to my car and instead of going back to Minnesota, I headed towards New York. It was only noon.
The closer that I got to New York, the more nervous I became. It was about 9pm when I pulled into Patrick's driveway.
I rang the doorbell and he opened the door.
"Ash.."' He said shocked to see me
"Hi.." I said
"Happy birthday.." He said looking into my eyes
"Thank you.." I said
I was standing in the entry of his house and I asked, "Are you alone?"
"Yeah.." He said
"I'm sorry for everything..." I said
"Why'd you leave?" He asked
"Auston threatened to tell everyone about us... You would be kicked out of the NHL and face ten years in a maximum security prison."
"Ashley.." he said feeling really guilty
"I'm a legal adult... There is nothing they can do now.." I said
"So what are you planning on doing?"
"That depends.. My family and Auston are freaking out because I left without telling anyone."
"Tell them you're okay.." He said
I texted me mom and told her I was fine and not to worry and that I would call her later.
"Why'd you come here?"He asked me
"Why do you think?" I asked
He looked at me and asked, "Did you mean what you said to me?"
He wanted to kiss me so badly.
"Patrick Timothy Kane, shut up and kiss me already.." I said
He smiled and he leaned in and kissed me.
"I love you.." I said
"I love you too.." He said back
We were making out and he carried me up to his room.
We laid there in his bed, hours later, talking.
"What now?" He asked
"What do you mean?" I asked
"This can't keep happening if you are going to be with Auston.."
"Patrick, I don't want to date Auston... I want you, but I don't know how to end things with Auston because he will be pissed and tell everyone what happened when I was seventeen.."
"There is no proof.." He said
"I know, but it's still terrifying.."
"Why?" He asked
"Because that makes things real and all eyes will be on us." I said
"Is real a bad thing?"
"No.." I said
I kissed him again..
He pulled away and said, "I want everything with you.."
I woke up in Patrick's arms and I said, "I need to get home.."
"Did you drive here alone?"
"Yeah.."
"Well, you aren't going back alone.."
"You're coming with?" I asked
"Yeah, and I'll fly back home."
"You don't have to.."
"I do.."
Patrick asked, "Will you please take the ring back?"
"Yeah.." I said
He slipped it on my finger and he kissed the finger.
I took a shower and Patrick took me out to breakfast and we started driving back home.
We drove for hours and hours and after we crossed the New York state line, the kissing ended.
Patrick and I stopped in Chicago as it was late and we were getting tired.
We were at his place and I was laying in his bed, next to him.
We just slept. We were in Chicago... This was the first time that I've ever slept in the same bed in Chicago.
We woke up and drove to Minnesota.
I dropped Patrick off at the airport and he leaned into kiss me and I pulled back.
He flew home to New York and I drove to Duluth.
Auston was still there and my parents were pissed.
We did all the birthday celebrating and honestly, I just wanted Patrick there.
I went in my room and there was a package. It was from Patrick. There was a heart shaped necklace with hockey sticks in the middle. There were diamonds around the heart.
I sent Patrick a picture and I said: Thank you, I absolutely love it.
A few hours later, Patrick responded. You know I didn't forget your birthday. I just landed in Buffalo.
Auston was coming in my room and I hid the necklace and I said, "Auston, dating you was fun in the beginning, but now.. Things have changed.."
"How was Buffalo?" He asked
"I didn't go to Buffalo. I went to Chicago to talk to Q about maybe coming back.."
"Why?"
"I hate LA.." I said
A few days passed and Auston went home to Arizona. I spent most of the summer training. I was back in LA for the season to start. Q said he didn't know how to get me back with the salary caps.
We played the Hawks tonight and there was a knock on my door. I opened it and there was Patrick.
"Patrick..." I said
"Auston texted me.." He said
It was a threatening text saying that if he showed up at my place, he would tell everyone.
"But you're here anyway?" I asked
"yeah, to end everything between us.. I can't have this ruin my career.."
"Patrick.." I said
"I need the ring and the necklace.." He said
I started to cry as I handed them over.
"I'm so over you always picking him over me.. He will continue to fuck you over and treat you like shit "
"So this is it?" I asked
"There was nothing here to end..." He said leaving
I was bawling. I showed up to the game and hockey was the last thing on my mind.
I was playing like shit. Patrick was playing like shit. I pulled myself from the game, telling my coach that I was going to throw up. I went back home and laid in bed all night crying.