Page 54 of Fate on the Ice

The guys skate off the ice. I stay on the bench, watching. Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply a few times.

I can smell the ice.

This is my home.

This is where I will always belong. It may not be the same arena. It may not be the same town. But here, inside an arena, surrounded by ice, this is home

“Hey, you wanna go to The Tipsy Tavern for lunch?” Reid calls out.

Jerking my chin in his direction, I stand. “Yeah, I do.”

Chapter

Twenty-Six

GRACE

“We’re going to lunch,” Brooklynn announces.

Lifting my head from the computer, I look across the salon to her. “The guys just texted and said they’d be going to lunch at The Tipsy Tavern. They’re finished with practice, and we’re invited.”

I open the computer schedule tab, and when my eyes scan the document, I realize that the whole place will be clientless for the next two hours.

“How did this work out this way? Two hours, and nobody has a client?” I ask.

“Don’t ask questions,” June calls out in a singsongy voice. “Just nod and smile.”

I laugh softly, nodding and smiling as I reach for my purse. Although I still have plenty of questions, I decide not to ask them… at least not yet.

I shrug the strap of my purse over my shoulder. I’m not sure why I even carry the thing around anymore. It’s not like I have any money. I don’t even have credit cards. I have my driver's license and checks for an empty bank account.

My phone buzzes on the desk. Reaching down, I pick it up and glance at the screen. For an instant, I feel panic slide up my throat. But when I see it’s Otto, my entire body instantly relaxes. He is inviting me to lunch with everyone else. I text him back quickly, telling him I’ll be there as soon as possible.

The girls and I gather our bags and head out of the salon. Brooklynn tells me that Lorelai will be there, too. I’m not sure why we’re all meeting there in the middle of the day on a Thursday, but I can’t deny that I’m excited about it.

Climbing into the back of Brooklynn’s car, I feel lighter and more at ease than I have in a while. Getting back into a routine has helped me, but also the fact that I don’t have to constantly live in fear anymore. I just hope that I can forget about Hayze one day. I want to forget he ever existed, but that may be too much to ask.

“I’ve never been here before,” I mention as Brooklynn pulls up to the front of the tavern. I love the name. It’s adorable. I can’t wait to see what the inside looks like. With a name like The Tipsy Tavern, I have high expectations for cuteness.

Opening the passenger door, I slide my legs over the side and straighten. The sun is shining brightly, and I wonder how hot it’s going to get this afternoon. Not that I spend much time outside, but I feel like it’s getting hotter and hotter with each day that passes.

We gather in the parking lot and move toward the restaurant as a single unit. Brooklynn opens the door for all of us to pass through. I don’t even have to look for the men. I find them instantly.

They’re all in the back, sitting at two tables pushed together, drinks in hand, and chatting. I don’t know if they even realize we’ve walked through the door, so I take a moment to watch them… to watch Otto.

He’s beautiful.

I used to snort a laugh every time I read a book where the heroine described the hero as beautiful. How could a man be beautiful? I didn’t think that was even a thing. I thought it was kind of stupid, except I get it now. I really get it. Because Otto Larsson is absolutely, hands down, beautiful.

The moment Lorelai calls out to Reid, all the men’s heads lift. My cheeks heat as soon as Otto’s gaze finds mine. I don’t know why I’m embarrassed. I shouldn’t be, but for whatever reason, I am.

Brooklynn hooks her arm in mine and gently guides me toward the guys’ table. My feet are forced to move, but I think I would be happy standing where I was, just staring at Otto and wondering how on earth I got to be this lucky.

How can this man look at me the way he does?

I love him. It’s as simple as that, and there is nobody else who I would ever want. I told myself that I was running away to save him, to ensure his happiness, except it was more selfish than that. I didn’t want him to realize that I wasn’t good enough for him. Because I know I’m not. Otto is everything to me.

He stands as soon as we approach and moves toward me. His lips touch my forehead before he murmurs against my skin, “Hey, honey, I missed you.”

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