Page 40 of Slap Shots & Sweethearts

"I'm the one that screwed up Lou."

His brows furrow, and he drops his arms to his side. "What's going on Hannah?"

Feeling the weight of it all pressing down on me, I let out a long breath. "I messed up, badly. He got me this beautiful charm bracelet." I hold it up so he can see. "And on accident, I dismissed it as just a trinket. I think I hurt him, and I need to fix it."

Lou takes the bracelet from me, and his expression softens. "If anyone can fix it, it's you. And if he cares enough to put the effort into each of these charms, he'd be a fool not to forgive you."

His words of reassurance are exactly what I needed to hear. I give him a hug, not minding the pads under his jersey. "Thanks, Lou."

He ruffles a hand in my hair. "Now let me go so I can go win this game."

I laugh and watch him leave. Realizing then, that I still have the little duck in my hand. But that's okay I know a little boy that would love to have it.

In the hallway I take a quiet moment for myself, and I spot Matt talking with one of the coaches. His face is hard, and when he looks up and sees me, there's a flicker in his eyes of pain, before it's masked by anger. He turns his back to me, and starts walking to the locker room with his coach.

He's not going to give me a chance to fix this.

My heart squeezes in my chest and I yell out in desperation, "Matt!"

He freezes, and says something to his coach too quiet for me to hear over the noises of the crowd now echoing into the tunnel. I take a deep breath for courage, and then walk over to him so he has to see me. His expression is guarded when he finally looks at me.

"Matt." I say again, "Can we please talk?"

He gives me a single nod, and we walk to a quieter spot.

"I never meant to hurt you." I tell him. "I?—"

"It's fine. You have someone else. You should have been upfront about that. Instead you let me make a fool of myself."

"Matt."

"No." He holds up a hand to silence me. "Just give me some time. Please."

He looks at me with eyes so full of pain and hurt I'm at a loss for words. I was supposed to make this better, and it's only getting worse.

"I just need some time." He says once more. "And maybe some space."

"Then I think you should take this back."

He looks at the bracelet I'm holding out to him, and then at me. "Keep it. I have no use for it anyway."

Logically I know he's talking about the bracelet, but my heart hears that he has no use for me. I drop my hand and my head until I'm staring at our feet. It hurts too much to look at him. I must say something, or maybe he does, but I only notice when he walks away. Then I let the tears fall.

I don't want to be standing here when the team comes out of the locker room. I can't let Lou or Matt see me like this. So I make a quick escape to my office so I'll have a little bit of time to pull myself together before I need to take Noah to the ice.

I'm sitting there in my chair behind my desk, trying to steady my breathing and get rid of the tears before my eyes turn really puffy, when a familiar face pops into the doorway.

"What do you need Tiffany?" I ask.

"Oh you've made my whole night already."

"What do you mean?" I ask, my stomach tightening with unease.

She smirks. "Did you really think no one would find out who was sending you all those gifts?"

I stare at her in confusion, and she continues smirking as Stuart enters my office. His expression is one of regret and disappointment, which turns my unease to dread.

He sighs, and says, "I'm really sorry to do this Hannah."

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