Page 19 of Goal Line Love

Harrison: I love you, Bergan. I love no other woman and I will never love any other woman. You’re the one for me. My goal is to love you forever.

I’m choked up and think back to the very first time I met Harrison. All the looks and the sweet gestures, and how I’ve never felt so warm and safe with anybody before.

Was I dismissing every good and loving feeling to protect my icy, etched heart when Harrison this whole time has been filling in the cracks and putting me back together?

I pull out my pen and my pad, but that note he wrote in the bar is in my pocket and I smile as I grab it and write a brief note on the other side. I hope it will be enough.

With my press badge on, I head toward the locker room when I’m stopped by a big burly guy who towers over the crowd. “No one gets in.”

“But…”

“Look, miss, no one gets in. Not even press.”

I sigh and then perk up when Alexie walks by.

“Alexie! Can you get this not to Harry?”

Alexie glances at me and tips his head as he reaches for the note. “Who is dis Harry?”

Oops. Harrison is not going to like this.

“Harrison. Harrison Briggs.”

Alexie bursts out laughing. Oh shit. Harry is going to be angry.

“Harry?! Bwahahaha. I shall call him dat. But yes, I can get it to him, m’lady.” The big lug even bows and winks before he saunters off.

Yes, the big oaf actually saunters off whistling a song… a diabolical tune no doubt.

“Thank you,” I shout out after him.

Fingers crossed, I didn’t screw this all up.

14

HARRISON

Standing in the box ready to go out and bash some heads, I’m losing my mind because I poured my heart into that text. I know Bergan read it and that makes it all the worse. She didn’t respond. She really is done with me. I’ve never put myself out there before like that, and I hate that I had to tell her I love her in a text when I only want to say it to her beautiful face, but if I can’t get her to talk to me in any other way, it was necessary.

Screw all this. What was I thinking? Colorado isn’t meant for me. I need to get back to Cali, to my family, to Millie. That’s been the goal and one should never deviate from the goal. The Super Sunsets are asking about me and I’m going to go talk to them. I wasn’t going to, but now… well, shit changes.

“Hi Harry,” Alexie says, and stands next to me.

“Where have you heard that?”

“Ms. Rosten said it, and I like it. You are now Harry.” He bats each of my shoulders like he’s knighting me with a sword.

“Whatever, man. We just need to score, and then I’m going back to Cali.” I huff and turn toward the ice, trying to get my head in the game.

“Well, maybe this will stop that.”

Alexie pulls out a note and holds it out in front of me.

I stare at it for a second, but my curiosity gets the better of me and I open it.

Harry,

I’ve been so blind. I’ve let my past with the one bad hockey player cloud the wonderful hockey player who’s right in front of me. So Millie’s your sister? So that beautiful brunette in the video call is your stepmom?

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