Page 112 of Power Play

She wasn’ton Harbor Road, but when I got into town, I parked by the square and walked back along the beach towards our house. I found her halfway between town and our cove. Once I realized the little figure walking towards me was her, I took off at a sprint and fell to my knees in front of her, wrapping her in my arms.

“Oh shit,” I whispered. “You scared me, Tess. You scared me so much.”

“I want my mom,” she sobbed into my shirt. “I want to go home.”

“Okay,” I said. Right. I couldn’t pretend this away. I was in charge and I needed to act like it. “Here, let’s call your mom right now.”

We’d tried to call her a while ago, after Kit left and Tess asked, but we’d gotten a message and left one for her to call us as soon as she could. This time, before I called, I texted Janice SOS. So, she answered on the second ring.

“Is she okay?” She asked, breathless.

“Yeah, she’s fine. She just needs you,” I said, looking down at the tear-ravaged face of this little girl I’d come to love so much.

“I’m running to get a flight right now. I have a four hour layover in Denver and a connection-”

“Stop,” I said. “I’ll send a jet. It will be ready in an hour. It will fly you to Portland, we’ll meet you there.”

She gasped. “Thank you,” she choked out. “Thank you. Can I talk to her?”

“Yeah. But, you need to answer one question.” I turned away from Tess. “Yes or no. I need to hear it from your mouth.”

“I’ll explain when-”

“It’s yes or no, Janice. You know what I’m asking. I want the truth.”

“Yes.”

My life rearranged around me and through me. Who I thought I was, was gone. The life I wanted was obvious. I couldn’t play around anymore. I had to fight for what was mine.

“I’ll see you in a few hours. Here’s Tess.”

Kit

I foundthem on the beach. Tess was in his arms, her head against his shoulder, both of them looking exhausted from all the emotions. I got it, emotions were exhausting.

I ran to them, the fear and panic of just a few minutes ago making me fast. Sand kicked up as I slid to a stop in front of them.

“Tess,” I cried, throwing caution to the wind and wrapping my arms around both of them. “Oh Tess, you scared us.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I just wanted to go home.”

“Yeah,” I whispered, pushing back her hair. “I’m sure you do.”

“We’re going to load up and head back to Portland,” Liam said. “Janice will be there tonight.” I met his eyes and felt a shiver run down my spine.

This was what he looked like on the ice, when the cameras focused on his face just before the puck dropped. He was focused and battle ready. The hair on my arms lifted like there was electricity in the air.

“Are you okay?” I asked him and fought the instinct to stroke his face, run my hand down the crease between his eyes. I’d forfeited that right this morning and it would only get me in deeper trouble. Not sure how many times a heart could break, but I didn’t want to find out.

“I will be,” he said. “We all will be.”

My father told me everything would be fine more times than I could count and I knew better than to trust his words after everything we’d been through. Especially knowing that his idea of fine and my idea of fine were totally different.

I turned and walked beside him across the beach, to the car in the parking lot. We drove back to the house and within a half hour we were back on the road.

Leaving the best week of my life behind.

It was noon when we got into the city and Liam pulled up in front of Ms. Rene’s house. The garden so different now then when we’d left, like a whole season had passed. It was disorienting. My life felt different.

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