Page 86 of Taylor

Her phone rang with a FaceTime. Before she knew it, she was looking at the face of her handsome hockey player in his game-day suit in sunny California.

“Look at you! It’s been snowing here all day.”

“Not here. The weather’s beautiful.”

“I would pretend to be mad, but I can’t even pretend today.”

“You do look very happy,” he said with a wide, self-satisfying grin.

“I am! I’ve had all your presents, and I spent the day making your present.”

“Oh, really? Now I’m intrigued...” He wagged his eyebrows.

“I am, too. What’s this?” she asked, holding up the present.

“Open it.”

She pulled the paper away, showing a small jewelry box. Her hands shook. She’d never gotten a present from a guy she’d dated before... let alone a day of thoughtful gifts... let alone what appeared to be jewelry.

She opened the blue velvet box. There, nestled in the middle, was an opal pendant necklace.

“Taylor,” she whispered as her finger traced the smooth, iridescent stone. “This is beautiful.”

When her eyes found him again, his warm, contented smile did something to her. It gave her a deep sense of peace. Justmaybe he liked her as much as she did him... she had never felt like that before.

Tears streamed down her face.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good. I’m so good,” she said, swiping tears from her cheeks. “You’ve just been so thoughtful today. I’m not used to it.”

He cocked his head, seemingly taking her in.

“Is this an opal?”

“Yeah, it’s your birthstone, and the iridescent nature of the stone itself makes me think of you.”

Fuck. She was so fucking in love with this man.

“Thank you so much... I wish I had planned ahead for something for you.”

“Alice, I did these because I wanted to make you happy, not because I wanted them for myself.”

She bit her lip and wiped away another errant tear.

“I miss you,” she said.

The weight of those words had never been truer.

“I miss you, too.”

“Okay, I’m going to eat this lovely dinner. You go get ready for your game. I’ll be watching.”

They gazed at each other with unsaid words, neither ready to say it, but Alice sure felt it.

34

Taylor

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