Page 78 of Power Forward

“Or we can shuffle the lines around,” Peyton suggests, standing up to nudge Blaine. “We can take some extra ice time if needed.”

Coach’s expression turns puzzled. He holds his palms up. “Whoa, whoa. Slow down. Let’s start at the beginning because I feel like I’ve missed a crucial part of this conversation.”

I stand up and step in front of the guys. “Coach, I understand the implications that come with this kind of request, but I wouldn’t ask if it didn’t come from a place of desperation.” Taking a deep inhale, I do something I haven’t done in a long time. I put myself first, above being a hockey player and being a dad. “I need to skip today’s practice. I’ll be back for our game tomorrow night, but I need to go to California and bring the love of my life home with me.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Hayden

“Do you need anything?” Zara asks, placing a cup of coffee on the bedside table.

“No, I’m okay.” I glance over at my new phone on the dresser, where it’s plugged in next to my old, beat-up phone. “Has it still not updated yet?”

She shakes her head, sitting down on the edge of the mattress. “No, not yet.”

I groan. The guy in the store said it could take a few hours to transfer everything, but it seems to be taking forever. Doesn’t it realize I have calls to make?

Zara’s been coming over to check on my house while I’ve been in Chicago and collect my mail, and she showed up as I got home from the mall. I didn’t know how much I needed to see her until I did because it was like the moment I stopped, the weight of everything that’s happened came crashing down, hitting me with a wave of exhaustion. I told her everything that happened with Laura, and what Jackson said when he got home, and about my flight last night. Iproceeded to get worked up while trying to sort my smashed phone, and she responded with one of her tight hugs, something that’s always surprised me because she’s a petite woman, but damn, she’s strong. Then she told me to take a nap while she sorts out my phone and prepares some lunch.

“I need to get hold of Jackson,” I say, moving slowly into a seated position, trying to hide the throbbing ache that blooms in my hips.

I can’t begin to imagine what he must be thinking right now, especially if he listened to the voice messages and has been unable to get hold of me. He’s bound to be worried, probably angry.

“Is he on social media?” she asks.

“Yeah, he’s on Instagram.”

“Should I send him a message? Let him know what’s going on?”

“Yeah, that would be good.” I smile. “Thanks.”

She leaves the room to get her phone, but before she can come back, the doorbell chimes. I strain to listen to the murmur of voices as she answers, but my bedroom is at the back of the house, overlooking the beach. Reaching over, I grab my coffee. I zone out, staring out the window at the waves crashing against the sand. The anxious part of my brain begins to think up seven hundred different scenarios.

Maybe I need to start keeping a note of my emergency contacts in my wallet in case something like this happens again.

In my disassociated state, I’m vaguely aware of the sound of footsteps against the hardwood in the hallway, but nothing could prepare me for the sight of Jackson appearingin the door. Relief flashes through his eyes the moment those gorgeous blue eyes settle on me.

“Hey,” I croak, and the second I put my cup of coffee down, he’s moving toward me.

Placing a knee on the bed, he engulfs me in his arms, hiding his face in my neck. The tightness of his embrace could rival Zara’s, but I melt into him. Wrapping my arms around his wide shoulders, I pull him closer. His scent grounds me. The warmth of his soft breath against my skin brings me a sense of peace.

“You scared the shit out of me,” he mumbles into my sweater.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” I whisper.

He shakes his head slightly, the move causing his blond hair to brush against my cheek. I press a kiss to the side of his head.

“I’m just glad you’re okay. I thought you were saying your final goodbye in that voice message. Then I couldn’t get hold of you…” He trails off. His unspoken words are loud and clear. He thought the worst, and I hate that I caused that fear.

He lifts his head, letting me go to cradle my face with his palms.

“I was really scared.” He swallows roughly. “I thought something really bad happened, that I’d lost you.”

Fuck, I’ll never forgive myself for putting him through that. I thought I was doing the right thing, and I still managed to fuck it up somehow.

He’s still here, my conscience reminds me, sounding a lot like Roberta.He still came for you.

“I ended up breaking my phone. We had really badturbulence, and my mind started to catastrophize, and by the time we landed, I was so shaken up that I dropped my phone going down the stairs. I got a new phone this morning after I saw Roberta.”

---