Page 74 of Falling for the Hockey Superstar

Beck hesitates and gives me a look that says: “Where did that come from.”

But then, quietly, he tells me about chasing Greg across frozen ponds when they were kids. About how Greg was the first one to dream of going pro. About the ACL injuries. The heartbreak. The silence that grew between them.

“I’ve tried, Abs,” he says softly. “Texted. Called. Even sent him birthday cards for a few years. But… nothing.”

I press my hand over his heart.

“Maybe he just needs a nudge,” I say.

Beck huffs a soft, humorless laugh. “Yeah? From who?”

My eyes sparkle. “From a tenacious journalist maybe?”

***

It turns out that Greg isn’t exactly hiding. He’s just… living.

A little digging (okay, a lot) leads me to a bike repair shop in Denver. But that’s not all.

Apparently, Greg now manages a local shoe store downtown namedSole Haven Shoes. He’s married to a man named Daniel, and proud dog dad to two golden retrievers named Murphy and Max.

Normal. Happy. Private.

I stare at his staff profile picture on the store’s website for a long time.

He looks like Beck. Older maybe. A little more guarded. But definitely a Hayes.

And something inside me says… he misses them too.

It takes a few days and about eight drafts of a message before I finally reach out.

Hi Greg, I’m Abby Price… soon-to-be Abby Hayes. I know this is out of the blue, but I’m marrying your brother, and I know he misses you more than he can put into words…

I stare at my phone after I hit send like I’ve just launched it into the universe.

Hours pass. Nothing.

A day. Still nothing.

I’m about to chalk it up to a failed mission when my phone buzzes.

Greg Hayes:This is unexpected…

My heart thuds.

We message back and forth for days. Slowly. Carefully.

Greg is cautious. Kind. Funny, even. But underneath it all? I can feel the walls he’s built. He either can’t or doesn’t want to discuss the reasons he left home, but it really doesn’t matter. The only thing I want is for him to come home and fix that little piece of Beck’s heart that is empty and waiting to be filled, not to mention their parents.

I cannot fathom the pain I would feel if Jake left me for no explainable reason. Just up and left. No note, no call, no reason. It would be soul-crushing heartbreak. That is what Mary and Roger have been carrying for these many years.

Why now?He asks at one point.

I want to say “Why Not” but I take a little time to respond, and my answer is simple.

Because family isn’t just about the easy parts. It’s about showing up, even when it’s hard.

There’s a long pause after that one.

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