Page 79 of Pucking Fate

Finley tilts his head, his bright eyes looking up at me, full of curiosity. “Why not?”

I glance at Christian, who winces as if he knows it’s hard to describe.

I take a deep breath, reaching for Finley’s hand. “We are going to visit Christian and Uncle Preston as much as we can on weekends. You’ll get to see your friends and them this way.”

He seems satisfied with that answer for now, and he turns his attention back to his sandwich, happily munching away like it wasn’t a heavy conversation. But the tension between Christian and me is palpable. It’s like a giant elephant sitting in the middle of our picnic blanket, and neither of us knows how to address it.

Elle clears her throat, clearly sensing the shift in mood. “Well, we’ll give you three some time to talk. Preston and I are going to take a walk over to the fountain. Audrey, you coming?”

Audrey looks between us, then nods. “Yeah, sure. A walk sounds nice.”

The three of them all stand and wander off, leaving Christian and me alone with Finley. The sun is still shining, and the air is warm, but suddenly, I feel cold. I can sense Christian shifting beside me like he wants to say something but doesn’t know how to start.

We sit in silence for a moment, watching Finley eat his small bag of chips, completely oblivious to our tension.

“So,” Christian begins, his voice low. “How do you really feel about the city?”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “You know that the city was never the issue.”

“I know,” he says gently, turning to face me. “It was stupid for me to think that you would come down to visit and fall in love...”

His words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. I know he’s not just talking about me falling in love with the city.

I don’t have a job while Christian is a professional hockey player making millions here in Greensboro. If he could move up north to be with us, I know he would in a heartbeat.

So why can’t I move down here for him?

Part of me wants to say yes. Part of me wants to jump in with both feet and trust that everything will be okay. But the other part—the part that’s been hurt before, brutally even by my parents—holds me back.

“I want Finley to have his dad in his life,” I say quietly. “And you are a great father. But we have to take this slow for now. It’s not just about us anymore.”

His hazel eyes are filled with sincerity when he says, “And I’m going to wait for you for however long it takes. You’re it for me, baby.”

I bite my lip, feeling the familiar swell of emotions rise up in my chest. If only there was a way to peek into the future and see if that’s true or not.

Just as I come about as close to saying yes as ever, my phone starts to buzz in my pocket. I flinch, startled by the sudden intrusion. The sound seems deafening in the silence between us. I pull my phone out, glancing at the screen.

Spencer’s aunt, Justine.

Of all the times for her to call me, I didn’t expect it on a Saturday. Maybe she’s heard something about the job. Her boss may have made her decision.

I can feel Christian’s eyes on me, sharp and questioning. The phone keeps ringing, and I just… freeze. I can’t bring myself to answer it yet, but I also can’t ignore it. Am I ready to find out what fate has in mind for the future?

Christian doesn’t say anything, but I can sense his unease, the way his body tenses beside me. He waits, eyes narrowing slightly as the phone continues to vibrate in my hand. I should answer it or at least tell Christian who it is, but my words are stuck in my throat. I don’t know what to say.

The silence stretches on as the phone finally stops buzzing, the call going to voicemail. Christian’s expression is a mixture of concern and what I think is disappointment.

“Why didn’t you answer?” he asks, his voice almost too calm. “It was about the job at the retirement home, wasn’t it?”

“I told myself that if I didn’t get the job, I would have more of an incentive to move…”

“Did you get it?” he asks.

The phone buzzes again with a voicemail notification, vibrating against my palm like an urgent reminder of everything I’ve been avoiding. Christian lets out a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes closing for a brief second.

“Well? The suspense is killing me,” Christian says, his voice harsher now, but sounding resigned.

“I’ll… I’ll be right back,” I say quietly, getting to my feet and stepping away from Christian and Finley, avoiding his gaze as I walk a few paces to listen to the voicemail. I feel the weight of Christian’s eyes on me as I put the phone to my ear, my stomach twisting into knots.

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