Page 126 of Perfectly Grumpy

“A Kansas City jersey. With your name on it. He said he wanted to be prepared to support you. That’s not the behavior of a man who doesn’t care.”

My heart skips in my chest. “He bought me a jersey?”

“He’s completely all in on this. Whatever’s keeping him busy today has nothing to do with his feelings.” Jaz turns back to the door and opens it. “Just remember that, okay?”

After she leaves, I sit there thinking about what she said. Tatebought me a Kansas City jersey. He’s mapping routes to visit me. He broke his no-contact rule even though he wanted me to miss him.

Istillmissed him.

The second she closes the door, I pull up a blank email.

It’s time to stop waiting for things to happen to me.

FORTY-TWO

lauren

I’ve been staring at my computer screen for an hour, trying to focus on work, but all I can think about is Tate. The email from Marco sits in my inbox, making my stomach churn.Please hold off on drafting PR materials for Tate Foster.

And then there’s the email I still haven’t sent.

Part of me wants to text him, to ask about his decision, to know if he’s really leaving before I hit send. But of course today would be the day he’s buried in team meetings and practice. I keep checking my phone anyway, hoping for some sign, some clue about his future.

By afternoon, I can’t take it anymore. I get up from my desk and head to the rink, where I’ll take some PR shots with the hope that I’ll get a few minutes alone with him.

When I finally reach the ice, I catch a familiar flash of dark hair, and my heart tumbles. Tate’s gaze locks on to me. Then he shoots that awesome smile with full dimples, and I can’t even help myself. I’m grinning back at him like a fool. One week away from this man, and all he has to do is smile, and I’m ready to hop over the wall that separates us and climb him like that frisky cat did at the gala.

For a moment, I’m jolted back to the kiss in the cabin, the waymy lips melted against his, how his hands felt sliding down my back, the way I felt protected, like nothing could hurt me ever again.

Tate does a sharp stop and then skates toward me just as Coach Jenkins calls him back with, “Team, we’re going over defensive strategy next, especially since we’re losing one of our key defensemen soon.”

I freeze, my feet like cement blocks holding me in place.

So it’s official. Tate is leaving.

My chest tightens, and I can only take shallow breaths.

He’s really going away.Just when I was ready to give him everything.

Tate looks back at me, his expression apologetic. He lifts a glove, a silentwait for me.

But I can’t stay here and pretend I’m fine when I’m clearly not. And the worst part is, a week ago, I was the one considering leaving all this behind for a new job, and now, he’s the one leaving me.

While the team huddles, I slip away, hurrying back to my office, where I pack up for the day. If I head home now, I don’t have to pretend to be fine. Because I can’t put on my professional mask for Tate. He’ll see right through it, no matter how hard I try to hide my real feelings from him.

When I reach my apartment, I change into pajamas, the cotton shorts and tank top from the reunion trip, then crank a sad songs playlist as I look through the player profiles for the new year.

When I can’t focus on doing any work, I end up scrolling through photos from the family reunion. A picture of Tate and Annie on the beach, then Tate in his ruffled apron, and the moment right after the competition when he wiped the frosting off my lips.

I swipe to another photo of Tate and me slow dancing during the Williamson prom night, taken by Aunt Karen. I remember how his hands felt on my body, the words hewhispered in my ear, the way he held me like I was exactly where I belonged.

This was never about making Bart jealous. It was about how, for the first time in my life, I felt cherished by a man who saw all my flaws and loved me anyway. Somebody who was the complete opposite of me, but also my perfect fit. Someone who fought for me and showed up for me. Because love always shows up. Even when it makes no sense. Even when it seems like the worst timing in the world.

When I finally reach the last picture, a blurry selfie from the cabin taken next to the candles, my heart wants to reach for him through the screen.

Because that was the kiss I’ll never forget. The one that flipped every narrative I’d come up with about love. And no matter what happens next, it will always be the moment that changed me for the better. It showed me how a good man holds a woman’s heart—that it’s something priceless, something to fight for.

I close my photos and set my phone next to me. Here I am again, waiting for someone else to choose me. Just like I waited for Bart, who couldn’t even stick around when Mom was in her last days. Who asked my cousin out the day of the funeral, like I was so unlovable he couldn’t stand to comfort me when I needed someone most.

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