Page 135 of Unmasking Love
When will Harper talk to me?
When will I see her again?
My worry over Harper has been all consuming. I barely registered that Gavin is back, that he’ll be playing the first period tonight. That my starting spot is in jeopardy. That I could be passed on to another team in exchange for a hot young goal scorer.
I roll to my side and clutch a pillow to my chest. My bones ache but sleep eventually comes and I get a little rest.
When I wake I eat, pack a bag, dress in my suit and call Harper before leaving.
Ring.
Ring.
Send me to voicemail? Or let it ring out?
Ring.
Ring out it is. She doesn’t answer but prickles travel down my spine when I hear her outgoing message. So, I start with that. With my need for her.
Chapter 40
Harper
Fever Dreams
Idon’tknowhowI got here.
I mean, I do. I drove. But I didn’t intend to.
I left the interview with a smaller real estate group an hour ago and set my navigation to Wes’s house.
Instead I’m parked at the arena with the family pass in one hand. My phone in the other.
I press play, again, on the voicemail he left this afternoon.
Harper, shit. Your outgoing message is starting to affect me. I realized today that I haven’t said the words I was planning to. The words that I was afraid would send you running. But you’ve run anyway. So I need to tell you. I hope with my entire heart that you hear them. Harper, I love you.
He loves me.
I press play again.
The hissed curse at the start is laden with pain. Exhaustion. He doesn’t sound like himself and I hate that he’s distraught over me.
Maybe that’s what drove me here tonight.
Maybe it was his admission that he was holding back. That my instincts were right.
But also very wrong.
He wasn’t holding back from breaking up with me.
He was holding back confessing his love.
Another tear leaks out of the corner of my eye and with a few rapid blinks and a quick flick of my finger it’s gone. With another centering breath I turn off the car and climb out.
I only pivot back to the car twice before setting my shoulders with determination and going inside.
The elevator to the family suite is just ahead. My season ticket section is to my left. Instead I take the escalator with the thousands of Renegades fans and settle in at the 300 level bar that overlooks the ice.
