Page 15 of From Ice to Home
The mention of Lucas has the butterflies in my stomach stirring up again.
“I’m so sorry I just bailed,” I start. “I had some things to deal with, so I’m in Georgetown. I was supposed to fly back to Durham to deal with all the paperwork for my new job, but I’ll just do that from here.”
“Are you serious?” she asks. “I thought ‘family emergency’ was code for something else. I don’t know…maybe you and Lucas Walker—“
“No, nothing like that,” I cut her off, not wanting to go down that road at all.
Except, it’sexactlylike that. The memories of our night together are already so fresh in my mind, I don’t need a reminder at all.
“I had a few things I had to deal with,” I add, my voice softer now. “Plus, I told my dad I’d help out at camp this summer too. I needed the reset. That’s all.”
Liz is quiet on the other side and I can practically hear the look on her face.
“Hannah, you know denial is loud,” she says. “So, I’m writing this one up, just know that. We need details.”
“And why didn’t you ever tell us you knew someonefamous?” Mona yells in the background. “He’s gorge, baby!”
I can’t help but laugh, my heart skipping a beat thinking about Lucas and the way his dark eyes can hold me captive.
“Not now, but I will tell you all about it…later.” I know I’ll have to tell them the truth at some point, but I’m definitely not going to dive into it now while I’m basking in the uncertainty and guilt of my life decisions.
“I’m going to hold you to it,” Liz says, her tone softening. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“I know, Liz. Thank you.” Essie comes through the porch door, holding two pillows and an expectant look on her face. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
“New York Rangers!” Mona shouts again.
“Come back soon, she’s driving me insane.” Liz ends the call, cutting off another yelled sentence from Mona.
“Are you ready?” Essie asks, her eyes wide and filled with excitement.
I take a deep breath, feeling the morning air, the familiar scent of fresh-baked brownies, and the warmth of being home, truly home, after so long. If being here and at Camp won’t bring me closer to answers, closer to God again, I don’t know what will.
I smile. “I sure am.”
4
LUCAS
SIX DAYS LATER
“What’s going on with you, South?” Declan Murphy tosses my way, his Boston accent heavy as he starts to take off his jersey and gear. “Have you heard a word I just said?”
I haven’t.
Truth be told, I barely know what time it is. The only thing I know is that it’s been six days and eighteen hours since I’ve last seen Hannah Sanders.My wife.
I guess technically, it’s Hannah Walker then.Kill me now.Even thinking those words has chills running up and down my spine.
“I’m sure if it was important, I would’ve heard it,” I mumble, my eyes locked on my phone as I’m scrolling through Hannah’s social media page for what feels like the thousandth time. She seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. She’s stopped posting on all her pages. Not only that, she keeps leaving me on ‘read’ no matter the message I send, all my calls are sent to voicemail and three days ago I was informed her inbox is full.
I don’t know what I suspected. The empty bed the next morning was a clear indication that she wasn’t just going tochange her status to ‘married to a New York Ranger’ and then happily embrace her new role as hockey wife. No, when the woman you haven’t seen in five years leaves you alone in a hotel room after you’ve spent the night together—after you got married—it’s not a good thing.
Declan tosses a bottle of water at me and I look up just in time to catch it. “I’ll just tell Coach that you’re volunteering me to take the opening face-off tomorrow,” he says, smirking, showcasing his slightly crooked front tooth.
“Wait, what?” I sit up, locking my screen and shoving my phone in the bag at my feet.
We’re just about done with our post practice routine and half the guys are already showered and heading back to the hotel. As usual, Murphy stayed on the ice until the zamboni driver chased him off. Somehow it’s become a thing, and now whenever practice ends, he wants to be the last one to leave the ice.
