Page 7 of From Ice to Home
“How do you know the blonde?” EJ asks, nodding towards Hannah. “She’s definitely turning heads.”
“From home.” I try to keep my voice neutral, but it’s all but impossible. When he looks at me with a raised eyebrow, I add, “We used to date.”
It’s definitely the understatement of the year. It’s more than just some past relationship. It’sHannah. She’s the girl I thought I’d end up with. I wouldn’t have minded staying in Georgetown and taking over the family farm to stay with her. We were young then, but I couldn’t see it ending. I just thought we’d stay together until we’re old enough to get married.
But that’s not what she wanted.
So instead of doing what I thought was right, I entered the draft, signed the contract and went all in. The rest is history.
“So what are you waiting here for?” EJ asks with a smile. “We have to head back in the morning, Lucky Luke. There’s no time to waste.”
He’s right.
Tomorrow I’ll be on a plane heading back to New York.
Looking over to where she’s sitting, the draw inside of me is strong. She takes a sip of her drink, scrunching her nose in a face of disgust and I can’t help but smile.
Honestly, I don’t know what I’m waiting for. I’ve been wanting to see her, to speak to her, since she walked away from me. I should’ve fought harder for her that day, but idiot that I was, I let her go.
And now, I’m sitting here trying to make sense of what’s happening, as if seeing her after all this time isn’t ripping me wide open.
She’s always been a part of me, a part I couldn’t shake no matter how much time has passed. I shouldn’t be here, watching her sip a drink that doesn’t suit her and acting like I’m not consumed with the urge to run to her, grab her and pull her close.
But what good would that do?
She’s the one who ended things, she left. She told me to go and follow my dreams. That’s exactly what I did, all the way to New York. But it wasn’t long before I realized that dreams mean nothing without the person you’re supposed to be with.
Mind made up, I get up from my seat. “I’m going to need some champagne.”
“Wait…What?” EJ asks, looking at Declan with a frown on his face.
“Are you coming or not?” I ask, already heading to the bar, whether they understand it or not.
With one more look at the brunette with Hannah, both EJ and Declan get up and follow me.
EJ has been keepingLiz entertained all evening, his arm now casually draped along the back of her chair. Declan is on her other side, not allowing to be completely cut out of the conversation. I’m not sure if EJ genuinely likes Liz or if he’s working hard to keep Megan from killing Declan before we win the playoffs. Either way they’re keeping her busy enough for me to have a few precious moments with Hannah without much interruption.
The rest of the team has already gone back to the hotel to make curfew, but my defenseman and my wingman decided to stay behind with me, always having my back. I’m almost certain if Jenn, our PR manager, finds out we split up, she’ll have a fit. She planned this trip with military precision, determined to keep things low-profile and playoff focused. EJ gave the quick version to Mitch, our captain, giving us another hour without raising alarms.
Hannah is next to me, too close and too far away all at the same time. Her face is filled with excitement, her cheeks tinged pink. Whether it’s from the two glasses of champagne or the way I tucked her hair behind her ear, I can’t tell. Seeing her like this, relaxed and comfortable with me, stirs up memories I thought I’d buried long ago.
It’s already past one in the morning, and the weight of time passing is pressing on me. I’m already over curfew, and my teammates are here with me. I should be heading back to the hotel and following the rules. I should be walking her back to her room and calling it a night, but the thought of saying goodbye now…I can’t. Not when I just got her back. In a few hours I have to fly back out to New York and who knows when I’ll see her again, if ever.
“How come I haven’t seen you back home, Sanders?” I ask the question that’s been nagging at me the entire night. I gaveup on sending texts and calling after our break-up, figuring I’d see her when we were both in Georgetown. But it hasn’t happened. Not even once.
She looks down, twirling the stem of the champagne glass between her fingers. “I’ve been busy with studies and work, mostly. I never wanted to turn down an opportunity to add to my resume, you know? I don’t think I’ve been home for longer than four days since I left.”
I can’t imagine Hannah not being home. She is so close with her parents and her siblings. She’s the big sister to three brothers and a little sister, and she’s always taken her position in the family seriously.
“It’s hard to picture you anywhere else,” I admit, my voice softer than I intended. “When I think of you, it’s like you’re right there at your house, cooking with your mom or sparring with your brothers. Or at Camp Grace with your dad, helping with the activities. ”
A small, almost sad smile crosses her face. “That’s the way it used to be, Luke,” she murmurs. “But then life happened. You moved on and I had to do the same thing. Once I kept that in mind it was easy to say yes to things to keep me busy.”
She takes a small sip of champagne, her gaze not leaving mine for a second, her green eyes lit with an intensity that flips my stomach inside out.
“You should come home more often,” I say, inching closer, unable to stop myself.
I pause for a second, trying to read her expression and wondering if I’m pushing too hard, too fast. She was the one who ended things, the one who left me without a single word for five years. As much as I’d like to, it’s not something I can ignore. And yet, here she is, looking at me like nothing has changed.
