Page 18

Chapter Eighteen

MARCUS

J esus. Is this going to go on all afternoon? The wipers are working overtime as I slowly navigate my way toward the girls’ school. Rain batters my SUV as it comes down in sheets.

The wind is making it hard to stay in my lane. Fucking storms. The last thing I want is to end up in a ditch. It’s always the thing I think about when I’m driving in weather like this. It’s hard not to when I lost my sister and her husband this way.

Traffic is crawling by the time I make it to the school. Thankfully, there’s still plenty of time before I need to be here to pick them up.

The rain pelts me as I dash inside. Another crack of thunder splits the air. Looking at my watch, there’s still thirty minutes left before chess club ends. Sadie would never let me pick her up early. Too much practice time lost, she’d tell me. I can’t interfere with my burgeoning chess champion.

There are a few parents milling around the lobby, soaking wet like me as we wait for our kids. The library, right off the main office and entrance, is full of different student groups. If I look hard enough, I might be able to see the girls.

A few knowing eyes are staring at me. The last thing I want is to get wrapped up in a conversation about how I’m playing. No matter how well the Knights are doing, fans always have something to say about it. A missed goal? A bad pass? They love thinking they know better than you.

Instead of lingering out here, I head to where I know Harper’s classroom is. The thought of seeing her puts a little pep into my step — something that has been missing these last few years.

Everything has been about hockey and the girls. I didn’t have time for anything else. I wanted to make sure they had the best life possible after the hand they were dealt at such a young age.

Which meant being the best player I could be. Most days, I’m okay with the decisions I made. Sadie and Sam will always come first.

But now that Harper has crashed back into my life? It’s hard not to wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t left.

Pushing that thought out of my head, I walk through the art-covered halls of the school and find her classroom. The light shines out of the small window in the door.

She’s still here.

“Harper?” I knock on the door and peek my head inside her room. There’s no sign of her.

Thunder echoes in the quiet room; there’s a bang followed by a hiss.

“Over here.” Her hand pops out from under her desk.

I should have known.

Walking over to her, I drop down onto my knees and see her huddled under her desk. “Still scared of thunderstorms?”

“I’ll always be scared of them,” she whimpers.

There’s not much room, but I fold my body into the tight space next to her. Every inch of my side lines up against Harper.

“You don’t have to be scared alone.”

Another clap of thunder and Harper grasps my thigh. Her short nails dig into the skin under the hem of my shorts. I should hate how the warmth feels. How her touch can still make me feel things I thought were long dead inside of me.

But I can’t.

Because it’s Harper.

The only woman I’ve ever cared about. The only woman I’ve ever loved.

“I’m hoping it blows over soon,” she whispers.

Glancing down, I see her eyes are squeezed shut. This isn’t the first time I’ve been with her like this. Harper has hated storms since she and her sister went camping outside and she woke up by herself during one. Apparently her sister didn’t want to sleep in the yard, so she went inside without telling Harper.

She’s been scared ever since.

One of the endless things I know about the woman sitting next to me. Even after all these years, even after leaving her, I still remember.

Another boom shakes the room. Harper burrows herself into my side. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I hold her close. I’m thankful she’s not looking at me, because I couldn’t hide the smile exploding on my face if I tried.

“It’s okay,” I whisper. I rub my hand up and down her arm, trying to get her to stop shaking. “Do you need to tell me your favorite things?”

She laughs, her warm breath seeping through my T-shirt. “I don’t know if that will be a good enough distraction.”

“It always used to work for you.”

Harper tips her head up, resting her chin on my shoulder. Her blue eyes are clouded. Before, I knew exactly what to do to get her through storms. Not something I can do here, crammed under a desk. I could keep her calm through the worst of it.

“Things have changed.”

“Tell me anyway.”

I don’t need the reminder that things have changed between the two of us. One phone call and my entire world blew up all those years ago. I’m living with that reminder every day.

“The beach.”

I smile, resting my forehead against hers. I can’t help it. I have to be close to her. “You always loved the beach.”

“I miss it. Nashville is not close enough to the beach for me.”

“Why didn’t you move home then? After…you know.”

Harper pulls back, her blue eyes wide open.

“I couldn’t. I…” Harper licks her lips. “After you left, I needed a fresh start at a new school. By the time I got myself together and made it through that whole school year, I realized I had friends here. A life. Leaving would have been too much for me to take. I’d had enough change, so I stayed.”

“I don’t need any more change in my life,” I agree.

Cupping her cheek, I brush my thumb over the soft skin of her cheek. She doesn’t pull away from me. Her teeth are biting her bottom lip .

The storm rages around us, but Harper doesn’t seem to notice anymore.

Perfect.

“Did you mean it?” Harper asks.

“Mean what?”

“What you said the other night?”

“Yes.”

Harper smiles at me. “Do you even remember what you said?”

I nod. “That leaving you was my biggest regret? I remember.”

Resting her hand over my chest, Harper traces the Knights logo there. “It makes me glad I didn’t leave.”

“Why not?”

Harper looks torn. Like she doesn’t know if she should tell me what she’s about to say. I don’t say a word. Whatever it is, I want to hear it. Need to hear it. All I want to hear is how much she wants me to stay.

“Because then you wouldn’t be with me right now.”

That confession has me pressing my lips to hers.

Holy. Fuck.

Every single nerve of mine lights on fire at the soft touch. It’s heaven and hell all at once. Because now that I’ve had the briefest taste of her, I don’t know if I can live without it again.

Before I have the chance to second-guess myself and pull away, she leans into the kiss.

It feels just as right—just as good—as it ever did. It’s tender and sweet and it reminds me of everything that was missing in my life.

Her.

Harper.

Harper Smith was the only woman that ever mattered to me. And with one kiss, every reason why she was the one that mattered most slams into my head.

The way she cared for me. Loved me. Never let my success go to my head. With Harper, everything was easy. Life was good with her.

This kiss has me moving my fingers into her hair to hold her to me. I swallow the soft gasp and swipe my tongue over her bottom lip. She tastes like the strawberry shortcake lip balm she always used to use.

New and familiar all at the same time.

I want to stay here. Relearn everything about Harper that I’ve missed these last seven years. But the school bell ringing brings me back to reality.

Harper pulls back, but doesn’t go far. Her fingers have a tight grip on my wrist that is still cupping her cheek.

Her very pink cheeks.

What I wouldn’t give to stay here with her for hours. Get lost in her. Learn all the things I’ve missed these last few years.

But I can’t.

“I need to get the girls.”

“Right,” she whispers. She gives my wrist one last squeeze before scooting out from under the desk and standing. I follow her, staying close.

The rain has slowed to a gentle patter against the window. Harper shuffles the papers on her desk, tucking her hair behind her ear. I don’t miss the way she fights the smile playing on her face.

“Looks like the storm passed,” I tell her, backing out of the room. I can’t get enough of her. My eyes stay locked on her beautiful face.

Harper smiles up at me. “Yeah, I guess it did. All storms do, right?”

“Yeah. I guess they do.”