Page 16 of Rookie’s Redemption (Iron Ridge Icehawks #5)

"I know. But I want to do it myself. At least some of it." He leans back in his chair, studying my face. "I want to build something with my own hands. Something that's mine, not just bought and paid for."

There's something vulnerable in his expression that makes my heart do that annoying fluttery thing.

"That's..." I pause, searching for the right words. "That's actually really sweet."

"Don't sound so surprised."

"I'm not surprised. I'm just..." I gesture vaguely with my fork. "Processing. All of this. The house, the hockey event, last night..."

"What about last night?"

And there it is. The question I've been dreading. The one I feel like we've been dancing around every since my eyes opened this morning, not knowing what the hell to make of all of this.

"I don't know," I admit. "What about last night?"

Ryder's expression grows serious, and he reaches across the table to cover my hand with his. "Last night was perfect, Mia. You know that, right?"

Perfect. Yes. It was absolutely perfect. Which is exactly the problem.

"Ryder—"

His phone buzzes on the counter, cutting off whatever I was about to say. He glances at it and his expression shifts from soft morning-after contentment to professional focus.

"Shit. That's Coach. Impromptu practice in an hour. He's been worried about this weekends game all week."

And there it is.

Reality, crashing back into our little bubble.

"You have to go," I say, and I try to keep my voice neutral, but something must show on my face because Ryder immediately stands and comes around the table.

"Hey." He drops to his knees and cups my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. "This isn't me leaving, Mia. This is me going to work. There's a difference."

"I know that."

"Do you? Because you've got that look."

"What look?"

"The look that says you're already planning your escape route and composing a speech about how this was all a big mistake."

"I'm not—"

"Yes, you are." His thumbs brush across my cheekbones. "And I get it. I do. But I need you to trust me on this one, okay? I'm coming back."

Trust. Right. Because that worked out so well last time.

But looking into his eyes, seeing the earnest determination there, I find myself nodding anyway.

"Okay."

"Good."

He kisses me again, this time more slowly, more thoroughly like he's proving every word he's just said is true. When he pulls away, I'm breathless.

"How about I drop you off at the shelter on my way to practice?"

I nod and half and hour later, we're pulling into the parking lot of Tails & Paws, and I'm no closer to understanding what the hell is happening between us than I was when I woke up.

"So," I say, unbuckling my seatbelt but not moving to get out. "What is this? Between us, I mean."

Ryder turns off the engine and shifts to face me fully. "What do you want it to be?"

"I don't know," I say, which is both true and completely inadequate. "I just... I need to know where we stand if I want to get anything done today. What this means."

"It means I'm crazy about you," he says simply. "It means I want to see where this goes. It means I'm hoping you'll give us another chance."

My heart does that stupid fluttery thing, and I have to remind myself to breathe.

"Ryder—"

"You don't have to answer right now," he says, reaching over to squeeze my hand. "Just... think about it, okay? Think about whether you can trust me enough to try."

Before I can respond, he's out of the truck and coming around to open my door. Ever the gentleman, even when he's completely scrambling my brain.

"I'll call you later," he says as he walks me to the shelter entrance.

"You don't have to—"

"I want to." Another quick kiss, this one to my forehead. "Have a good day, beautiful."

I watch him drive away, my fingers pressed to my lips where I can still feel the warmth of his kiss, and I'm so lost in thought that I don't notice the ambush until it's too late.

"Oh. My. GOD!"

I turn to find Zoe practically vibrating with excitement just inside the shelter door, her eyes wide and her phone clutched in her hands like she's been waiting for this moment her entire life.

"Zoe? What are you—"

"Was that RYDER SCOTT who just dropped you off?" She's bouncing on her toes now, barely containing her enthusiasm. "And are you wearing a dress to work? And is that a hickey on your neck?!"

I slap a hand to my neck, heat flooding my cheeks. "It is not a hickey! And I have spare clothes in the office."

"Do not change the subject. It is TOTALLY a hickey! Oh my God, Mia! You hooked up with Ryder Scott! The entire school is going to DIE when I tell them!"

"You are not telling anyone anything!" I protest, but Zoe's already texting furiously.

"Too late! Jenny's going to flip. She's had a crush on him since like, forever. And Marcus owes me twenty bucks because I said you two would get back together before Christmas and he said you were too stubborn."

Back together. Are we back together? Is that what I just agreed to?

But before I can spiral any further into relationship analysis, the morning chaos of the shelter kicks into high gear. Dogs barking for breakfast, cats demanding attention, and somewhere in the distance, the unmistakable sound of the goat getting into something he definitely shouldn't.

I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and step into my real life.

The life that doesn't include morning-after pancakes or shirtless hockey players or the kind of earth-shattering sex that makes you question everything you thought you knew about yourself.

Back to reality, Mia. Time to get to work.