Page 34 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO (Second Chance Hockey Players #1)

Chapter twenty-six

Hazel

I sit cross-legged on the couch, clutching a mug of tea, my phone buzzing incessantly on the table in front of me with Grace beside me.

Maya and Luke insisted on a group call the moment I texted them about Liam showing up last night.

It has been over an hour, and neither of them has let me hear the end of it.

“So, let me get this straight,” Maya says, her voice sharp with disbelief, “he apologized, told you he was wrong, and then what? He just left?”

“For the umpteenth time, yes, Maya,” I mutter, staring into my mug. The tea’s long gone cold, but I don’t bother drinking it.

“And you just let him go?”

“What else was I supposed to do, Maya? Pray, tell?”

Grace shifts beside me, nudging me with her elbow as Maya scoffs loudly and lets out an exasperated sigh through the phone.

“I don’t know, Hazel. Maybe let him grovel a little more?

Make him sweat? The guy tore you apart, and you are telling me he waltzed in, dropped a sob story, and you just… , stood there?

“Maya,” Luke’s deep voice cuts in, calm but firm, “you’re not helping.”

“I was caught off guard,” I snap, feeling the heat rise in my chest. “I didn’t exactly have a list of hard-hitting questions ready to fire at him.”

“She’s not wrong though,” Grace chimes in, her tone gentler but no less pointed. “Hazel, I mean…, are you okay? How did you feel when he said all that?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, rubbing my temples. “Confused? Angry? Relieved? It is like…, he opened this floodgate of emotions I did not even know I still had.”

Maya snorts. “You still had them, all right. You just stuffed them into some emotional junk drawer and pretended they did not exist.”

“Thanks for the psychoanalysis, Dr. Maya,” I deadpan.

“Anytime,” she quips back, but her voice softens. “Look, Haz, all I am saying is, do not let him off easy. He does not realize after all this time – which by the way deserves a ‘hallelujah’ - to say a few pretty and apologetic words and expect everything to be fine.”

“I know that,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended, “do you think I am just going to forgive him overnight? Trust me, I am not there yet.”

“But you’re thinking about it,” Luke says, his tone neutral but perceptive.

My silence answers him better than words ever could.

Grace reaches over, gently placing a hand on my arm. “You are allowed to feel conflicted, Hazel. What he did hurt you terribly, and it is okay to take time to figure out what you want. No one is rushing you.”

“Except Maya,” I mumble, earning a soft laugh from Grace and a dramatic huff from Maya.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt again,” Maya says, quieter this time.

“I know,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper, “but… What if he really means it? What if he really wants me again?”

“Then he’ll prove it,” Luke says simply. “The ball’s in his court now. You do not owe him anything, Hazel. If he is serious, he will show you with actions, not just words.”

“That’s exactly what I said the first time!” Grace exclaims, throwing her hands up.

“You’re all saying the same thing,” I mutter, standing and pacing the living room, “I do get it.”

“Good,” Maya says. “Listen, it is well known to us all that Liam Callahan has always and will maybe, own your heart, and I know a part of you is giddy that he has come to his senses. Love’s a risk and if he wants to make it up to you, I say you let him…

, but do not make it easy for him. Make him grovel. ”

“Duly noted,” I say with a small smile despite the chaos in my mind.

“Since when did you become so reasonable, Maya?” Luke asks.

“Hey, I’ve always been smart, it’s just that it only comes out once in a while,” she says, making us all laugh.

“And if he screws up again,” I ask.

“I’ll personally drive over there and knock some sense into him.”

“I’ll bring snacks,” Luke says dryly.

I roll my eyes, finally putting my mug down. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys. Really.”

“Hey, we’re here for you,” Grace says with a gentle smile, “whatever you decide.”

“Thanks, guys.”

The call ends soon after, leaving the apartment unusually quiet. Grace stays, silently scrolling on her phone as I flop back onto the couch, staring at the ceiling.

“You’ve got this, Haze,” she says after a while, her voice soft.

“I don’t know about that,” I admit. “My heart and mind are in shambles right now. Who knew coming back to Autumn Cove would uncover this? But I think…, I need to figure out what I want first. Not what he wants. Just…, me.”

Grace smiles faintly. “Sounds like a good plan.”

I nod, but deep down, the uncertainty still churns. What do I want?

****

Later that evening, I am sitting on the floor in my living room. The room is quiet, but my mind isn’t.

Who am I now? Five years ago, I was a wide-eyed dreamer, so eager to build a life with Liam. I was in love, head over heels, and na?ve enough to think that love was enough. That version of me is long gone.

I have been through hell and clawed my way back. I built a life for myself, piece by piece. I am stronger now, smarter. But am I brave enough to let someone back in, especially someone who once tore my world apart?

I close my eyes, the memories rushing in like a tidal wave. Liam’s laughter, the way his eyes would crinkle at the corners when he smiled. The way he used to hold me was like I was his entire world.

But then, the darker memories come. The words he said that night - the hatred in his voice, the disgust in his eyes.

A tear slips down my cheek, and I angrily wipe it away. Why does he still have this power over me?

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. Maya’s words echo in my mind: Love is a risk. The question is, is he worth it?

That is what it boils down to, isn’t it?

For the first time, I let myself consider the possibility. Could I risk it? Could I forgive him? Until I get the answer to that, my heart stays guarded.