Page 3

TWO

Owen

NOW

W hat the fuck did I think I was doing? My grip tightened on the steering wheel as I stared at the Bradford house. A house I’d spent almost as much time in growing up as my own.

But I couldn’t seem to get out of the car. Maybe it was because I knew that when I did, everything would change. I hadn’t seen her in almost five years. Since she’d walked out on us, walked away from our relationship, leaving my heart shattered in pieces on my dorm room floor.

Her text was still unread on my phone.

Ellie Daisy

Are you coming?

I hadn’t even had the balls to open it.

Today, she graduated from college, but I’d been too much of a coward to go to the ceremony. Even if my little sister Penelope had also graduated today, and I’d promised I’d be here. My team didn’t make the playoffs, which meant our season was over. I didn’t have an excuse to hide anymore. To avoid seeing her .

“You’re twenty-four,” I muttered to myself. “You can do this.” I was over it. It was fine. Really. I could see my ex again. The word was sour on my tongue, but that was what she was.

Stepping out of the car, I shoved my hands in my pockets as I looked up at the house that Daniel had built Charlotte. Unlike the rest of my family, I never called them aunt or uncle. Beau was one of my best friends, and my sister Penny was best friends with Ellie, but it had never felt right .

Maybe because she’d always felt like mine .

I leaned against the car. There were two packages on my front seat—a gift for my sister, and a bouquet of daisies for her.

As if summoned by my thoughts, the door opened, and my mouth went dry. There she was. Dressed in a light blue sundress, her honey blonde hair tumbling around her shoulders in light curls.

Ellie Bradford.

Beautiful as ever. Maybe even more beautiful, if that was possible. Only now, she wasn’t mine.

“Hey, Skater Girl.” I don’t know who moved first. Only that I was catching her as she launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and burying her face in my neck.

“Hi, Hockey Boy,” she murmured against my skin.

Four years I’d been avoiding this. But I was home.

I set her back down on her feet. “Happy graduation.”

“You’re here,” she whispered.

“Promised I would be, didn’t I?” I’d made that promise a long time ago, though, before things changed.

She looked at her bare feet. “I didn’t know…” Ellie‘s voice trailed off.

“Yeah. I know.” I hadn’t known either. Not until today. “Ellie…”

She shook her head. “Can we just… go inside? I can’t do this now.”

“Yeah.” My voice was hoarse. “Let me just grab something,” I said, turning back to my car. I scooped the gifts out, watching as her eyes widened as she caught sight of the flowers.

“Are those…”

“Daisies. Yeah.” I nodded, handing her the bouquet. “For you.”

“Thank you.” She buried her nose, inhaling the scent.

I followed her inside, the entire room of my family bursting to life as soon as I walked through the door.

“Hey, everyone.” I waved, grinning as all the guys stood up to hug me and slap my back.

There was a wide spread of food on the kitchen counter, something I was sure my mom and Ellie’s had spent multiple hours baking and prepping for. They’d always loved throwing parties ever since we were little, though I suspected it was mostly just an excuse for our four moms to sit around and gossip or talk about the romance novels they’d read.

“Owen!” A redhead dressed in a yellow sundress came rushing towards me, a grin on her freckled face.

“Hi, Pen,” I said, grinning at my younger sister. All of us kids were tight, especially since we were all close in age, but she and I had always been thick as thieves. We fought, but she was also the one who would cheer me up when I was feeling down. I’d do the same for her, of course. I was her fiercest protector, always making sure no guys at school were going to mess with my sister. “Sorry I’m late.”

She punched me in the arm. “It’s about time.”

Wrapping her up in a bug hug, I held her tight against my chest. “I know. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“How long are you staying in town for?”

I looked over at Ellie, sandwiched in the middle of her two siblings. God, I was supposed to be getting over her, and yet one look at her, and all I wanted was to orbit her like the sun.

“A few days, maybe?” Though that depended on a lot of things .

Penelope pouted. “Don’t you get the summer off from hockey? You should stay for a few weeks. It would be good for you. You’ve barely spent any time in Portland the last few years.”

“I know,” I sighed. “I’m sorry, sis.” She was right. Ever since I’d gotten drafted to the NHL and made my debut on the Seattle Seals, I’d barely come home. More often than not, my family had come up to spend the few days I got off for Christmas with me. Grabbing the wrapped package I’d set on the island, I handed it to her. “This is for you. I’m so proud of you, Penelope.”

Her eyes were watery. “Owen…”

“Just open it.” I tapped on the wrapping paper.

She did, finding a leather-bound notebook inside with her name embossed on the cover. Penelope Elaine Harper. “It’s beautiful,” she gasped.

“For you to write your story ideas down in,” I said. I’d had it custom made, and I really hoped she liked it. “And there’s something else inside.”

I’d found a beautiful necklace of a little book that opened and a message could be inscribed inside. She let out a small gasp as she pulled out the gold chain, opening the little hinge to see what was written in it. More than words. My parents always said it to each other, a little phrase that meant I love you, and I’d had that engraved because I knew how much it would mean to her..

“Thank you. I love it.” She wiped away a tear, opening up the clasp before putting it on. “Guess I forgive you for not seeing my ceremony earlier.”

I laughed. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“Good.” She nodded. “I have to show mom!” Squealing, she headed for the kitchen, and I joined her, shoving my hands in my pants pockets.

A lot of my friends throughout college and my teammates on the NHL didn’t understand how I was so close with my family, but my parents were some of the best people I’d ever met. They were both so supportive of Penelope and me with all our dreams, even when she’d told them she’d wanted to follow in mom’s footsteps as a writer and with me playing professional hockey.

I grinned as my mom opened her arms for a hug. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hey, baby.” My mom squeezed me tight before pulling back. “How’s Seattle?”

“Good,” I said, wrapping my arms around her. She always smelled like baked goods, and the scent made me feel like a kid again. It took me right back to all the afternoons spent studying in her bookstore & coffee shop, surrounded by all the cousins and siblings who currently filled the living room. “Not that much different from Portland, really.” Especially considering how much I traveled throughout the year.

“Hey, Dad.” I grinned.

My dad was the best man I knew, and I’d learned everything from him. He was a college athlete, too, playing basketball, but he hadn’t gone pro afterwards. And I knew that even though he’d wanted me to graduate from college with my degree, he’d understood why I couldn’t turn down my chance to join the NHL and play for the Seals.

“It’s good to have you home, son.”

I nodded. “I’ve missed you guys. You’re going to come up for some games this year, right?”

They’d come up a few times each year, and they were some of my favorite games. I loved knowing they were in the stands cheering for me.

My parents nodded, but it was dad who responded. “Yeah. Of course we will. I know we were planning on coming up for Thanksgiving. We’re still trying to figure out Christmas, too.”

“Yeah. Maybe I could come down this year?” I offered. “Schedule pending, but I could drive down after the last game.”

My mom was practically beaming. “I’d love that.”

Dad pushed a strand of mom’s hair back behind her ear. “Of course you would, sunshine.”

“Sorry if I just want to have all my babies in one place,” she muttered, patting his stomach. “Even your sister is planning on spending it in Portland this year.”

My dad’s sister, Tessa Harper-Graham, was married to my mom’s cousin, Oliver. She was an actress, and they spent part of their time each year in California, and part here with the family. They had two daughters: Avery and Fiona. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d all been in town for the holidays.

“That sounds nice, Mom.”

She nodded, and after giving me another hug, I headed into the living room where everyone else my age was gathered.

Ellie was sitting on the couch next to her older sister as they chatted about Abigail’s fashion line and the designs she was working on.

For the first time in my life, I felt like an outsider looking in on my family, on the people I’d grown up with. It was my fault. The distance I’d put between me and everyone here felt necessary back then, partially because my heart ached just being in the same room as her after everything that had happened between us.

Beau handed me a beer, and I eagerly chugged it down, not wanting to be sober as I had to stare at the girl who got away sitting across from me, her smile bright.

Because despite everything, all I wanted to do was to sit by Ellie’s side. To hear about every minute from the last four years.

The daisies I’d given her were in a vase on the counter, alongside a vase of white roses. Suddenly, my flowers felt dumb. I should have known her family would have given her flowers. And yet, a gift like Penelope’s was too intimate for my ex-girlfriend. We weren’t together.

I needed to get over her. That was what this trip was about. Closure . I finished the rest of the beer, guzzling it down before going and grabbing another one.

“Where are you staying tonight?” That was Pen, plopping next to Ellie. I tried my hardest not to look over at the two of them, pretending I was listening to the conversation Beau and Zach were having about football.

“Thought I’d spent one last night in the apartment and get a head start on packing up tomorrow. That way, I can be out before the lease ends.”

My sister nodded. “Yeah. That makes sense. I’m figuring I’ll stick around here tonight. Especially with Owen at home. Maybe I can bribe mom to make cinnamon rolls.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ellie fidgeting with the edge of her sweater. It was her tell that she was nervous, and I wondered if the thought of me being back was making her uncomfortable.

We needed to get over this. We couldn’t keep avoiding being in the same room for the rest of our lives. Not when our families did everything together.

“What do you think, O?” Zachary asked, elbowing me.

“Huh?” I focused on the guys. “Sorry, what was that?”

“We were just talking about going out tomorrow. Celebrate all being in town at the same time.” Beau raised an eyebrow.

“Oh. Right.” I shrugged. “Sounds fun.” A few drinks and some good company would definitely help me get my mind off the girl who had run into my arms like she’d never left, right? I hoped so. Something had to help this empty ache in my chest.

She doesn’t want to be with you. Not like I wanted, anyway. It was the reminder I needed to steel my spine. To lock my feelings away behind a brick wall. To forgive and forget.

I could be the fun-loving, cheerful guy I’d always been.

Ellie Bradford might have broken my heart four years ago, but starting tonight, I was getting closure, and then I’d move on.

It was time to stop dwelling on the past.