Page 45

THIRTY-NINE

Owen

W e lost the game. Maybe it was because I’d been distracted, but I was pissed at myself. I’d missed an important pass in the third, one that would have gotten us the game winning goal. Instead, I’d fumbled the puck, and they’d scored on us instead.

I felt defeated. And knowing we were only half done with our road trip made everything feel even more exhausting. All I wanted was to go home and curl up with my dog and my girl, but I was in a hotel tonight, alone in a strange city.

And I didn’t even know if Ellie would be there when I came back.

“Owen.” It was Rhodes, of all people, following behind me as we headed to our hotel rooms for the night. “You’re playing like shit, bud.”

“Fuck.” I thrust my hands in my hair, pulling at the strands. “I know.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, quirking an eyebrow. “If you know, why do you keep doing it? You’re sloppy on the ice. We can’t afford sloppy, Harps.”

“Tell Coach to scrap me at the next game.” I shook my head. “I’m not any good to the team right now. ”

“No.” He gave me that look. And while Rhodes Larsen might have been a grump, he was also a damn talented hockey player. He’d been with the Seals his entire career, and I had no doubt he’d finish it out here, too. “You’re going to go back to the hotel, fix your shit, and then at the next game, we’re going to kick some ass.”

I shook my head. “What if I can’t fix it? What if it’s too fucked up?”

“This is why I told you that love is too much work.” He sighed, and then patted me on the shoulder. “But if anyone can make it work, I know it’s you, Owen. You love that girl too much to let whatever’s going on break you apart. Alright?”

“Thanks, Rhodes. That was surprisingly… nice?”

He frowned. “Don’t get used to it. I have a reputation to uphold.” And then he walked away, leaving me trying to figure out what had just happened.

But he was right. I loved Ellie more than anything else in the world. Fighting with her before I left had fucked me up. All I wanted was for her to be here, to talk to her, to hold her.

Only… she was thousands of miles away.

And I still had to make it through the rest of this away series.

We were playing a back-to-back, and even though I’d told Coach Donovan to leave me off the line-up for tonight, worried that I’d fuck up and let more shots in, he’d refused. Win together, lose together, he’d told me.

It wasn’t your fault, Owen. Words I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed to hear. Because maybe last night’s loss hadn’t been my fault, but my overreaction with Ellie had been.

I’d thought about texting her, but what would that do? Would she even respond? I’d been an ass. Something I needed to remedy as soon as I got home. A home that I hoped she’d still be in when I returned, that is.

“Hey, Harps. Isn’t that your girl over there?” Brooks asked as we settled onto the bench after our first shift of the game.

My neck snapped up, looking to where he was pointing behind the penalty box. And sure as fuck, two heads of blonde hair were right behind it. My girl. Standing next to Sophia.

“Ellie?” I blinked. “What is she doing here?”

She wore that jersey she’d been gluing rhinestones on the other week, and it was impossible to miss her because it caught the light every time she moved. She fucking sparkled , and I loved it.

My girl smiled at me, and I was pretty sure I was hallucinating.

“She’s really here?” I asked him. “I’m not seeing things?”

“Nope.”

I noticed someone else had stopped on the ice, staring at the same place I was. Rhodes.

Ellie unrolled a piece of paper, holding up a sign.

#8, I love you .

Fuck. “I was supposed to be the one to do the big grand gesture thing,” I said to Brooks.

He smirked. “Well, looks like she beat you to it.”

Which was torture, actually. Because for the next twenty minutes of gameplay, I couldn’t go to her. Couldn’t talk to her or touch or tell her anything .

She loved me. She was here, and she loved me.

I didn’t know what I’d done to get so fucking lucky in this life, but I was damn grateful.

A fight broke out during the next shift, and while it was broken up quickly, a player from both teams ending up in the penalty box.

“Penalty to Seattle number eleven for roughing, and DC number eighty-six gets a double minor for boarding and unsportsmanlike conduct.” Maverick and the player on the opposing team were already inside, and it meant we had a power play. We had one of the top power plays in the league, but the other team had one of the top penalty kills, so we still needed to be at the top of our fucking game to score.

And here I was, jealous as fuck that Mav was sitting in the penalty box and not me . Because he was only a few feet away from my girl.

The girl that I wanted to spill my heart to.

But until then, I jumped over the boards, heading onto the ice as Coach called the line change, ready to play my fucking heart out.

My heart stopped when I headed back to the locker room at the end of the first period. There she was, standing in the middle of the hallway. I dropped my helmet and gloves on the ground without even thinking.

“You’re here.” I wasn’t sure I was breathing.

She nodded, taking a hesitant step forward. “I’m here.”

“Thank fuck.” I opened my arms. “Come here, Ellie baby. I need to hold you.”

She stepped into my arms, and I pressed my nose against her scalp, inhaling her scent. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

I pulled away, the question finally popping into my mind. “How are you here? And who’s watching Zamboni?”

Ellie reached up, brushing a damp blond curl off my forehead. “I couldn’t let you go one more minute, thinking I didn’t want to be with you.” She chucked. “And Mikhail’s fiancée, Bailey, is watching her.”

Sorensen’s girl had always been sweet, and I appreciated her helping mine. “I’m glad you’re here.” I dropped my head, resting our foreheads together. It was kind of our thing.

“El… you’re my best friend. You’ve always been my best friend. And I’ve missed you so much.” I’d missed her for the last week. I’d missed her for the last five years.

I loved hockey, but I loved her more. Always had. Always would.

She was everything good in the world. Her smiles were like the sun rising over my dark sky. Like somehow, Ellie Bradford’s sheer existence could brighten up any day.

I didn’t want to lose her. Couldn’t bear to lose her again. To go back to being that heartbroken shell of a man I’d been for the last five years. I’d survived, sure—but I hadn’t lived. The other half of my soul hadn’t been complete without her.

“I missed you too,” Ellie admitted. “Even when I knew I shouldn’t. Even when I cursed myself for leaving. For walking away from this, from us.” I knew she wasn’t talking about the last week anymore.

I smiled. “What are you saying, baby?”

“I never want you to worry about leaving and not coming home to me, Owen Harper. Because you’re mine . You’re my home.”

And there was no way I could go one second longer without kissing her. Ignoring the fact that I was still in my pads and all my gear, I cupped her neck, bringing her mouth to mine. It was everything I’d needed. Everything I wanted.

When I pulled back, our chests heaving, I cupped both of her cheeks. “My favorite place in the world, without question, is right next to you.” I kissed her again, softer this time. “I gave up on us once, Skater Girl. Believe me when I say I’m never going to again.”

“Good.” She nodded. “Because I don’t want to move out. I never did. I told my landlord that when he called the first time. There was no way I could ever want to leave you and Zambi.” Her eyes were glassy. “Not ever .”

“Ellie.” I reached out, brushing a strand of hair back and tucking it behind her ear. “God, I love you. I always have. I never stopped, not for one fucking moment. I carried you with me in here,” I said, tapping over my heart, and then pressed a kiss to my tattoo. “And I never forgot about you. Not for one single second. How could I? It’s always been you. You’re it for me, Eleanor Daisy Bradford. Always have been. Always will be.”

Her beautiful blue-gray eyes filled with tears, and I brushed them away with my thumb.

“Say something,” I murmured. “Please.”

“Owen.” She shook her head. “I don’t deserve you. I—I broke your heart.”

Her breath shuddered as I stepped closer. Like even she couldn’t deny how affected she was by the physical contact. “But do you still love me?” I knew the answer. I just wanted to hear it.

“ Yes,” she whispered, looking more beautiful than ever. Standing in my jersey, adorned with hundreds of sparkling fucking rhinestones, with her blonde hair tumbling down her shoulders and her eyes bright.

“Are you going to leave me again?”

She shook her head. “No.”

I curled my hands around her hips. “Say it.” I pressed our bodies closer together.

Her eyelashes fluttered, a small whimper slipping from her lips. “Say what?”

“Say you love me. Tell me you’ll stay with me forever. Tell me you’re mine. That I never have to wake up without you ever again. That I’m yours.”

“You are,” she agreed, nodding mindlessly. “You’re mine.” I captured her lips with another punishing kiss, and then she wrapped her arms around my neck. Dug her fingers into the back of my blond hair, even as she pulled apart to look into my eyes. “I love you, Owen Ryan Harper. More than anything in this world, I want to be yours. Always have. Always will.”

“Fuck,” I muttered, wishing I didn’t still have two periods of hockey to play and I could take her back to my room already. “I love you so much. I hate that you ever had any doubts about that.”

Ellie sighed. “I hate that you ever thought I wanted to move out.”

“I’m sorry,” I said—something I should have said from the beginning. “You tried to explain, and I didn’t hear you out. That’s on me. I was hurt and scared, and that wasn’t fair to you.”

She leaned up and kissed my cheek. “We both messed up. Let’s just promise not to do it again, okay?”

That I could agree to. “Okay.”

I bent my head down again, ready to steal another kiss, when—“Oi!” That was Reid’s voice. “Harper! Stop kissing your girl or else you’re going to miss the start of the second!” When I turned, I saw him with his arms crossed, fully decked out in his goalie attire.

“Fuck.” I gave her another soft kiss. “I love you. I’ll see you after the game?”

She nodded. “Before I go, I—I don’t exactly have somewhere to stay tonight. Do you think I could stay with you?” My girl fluttered her eyelashes.

I chuckled. “Like I’d let you stay anywhere else.”

Ellie smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

After one last kiss, she pulled away. “Now go out there and win the game for me, baby. I’m rooting for you.”

“You’re the best damn thing that ever happened to me, baby. Every point I score—they’re all for you.”