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When I arrive at the gate, two security guards are waiting for me, one holding a pair of ice skates in his hands.
“Mr. Jones asked to give these to you.”
My brows furrow, but I take skates regardless, rushing inside the arena. It doesn’t take me long to find Trent. Just like Rex predicted, he’s inside the ice rink.
Looking like a man lost in deep thought, I watch Trent expertly flick his stick, connecting with the puck effortlessly and sending it sailing into the net with precision. He’s so concentrated on his task that he doesn’t even hear me walk down the stands towards him.
Now I understand why Rex had a pair of skates waiting for me.
If I want to talk to Trent, I’ll have to do it on the ice.
Thankfully, Rex got my size right. I put on the skates and silently glide onto the ice. As I get close enough, I clear my throat and say, “You’re really good. You downplayed how good you are. I never took you for the humble type. I wonder how many other talents you might be hiding from me.”
When he turns around, my heart breaks when I see the dark bags under his eyes.
He looks like he hasn’t slept in days.
However, if I’m being honest, neither have I. My concealer is doing the heavy lifting of hiding my restless nights from everyone.
“Piper? What are you doing here? How did you find…”
But before he can finish his sentence, I skate towards him, only stopping when I’m mere inches away from his face.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, ashamed. “I’m… so fucking sorry.”
His eyes scan my face as if trying to see if there is any change since we’ve been apart for a whole week.
“What are you sorry about?”
“For everything,” I confess in earnest, placing my palms on his cheeks.
He closes his eyes and breathes me in.
“Forgiven. Whatever you’re sorry for, you’re forgiven.”
“You’re going to let me get off the hook that easily?” I try to joke to lessen the heaviness of this moment.
“Yes.”
“Trent.” I shake my head, not wanting us to start on this note.
If this relationship is going to work, we need to be on an even keel.
He can’t always forgive me when I fuck up, just like I will always hold him accountable for his mistakes. I want to grow with him, not force him into a box where he’s always walking on eggshells around me.
“Wait… just wait,” he pleads before I have a chance to talk. “Before you say anything, just hear me out. Please,” he insists with such misery in his voice, I’d be a heartless monster not to hear him out.
“I went about this all wrong. All fucking wrong,” he explains while his eyes continue scanning every inch of my face before they land on my mine. “This past week without you has been agony, Piper. Fucking agony. I understand now why you were so reluctant to fully give yourself to me. This love shit… it’s hard and painful. I would rather die than ever want you to hurt like this, ever. So if this is all you can give me, it’s enough. We’ll go at your own pace. At whatever pace that is comfortable for you. Because what this time apart has shown me is that I fucked up, too. I was so stubborn in wanting you to be mine that I totally lost focus on the one thing I should have told you from the very start.”
“What?”
“That I’m yours. Utterly and irrevocably yours. I love you, Piper. With all my fucking heart, I’minlove with you,” he chokes out, his emotions getting the better of him.
My eyes water at his confession, and I fall into his embrace, crying the minute I hear his beating heart calling out my name.
Beating just for me.
Because he’s mine.
