I switched off my phone and slipped it back into my pocket. Outside the window, the runway lights stretched into the distance. Ahead of me was another set of games, but for the first time, home wasn't the only thing waiting for me when I got back.
TWENTY-FIVE
KIERAN
The first thing I did when I woke up was reach across the bed.
My hand landed on a cold sheet. I lay there for a second staring at the ceiling before letting out a quiet laugh at myself. Thane had left yesterday. It wasn't exactly shocking that he wasn't there.
I rolled onto my side and reached for my phone on the nightstand. A message waited for me.
Thane: Morning, Kier. Game day. I'll text when I can. Make sure to have breakfast first thing.
A smile tugged at my mouth. The hockey player, currently preparing to play in front of thousands of people, had somehow found time to remind me to eat breakfast.
That felt very Thane. I read the message a second time.
Me: Morning, Thane. I’ll definitely have breakfast.
Me: Good luck tonight.
Me: Try not to get into any fights. *laughing emoji*
Then the silence of the apartment settled around me again.
For the better part of a week, I'd gotten used to another person occupying my space. Conversations over coffee. A hand finding mine. The sound of his laughter from another room. A casual reminder to grab my jacket before going outside. The strange thing was how quickly those small moments had become normal.
I pushed the blankets aside and climbed out of bed. The apartment was exactly as I'd left it. Clean. Quiet.
Nobody was standing at the stove making hot chocolate or asking whether I'd slept well. Nobody was reminding me to wear thicker socks because, apparently, I was one bad decision away from freezing to death according to one very opinionated professional hockey player.
A few minutes later, I opened my closet and immediately spotted the navy Seattle Orcas hoodie hanging from the inside of the door.
Technically, it belonged to Thane. Technically, I'd never asked if I could keep it. Technically, he knew exactly where it was because he'd watched me walk away with it in Juniper Hollow and hadn't made the slightest effort to stop me.
I pulled it over my head. The sleeves hung slightly past my wrists. The familiar scent of laundry detergent mixed with something that was simply Thane settled around me. For a moment, some of the quiet eased. That was ridiculous. The hoodie was a hoodie. Nothing more. Still, I left it on.
I made coffee and a sandwich and carried the mug and plate into the living room. The December sky outside the window was gray and overcast, and the city looked considerably less charming than Juniper Hollow had.
I curled up in one corner of the couch and wrapped both hands around the mug.
At some point, I was going to have to find out what kind of hot chocolate mix Thane had bought at Sugar & Spice. The stuff should have been illegal. I took a sip of coffee instead. It wasn't the same.
My phone buzzed against the cushion beside me. For half a second, my pulse jumped. Then I looked at the screen. It wasn’t Thane, but a university email reminding students about registration for the upcoming semester.
I set the phone aside and picked up my sandwich. A few minutes later, I realized I'd eaten the entire thing. A smile tugged at my mouth. Thane would probably consider that a victory.
Nearly four hours passed before my phone buzzed. My heartbeat sped when I saw who the message was from.
Thane: No promises.
Thane: Heading into meetings.
Thane: Talk after?
I typed back.
Me: Deal.
