"Then learn." She reaches up, and for a heart-stopping second, I think she's going to touch me. "Because I've seen you smile before, Declan. Once upon a time, in a bar, when I did something reckless and stupid, and I've lived every minute regretting it since."
"Josie—"
But she cuts me off. "You wanted to talk about it. We just did. Now we can both move on."
She stares into my eyes, and for the briefest second, I actually believe the words coming out of her mouth.
It was reckless. It was stupid.
But for me?
It was the best damn thing that's happened in my life foryears.
"You're right," I say, swallowing my pride for once. "Thank you for acknowledging it. At least now we have closure."
She steps back, her eyes lingering on mine for a moment.
"Be sure to grab some flyers on your way out," she says, her voice light. "Hand them out along the boardwalk. I have no doubt the whole town will want to see Declan Morrison get his ass handed to him by a bunch of kids."
Then she turns and walks away, leaving me standing in the empty room, my heart pounding, my head spinning, and the fading memory of her taste moving further and further away.
Chapter 5
Josie
The boardwalk stretches out before me, bathed in sunshine, and I can't help but pause at the edge of it, my breath catching in my throat.
Because holy shit.
I did this.
The Yard, normally just a flat stretch of concrete overlooking the beach, has been transformed into a full-scale hockey carnival. Blue and gold bunting hangs from every available surface, snapping in the ocean breeze. A temporary rink has been set up, its boards gleaming white under the afternoon sun. Tents line the perimeter, each one offering something different: a stickhandling station, a shooting accuracy challenge, a face-off clinic.
And the crowd.
There arepeoplehere. Families with kids in tiny Bears jerseys. Teenagers in group huddles, phone cameras ready. Elderlycouples sitting on benches, watching the chaos unfold with amused smiles.
My chest swells with pride my mother would never let me feel.
I did this. In two days.
"Josie!Josie!Over here!"
I turn to find Darcy waving frantically from behind a table stacked high with foam fingers and rally towels. Rose, who I only officially met today but love already, is beside her, looking frazzled but triumphant.
"Okay, first of all," Darcy says as I approach, her eyes wide, "you're a fucking wizard. Second of all, how did you get the permits for the taco truck in under forty-eight hours? I've been trying to get that guy to cater an event formonths."
I shrug, trying to play it cool even as a warm glow spreads through my chest. "I may have mentioned that the team would pay his parking fees for the next six months."
Darcy's jaw drops. "Youwhat?"
"Don't worry, I cleared it with Colin. He didn't even flinch."
Rose lets out a low whistle. "Remind me never to play poker with you."
"Noted." I grab a stack of schedules from the table, fanning them out. "Alright. Status report. How are we looking?"
"Good.Reallygood." Rose ticks off on her fingers. "The stickhandling station is drawing a crowd. The shooting accuracy challenge has a line forming. And Brooke's been handing out merchandise like candy. I think she's single-handedly converted three families into season ticket holders."
