Page 51 of Center Ice

She clung to my arms. “Karma will make sure she doesn’t. She'll mess with the wrong person eventually, and this will all come back to her tenfold.”

I shook my head. “I’m so sorry, Dani. You don’t deserve any of this.”

“Maybe it was a sign it was time for me to move on.”

“Have you made any decisions?” I left my real questions unsaid. Was she coming? Did she want me to stay?

“Not really. Part of me just wants to go home, but I know that would be a hundred steps backward. I need to be brave and move forward.”

I nodded, wanting to be supportive but also wishing her answer was completely different. “Dani, I don’t want to leave here without making myself perfectly clear. I’m not expecting an answer or decision made now, but I just have to tell you.” I took a breath. “This week has changed me. It was the exact wake-up call I needed. I was living in a fog of routine and responsibility before, if that even really counted as living at all. But coming here, I realized there’s so much more for me to do and see. You turned me from a cynic into a believer.” She smiled, and I kissed her temple. “I have more hope than I ever had before, and I have the team to thank for that, but also you. I don’t want this to be goodbye.”

I watched for her reaction. She bit her lip and glanced down. “I don’t either, Jake. I thought I was happy before this week. You reminded me that I’ve limiting myself instead of allowing myself to go after my dreams. There’s more than just this resort for me.” She smiled and met my eyes. “Not bad for one week.”

I laughed. “Not at all.”

“I really believe we met for a reason, and I don’t think it was for just a few days together.”

My heart caught in my throat.

She pursed her lips. “I don’t know what I’m going to do yet, but I don’t want us to be over.”

“There’s an us?” I asked as my smile grew.

She nodded. “Yes, I decided there is.”

“I’ll support whatever you decide, okay? Wherever you want to live, I’ll visit. We’ll make it work.”

Her eyes widened. “Thank you.”

I ran my thumbs across her cheeks, wiping away the remaining tears. “You’re not alone. You have me and the entire Utah Fury behind you.”

She closed her eyes. “I have no idea how I got so lucky.”

I kissed her forehead, and her eyes snapped open, holding mine. She rose up an inch and I met her, our lips pressed together as she tightened her grip on my shoulders. My mind went blank until the only thing I knew was how soft her lips were and how badly I wanted this to happen a thousand more times.

Cheers and whooping broke out behind us. She stepped back, beaming. “I forgot we had an audience.”

I glanced over at the team and narrowed my eyes, which just made them laugh and cheer louder. “Sorry about them.”

“Don’t be. I kind of like them.” She winked.

“Cars are here!” I ignored Erik’s call.

“I don’t want to leave now,” I admitted.

She traced a finger over my cheek and down my jaw. “Me neither.”

“It’s not goodbye.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s not.”

“I’ll let you know when we land.”

“Okay.” She smiled, but it faded quickly. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Me too.” I sighed.

“Come on, Romeo!” Lance shouted.