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“I’m aware.” Doesn’t mean I’ve found one that works for me. It’s not like I need a job, but my brothers make it seem like that’s the point of life. Or at least they did until they found something nicer.
Love.
“Have you done anything since hockey?”
My shoulders turn to stone. “Does stepping in as Declan’s assistant count?”
Her mouth drops open. “You were Declan’s assistant?”
“Don’t look so surprised.” I flick her nose, earning a breathy chuckle that makes my heart pathetically swell.
“I’m surprised you lived to tell the tale.”
“He wasn’tthatbad. Iris was the one who had to put up with him for three years.”
Her lips part. “Iris worked for him?”
“Yup.”
“And she still fell in love with him? Wow.”
Wow is right. If it weren’t for my grandfather’s will and his marriage-of-convenience clause, I’m not sure the two of them would have ever gotten together in the first place.
“Declan is lucky because Iris is one hell of a woman.”
Her face softens. “You really care about her.”
“She’s always been there for me when I needed someone.” I break eye contact and focus on my laptop screen.
Lana reaches out and squeezes my hand. “She sounds like a great friend. I’m glad you found someone who could be that for you.”
I nod as I swallow the thick lump in my throat. “I love her like the sister I never had, but she was never you. What she and I had was always different.”
“You never tried to…” Her voice drifts off as the question dies on the tip of her tongue.
“We kissed once, but that was all.” I clasp her palm and tuck it against my thigh.
“If your friendship is anything like ours, then I’m questioning it.” The muscles in her back remain wound tight despite the playfulness of her words.
“Nothing has ever compared to us, and nothing ever will.” I lift her hand to my mouth and press my lips against the faded scar on her knuckle. It’s small but a constant reminder of her getting hurt after I stupidly dared her to climb a chain-link fence.
She releases a shaky breath. “You need to stop talking and doing things like that.”
“Why?”
“Because this isn’t the past.” She attempts to tug her hand free of my grasp, but my hold is too strong.
“Good, because I’d much rather focus on our future.” I pry her fingers apart before kissing the soft flesh of her palm, earning the softest inhale from her.
“We don’t have a future.”
“Not yet, but give me some time to prove you wrong.” A pink flush blooms across her cheeks, so I trace it with the pad of my thumb. “I don’t expect you to believe me, but I’m just warning you.”
“Warning me about what?”
“I walked away from you before because I thought I was doing the right thing. That you were better off without me. That you would be happier. I don’t plan on making that same mistake again, even if you expect me to. While I might mess up—hell, I can practically guarantee it—I’m not going to run away again. I’ll fight for us no matter what.” I release her hand, although there is nothing I want more than to never let go.
Tension between us grows as I refocus on the laptop screen in front of us. Lana loses herself in her thoughts for a few minutes before resuming as if our conversation didn’t happen.
