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“You seemed a little distracted in the locker room earlier.”
“I’m fine.”
“Good to know. Make me look good out there.” He winked, gliding off down the ice.
I steered clear of the coaches, waiting for the Bulldogs to finish their pep talk and move into position.
A ripple of excitement went through the arena. Hockey was a bit like a tidal wave gaining momentum. Every week, the fans, the players, and the coaching staff knew it was one step closer to the end goal.
We’d made it last season, but, in the end, we hadn’t been good enough. No one wanted a repeat of that this season. We wanted to win—to bring home the trophy.
It had never felt that important to me before, but then, I’d never let myself believe that hockey could be a part of my future. I still struggled with that concept. But having Coach Dixon push and encourage me had got me thinking.
There was a kid in the stands who needed me, though. Who needed people in his life that wouldn’t walk away.
As I hovered on the left wing, waiting for the puck to drop, I couldn’t help but look over where my family sat—the two most important people in the world to me. Having them here was everything. But Harper’s face came veering into the picture. Her infectious smile and bewitching eyes. Every time she pinned those baby blues in my direction, a bolt of lightning went through me.
I’d hated it at first, but I didn’t mind so much now. In fact, I kind of liked it.
No one had ever looked at me like she did. Come to think of it; no one knew me the way she did because I didn’t share those parts of myself with other people.
When my father walked out, and I became the man of the house at the tender age of twelve—the age Scottie was now—something inside me changed. Maybe even before that, when I’d truly understood all the ways that Scottie was different and what that might mean for his future.
I became his protector. But in order to protect him, I had to protect myself, and the easiest way to do that was to keep people out.
To put up walls so high no one could ever climb over them.
Harper was different. Something told me that given half the chance, she would scale those walls in a heartbeat. And maybe part of me had expected her to. To keep pushing, to keep chipping away at my defenses.
Instead, she’d backed off. Acted like everything that had gone down between us meant nothing.
It didn’t mean nothing, but I didn’t know if it could mean something, either.
The truth was, I was fucking confused.
And if last night was anything to go on, I couldn’t be trusted around her.
Because if she kept pushing—if fate kept pushing us together—one day, I might just snap.
* * *
“Oh, sweetheart.” Mom pulled me into her arms. “That was… I’m just so proud of you.” She held me at arm’s length, looking me right in the eye.
“No tears, Mom. I’m begging you,” I chuckled, but it was strained against the lump in my throat.
“Two goals, sweetie. That’s—”
“It should have been at least four,” Scottie wedged himself between us, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Hi, Mason brother.”
“Hey, bud. Did you enjoy the game?”
“Yes, Harper, let me sit with her and Aura.”
“Aurora, buddy. Her name is—”
“Aura, yeah. That’s what I said.”
Mom smothered a laugh. “She’s such a lovely girl,” she mouthed. “And so good with him.”
