Chapter 21 #2
He takes a deep breath and I find myself really listening now that he seems to be speaking at least somewhat from the heart.
“But not thinking about it doesn’t change what happened,” he says. “I let you be tormented every single day, and it wasn’t just you, there were others too.”
His eyes slide toward the row of seats Hailey says the team saves for sponsors and VIPs and my mouth drops open.
There are some other people I recognize from high school there. A tall, thin guy wearing glasses, who I know they used to call Rat Fink, to the point that I actually can’t remember his real name.
And there’s Tonya Miller, whose name will be forever linked in my mind with the stuff Angel used to claim she did with boys until For a good time call Tonya Miller was written on the inside of every bathroom stall in the school, along with some other things I’d rather not remember.
Tonya looks amazing now. She’s wearing a gorgeous suit and her hair is still long and glossy.
Whatever she did with her life after high school, I’m guessing she’s pretty successful.
And I realize now that’s probably why Angel hated her, because she was smart and pretty enough to be the most popular girl herself.
There are others there too, and I’m wondering how he did this.
“I’m committed to doing better now,” he says, drawing my attention back to the ice. “For you, Liv. And for my daughter, myself, and for everyone else too.”
I nod again, this time with grudging respect. I guess I’m not the only person he’s apologizing to. But he’s got the good sense to know no one else wants their past dragged into the limelight, so he’s not naming names.
“All of you are here to listen to me apologize to the person you thought was my girlfriend,” he continues, looking out at the crowd.
“But Liv wasn’t even my real girlfriend, not at first. She agreed to pretend, knowing who I was and what I had done to her, in order to help me with my career, because that’s the kind of person she is. ”
I’m so stunned at that I forget to keep wearing a serious expression and I just blink at him, baffled. Sharing that he tried to trick everyone will definitely not help his career.
A wave of murmurs moves through the crowd and he waits a moment for people to take it in.
“Can you believe that?” he asks. “You’re looking at a truly selfless woman.
And if you ask anyone who ever knew her, you’ll find out that Olivia Williams has always been patient, kind, and helpful.
I’ve spent a little time lately, reaching out to apologize to as many people as would take my calls.
And every single one of them told me I was a fool to mess up my shot with Liv. ”
That makes me smile.
“They also listed about a million things she did, big and small, to make other people’s lives a little brighter,” he continues.
“They told me that she was an inspiration, an example of grace under pressure. Some of them shared with me that it was only watching what Liv went through, knowing that she could bear the unbearable, that gave them the strength to make it through high school too.”
That brings tears to my eyes and I sneak a glance over to the VIP section. Tonya smiles at me and a couple of the others nod and wink and I feel my heart lighten.
“Now, you might have heard that the Bells are looking at me again, that I’m using this to get back in their good graces so I can leave this town, and this team behind,” Caleb continues. “But if all of this has taught me anything, it’s that I don’t want to go back to Philly.”
My heart skips a beat, and the whole arena goes silent.
“I don’t like the man I used to be there,” he says clearly. “But I like the man I am when I’m with Olivia Williams. And I like the hockey player the Stallions have taught me to be.”
The guys on both teams let out some whoops of encouragement.
“So, this apology is not to get me ahead,” Caleb says, turning to me. “And it’s not some stunt to try to make anyone, including Liv, forgive me. I’m here today to tell you that I’m truly sorry. And to explain why I’m not going anywhere.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see his agent Travis drop his head into his hands in despair. Caleb must be way off script at this point.
“I love you, Liv,” Caleb says.
I gasp, and the crowd gasps with me.
“I’m so sorry that I found out about our past the way I did,” he says. “But only because it caused you pain. I’m glad to know who you are, and I’m proud to stand here beside you. And the one positive to come out of all this is that I think I understand you better now.”
Much as I hate to admit it, he’s probably right about that.
But proud to stand here beside me? I saw that look on his face the other night. I know better, right?
“I know I don’t deserve a second chance to be your boyfriend,” he says. “But if you ever decide to give me a second chance to be your friend, I promise I will do everything I can to be the kind of friend you deserve, a friend like you, who lightens other people’s loads and makes life better.”
I find myself smiling as tears burn my eyes. It feels good to be acknowledged like that, in a way that tells me he means it.
Jake skates up to him with a giant bouquet of roses and Caleb takes it and hands off the mic before skating toward me.
He’s really put himself out there, and I’m grateful for that. So I decide to meet him in the middle.
Naturally, I forget about the carpet and step directly onto the ice.
The next thing I know I’m falling.
But Caleb doesn’t miss a beat. The ice is his home, and he moves like the superstar he is, fast enough to toss the flowers and catch me before I can even react.
And as I settle into his arms, I somehow manage to snag the bouquet out of the air, like an anxious aunt at the world’s strangest wedding.
The crowd laughs and cheers and I can’t help myself anymore, so I join them. Life can be so silly sometimes.
When I glance at Caleb though, his jaw is tight and his expression is more than serious.
“Can we talk?” he whispers in my ear.
I nod.
Relief softens his jaw slightly, and the expression in his eyes goes from serious to hungry.
Suddenly, I feel like we’re in that stairwell again and Caleb Stone is about to kiss me until the butterflies threaten to burst out of my chest.
“Come on,” he murmurs. “Let’s get out of here.”
He scoops me up the rest of the way, and carries me off the ice like he’s carrying a bride over the threshold. The smooth, even movement of his skates makes me feel like I’m flying, and I wonder briefly if this is why he loves hockey.
But then we’re off the ice and he’s lowering me gently to the ground so he can pull on skate guards. Then he takes my hand and marches me down the hall.
“I want to get changed and take you someplace,” he says, his voice rumbly. “When I come back out, will you be here?”
I nod, but he looks like he’s not convinced.
Then the other guys come piling back.
“I’ll keep an eye on her, fifty-eight,” Sokolov says, winking at me.
“Not you,” Caleb growls. “Van?”
“Sure,” Van says. “We go way back. How’s it going, Liv?”
I have to laugh because good or bad, I guess the whole world knows how it’s going with me these days.
We talk about the game for a few minutes, since that’s definitely easier for me than talking about my personal life. And that’s an accomplishment. A couple of months ago I couldn’t have talked about a hockey game at all.
Caleb comes out in record time, looking and smelling incredible after a quick change and shower.
“Have fun, you two,” Van teases.
“See you,” Caleb says, not even making eye contact with the man in his rush to get me out of here.
He takes my hand and we head for the outside in silence. For some reason, he’s taking me to a side exit we’ve never used before.
“The crowd may still be out there,” he says warningly when we get to the outside door.
“That’s fine,” I tell him, meaning it. “I’m not afraid to stand up for myself anymore.”
“You definitely aren’t,” he says, his voice husky. “You just might be the bravest person I know.”
We head out and sure enough, there are a few people there. I guess they hedged their bets that we might want privacy today.
Caleb signs a couple of t-shirts and then a young girl surprises me by asking for my signature.
“Really?” I ask her.
“I get teased at school too,” she tells me. “But life won’t always be like this.”
“It won’t,” I assure her. “And while you’re waiting, you can help other kids.”
That idea makes her eyes light up, and I realize it’s not just that she’s cheered up a bit, it’s that she’s going to make someone else’s day a little better too.
I give her a quick hug after Caleb and I sign her hoodie, and then we head to his car.
He opens the door for me and I see a hint of nerves in his usually confident expression.
I honestly have no idea where this night is going, but I can’t wait to find out.