Chapter 22 Charlie
charlie
When I agreed to come to the hockey game, I thought it would be a small, casual pickup game where I could be obnoxiously loud, cheer from the stands, and then head home.
I didn’t expect to walk into a packed rink with at least fifty people already watching and more still filing in.
A sign near the entrance read, “Five-dollar tickets. Donate to keep the camp running and provide scholarships for kids.”
I glanced over at Austin as we walked through the door, and he chuckled. “I knew what Dirks said was too good to be true.”
“What is this?” I asked, watching as Austin exchanged a high five with the guy at the entrance before guiding us inside.
“It’s a charity game for the camp that Ledger runs,” Austin explained, grabbing a flyer from the table as we entered. His face, unmistakable and confident, was printed front and center on it. He laughed, a mix of surprise and amusement. “Those sneaky bastards.”
“They knew you were going to come?” I asked, still processing the unexpected turn of events.
“I think they assumed I’d show up. Put ‘Austin Hart back on the ice’ on a flyer, and people will come to see what I’ve been up to.”
I stared down at the flyer in my hand, my husband’s face staring at me with that familiar intensity. “This is amazing,” I said, unable to stop the grin that spread across my face.
A burst of laughter bubbled out of me. After our earlier conversation in the kitchen, I hadn’t felt like coming here at all.
I’d come anyway, telling myself I could still be supportive even with a million other thoughts crowding my head.
Deep down, I genuinely wanted to know more about Austin and the things he liked, and I’d hope that would bring lightness back between us.
I hadn’t expected to be jealous when I asked about his ex, but hearing him speak so highly of her, admitting that he’d loved her .
. . it fractured me a little. I’d never been the jealous type—growing up around envious people had made me promise myself I wouldn’t be like that.
But something about not being the first in Austin’s life made me feel unsettled and petulant.
At the same time, having him here, having options—choices—was healing some part of me, even if it was only temporary.
“Hey,” Austin said softly. “You okay?”
I realized I had stopped walking and forced a laugh. “Yeah, sorry. I’m fine.”
“If this is too much, we can go.”
We can go. It struck me how Austin always spoke in terms of us. How was I supposed to just be friends with him when he made it feel like we were already a team? If I ever wanted a partner in my life, I’d want it to be someone like Austin Hart.
He thought he was broken because of his past, but my cracks ran deeper, carved by years under my mother’s suffocating control.
Her relentless expectations had left me hollow, always trying to meet standards that weren’t mine.
This charade with Austin bought me a temporary escape, but when it ended, I’d be back under her shadow, following paths I never chose.
With Austin, I could almost believe in a life where someone willingly stood by me, making life feel shared rather than a lonely fight.
“No, I’m good.” I held up the flyer and grinned. “I couldn’t take the star of the game away from everyone.”
“Give me that,” he said, grabbing the paper from my hand.
I laughed so hard I had to clutch my stomach.
“Charlie,” Austin’s mom’s familiar voice called out from inside the arena. “We’re over here if you want to sit with us.”
I looked over at Austin. “Okay, well . . .”
Austin turned toward me and dropped his bag. We were just off to the side of the crowded entrance, far enough from the main flow of people but still in plain view. Fans bustled past, heading for their seats or the concession stand.
“Are you going to be okay? She can be a lot.”
“Evie will be there too.”
Austin shook his head. “This is an eighteen-plus event, so I think she’s probably with a babysitter.”
I shrugged. “I basically spent the entire night with your mother at our fake surprise wedding. I think I’ll be okay.”
My entire existence had been about putting on a mask and playing a role. From family gatherings where I had to feign delight at my mother’s relentless social maneuvering, to pretending I liked the men she threw in my direction, I knew how to endure. This was another performance.
Austin’s gaze lingered on me. “You sure?”
“I’m sure. Go on, they’re waiting for you.” I gestured toward the rink, where cheers and laughter spilled from. “I also cannot wait to see the infamous Austin Hart on the ice.”
He gave me a small smile, one that carried a warmth I was starting to crave more than I wanted to admit. “Alright, but as soon as I’m done, I’ll come find you,” he said, squeezing my hand. “Maybe we can come up with a secret hand signal so if you need me, then I’ll jump off the ice.”
I chuckled. “That’s nice, but really, I’ll be okay. It’s your mom.”
His fingers grazed the side of my cheek, and he turned to look at everyone around us. “Since you’re my wife, I think we should probably make it official in case anyone is watching.”
“Wha-What do you mean?”
“In case anyone is taking a video of us or trying to get a photo, then I think we should give them a show.”
“I-I don’t know, Austin,” I whispered. “We messed up last night, and I don’t want—”
He slid his fingers to the nape of my neck and turned my head to the side. I caught a group of teenage girls snapping a photo of us.
“See.”
If we did this—if he kissed me in public—then we’d be back to crossing a boundary I wasn’t sure I’d be able to come back from.
I made sure to smooth any wrinkles in my shirt because if we were going to be on camera somewhere, I’d need to tell my mom after the game, and I didn’t want her to judge my outfit along with everything else.
“I need it before the big game. I’m nervous.”
I turned and looked toward him.
He furrowed his eyebrows, widened his eyes, and frowned.
“You look like a puppy who got his toy taken away.”
“But a cute puppy?”
I playfully hit his chest. “Shut up and kiss me, Hart.”
“That’s my girl,” he murmured, but I didn’t have a chance to process it because he pulled me close with the hand still at the nape of my neck while snaking the other around my waist.
His mouth met mine, and in an instant, all the warmth I’d been craving flooded through me, settling deep in my chest. The loneliness, the walls I’d built to keep myself guarded—all of it faded as he held me. Despite the chaos around us, it was just us, and for once, I felt seen and chosen.
He pulled away slowly and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. “That was exactly what I needed.”
“You’re too much,” I attempted to joke, but my voice came out raspy.
Ugh. I didn’t need to find Austin sexy or attractive.
He turned and walked away, leaving me breathless and wanting more. I shook my head, trying to steady myself, and turned to see the same group of girls, who had been watching us, now giggling and definitely recording the whole scene on their phones.
They were just kids, and I couldn’t blame them for being excited. This would end up on social media, and before long, we’d be the talk of the town.
I walked into the rink and saw Auburn sitting with another blonde. She spotted me immediately and waved me over. I smiled and smoothed out my shirt before heading in their direction.
“Charlie,” Auburn said cheerfully while holding up her beer. “It’s moms’ night out for us.”
The girl sitting next to Auburn turned toward me. She was stunning. Her hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail, and she had delicate yet sharp features and stunningly blue eyes.
Auburn stood, making room so I could sit next to her. “This is my friend Stassi.”
“Hi.” I smiled and held out my hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Charlie. Auburn was telling me the big news.”
I looked over at Auburn.
“She’s my friend, so I may have slipped and told the truth about the marriage.” She grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into a hug, making me stumble on the uneven steps.
“Oh . . .” I trailed off as she squeezed me.
“Don’t hate me.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head and pulling away. “It’s fine, really.”
I needed to change the subject, so I quickly took a seat and leaned in to talk to Stassi. “Are you married to someone who plays?”
“Yes. Alexsey retired a couple years ago, but he used to play with Ledger. They’re best friends.”
“Oh, how fun,” I said, looking as Auburn stood up again and started waving.
For someone so short, I wondered if she realized how tall she really made herself.
“Emma,” Auburn shouted and jumped off the benches.
Stassi slid in closer to me. “I often wonder how someone with so much personality can be contained in that small body.”
I looked over at Stassi and laughed. “I just had the same thought.”
“That’s why we love her. She means well.”
I nodded along because I wasn’t sure I knew Austin’s mom well enough to make that assumption. In fact, from what I knew of her, she left her son feeling like he was always second best.
“You come from somewhere in the South?”
“Yeah, from Georgia.”
“Do you miss home? When I first moved out here, I missed the idea of home a lot . . .” Stassi trailed off like there was more to the story, but I wasn’t going to pry.
“Where did you move here from?”
“Originally, Alex and I are from Russia, but he moved out here to play hockey, and a couple years later, I moved out here to skate.”
“You’re a figure skater?”
She shrugged and gave me a soft smile. “I used to be.”
I wanted to say sorry for whatever happened to make her stop, but she giggled. “I have two kids at home now, and one is a toddler, so it makes doing anything difficult.”