Chapter 41
FORTY-ONE
Maybe I’d been a giant chicken this morning when I’d bailed as soon as I heard Liam leave my apartment. I’d spent the rest of the day studying at a coffee shop in nearby Missoula instead of hanging in Dunridge. But I wasn’t going to miss my brother’s hockey game.
I’d considered it, but then Sam had texted the group chat she’d created with me, Abby, and Harper about tonight’s game, and I decided I couldn’t be a chicken any longer. If I avoided games, people would know something was wrong.
That was the trick when you were trying to pretend everything was fine—you had to do business as usual. And I never missed my brother’s games.
“Over here!” Sam waved enthusiastically from her spot behind the glass, her voice carrying over the pre-game noise. Harper and Abby were already settled on the blanket, and I picked my way through the filling stands to join them.
I sat down next to Harper. “Where’s Rory?”
She turned around and gestured a few rows up and over where my parents sat with Rory in my mom’s arms.
“How are things going with them?”
Drew had gotten into it with our parents about his relationship with Harper, and while the silence between them had been deafening this summer, my mom had cracked when I went back to school.
She showed up at the hockey house with her famous huckleberry loaf and tears in her eyes and Drew had let her in.
My dad was still a bit stiff with Harper, but I thought they were making progress.
But I was curious how Harper felt about it.
“It’s going. It’ll take time, but we’re hopeful they’ll come around eventually.”
I nodded. “My dad can be stubborn, but he loves Drew. He’ll get there.”
“That’s what Drew keeps saying.” Harper smiled, but then her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied my face. “You okay?”
Damn. I thought I’d been doing a better job of hiding it.
“Just tired. Didn’t sleep great last night.”
It wasn’t technically a lie. I’d barely slept at all, too aware of Liam’s arm around me, too busy memorizing the feeling of being held by him one last time. When I’d finally heard his breathing even out into sleep, I’d lain there for hours, staring at the ceiling and trying not to cry.
When he’d woken up, I’d pretended to still be asleep until he left. Cowardly? Absolutely. But I couldn’t face the morning-after conversation. Couldn’t sit across from him and pretend everything was fine while he gently explained that the list was done and so were we.
“If you need to talk—” Harper started.
“I’m fine. Really.” I forced a smile. “Just ready to watch some hockey.”
The players started skating out for warm-ups, and my traitorous gaze immediately found number twenty-seven. Even with his helmet on, I knew the way he moved—smooth and confident, all power and easy grace.
He looked up toward our section, scanning the crowd, and I quickly looked away. I pulled up social media on my phone so I wouldn’t be tempted to look at him.
“Ava.” Sam’s voice was unusually gentle. “Did something happen with you and Liam?”
“No. Why?”
“Because you just dodged eye contact with him like he’s your ex at a party.”
Sam was too observant for her own good. It was annoying and I really didn’t want to get into everything here with the crowd around us. Only Sydney knew the full story—everyone else just had suspicions and rumors, especially after Drew’s outburst at last night’s game.
“I’m fine. Just tired.” God, that lie was getting old, even for me.
“Uh-huh.” Sam didn’t look convinced, but thankfully she let it drop. For now. I had a feeling I’d be getting a much more thorough interrogation later.
The game started, and I tried to focus on the action.
Tried not to track Liam’s every movement across the ice.
Tried not to remember the way he’d kissed me in the rain, slow and tender, like I was precious to him.
Now your bucket list is complete.
That’s all it had been to him. An arrangement. A favor for his best friend’s sister. And I’d been stupid enough to fall in love with him.
God, I felt so dumb.
“Excuse me.”
I turned to find a guy sliding into the empty seat next to me—tall with dark hair, and wearing a Montana Tech T-shirt, which meant he was rooting for the wrong team.
“This seat taken?”
“Um, not technically.” Except that he was on the wrong side.
“I’m Tyler.” He extended his hand, completely ignoring my attempt to brush him off. “Saw you from across the arena and knew I had to come say hi.”
Was this guy for real?
I glanced at the ladies next to me who were eagerly watching with curious smiles on their faces. No help there.
“Ava,” I said, shaking his hand because my mother raised me to have manners even when I wasn’t in the mood for conversation.
“Ava,” he repeated, like he was testing how it sounded. “Pretty name. So which team are you here for? Wait, let me guess…” He made a show of studying me. “You’re wearing maroon, so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Clark Fork.”
Despite myself, the corner of my mouth twitched. “Impressive detective work.”
“I’m more than just a pretty face.” He grinned, and it was annoyingly charming. “My buddy’s on Montana Tech, so I’m contractually obligated to root for them, but I can admit when I’m in enemy territory.”
“Smart. We take our hockey seriously around here.”
“I can tell.” He nodded toward the ice. “Anyone special I should be watching out for? Family? Friend? Boyfriend who’s going to come fight me for sitting in this seat?”
The question hit a bruise I wasn’t expecting. “My brother’s number three.”
“Dumontier? The defenseman?” Tyler looked genuinely impressed. “He’s good. Really good, actually. I’ve watched him shut down our best forward twice already.”
“I’ll let him know you said that. It’ll go straight to his head.”
Tyler’s laugh was warm and easy. “Siblings. I get it. I’ve got two older sisters who’d never let me live it down if I complimented them to their faces.”
I found myself relaxing slightly. He wasn’t being pushy or weird. Under different circumstances, maybe I would have enjoyed the attention. Maybe I would have let myself be flattered that a cute guy had crossed an entire arena just to talk to me.
But I wasn’t under different circumstances. I was sitting here with my heart in pieces, trying not to look at the man who’d shattered it without even knowing.
“So, Ava with the hockey star brother,” Tyler said, leaning in just slightly. “Can I buy you a hot chocolate after the game? I hear there’s a place on Main Street that—”
A sharp bang against the glass made us both jump.
Liam was right there, only a couple of feet away, his gloved fist pressed against the glass. His helmet was still on, but I could see his jaw clenched tight through the cage, his eyes burning into Tyler with an intensity that made my breath catch.
He ripped off his helmet.
“Get the fuck away from her.” His voice carried through the glass, rough with that Irish lilt that had gotten thicker.
Tyler blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Whoa, man. We were just talking.”
“I don’t care.” Liam’s gaze flicked to me for just a second—long enough to make my heart stutter—before snapping back to Tyler. “Move.”
Tyler glanced at me, then back at Liam. “What, are you her boyfriend or something?”
The word hung in the air.
“Yes, the fuck I am.” His voice was loud enough that the entire section could hear. “Now get the fuck away from my girl before I come over there and make you.”
The world stopped.
My girl.
Tyler’s face went pale and he raised his hands in a surrender gesture. “I didn’t know. Sorry.” He stumbled to his feet and disappeared into the crowd without another word.
But I barely noticed him leave. I was too busy staring at Liam, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears, trying to reconcile what he’d just said with everything I’d convinced myself was true.
He held my gaze for a long moment, his expression fierce and tender all at once. Then he gave me a small nod—like an answer to the question that was no doubt written all over my face—and skated back to join his teammates.
“Holy shit,” Sam breathed. “Did that just happen?”
I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t do anything but replay those words over and over in my head.
Yes, the fuck I am.
Maybe I hadn’t imagined what he’d said on the ice after all.