Page 44 of Boards & Betrayal

"Hey," he said, kissing my jaw gently. "You remember when I promised you I'd teach you how to ice skate?"

I nodded, the memory bringing a small smile to my lips.

"You wanna?" he asked, his eyes softening as he offered me his hand.

I blinked in surprise. "Right now?"

"Hell yeah," he said with a grin, extending his hand further toward me. "What do you say?"

My heart raced as I looked at him.

I took his hand without hesitation, feeling a surge of warmth spread through my chest. "Let's do it."

Thomas's grin widened as he pulled me closer, our bodies pressed together in a moment of shared determination and hope.

"Come on then," he said, pulling me up. "Get dressed and we'll do it."

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to believe that maybe—just maybe—things could be different this time around.

Chapter 14

Tom

"I

can't believe you still have this," Ally said, her voice tinged with awe as we stepped into the garage.

The 1967 Chevy Impala sat there like a sentinel of my past, all sleek black curves and chrome accents. Its body gleamed under the dim light, the meticulous care I’d lavished on it evident in every inch. The leather seats, though worn, held a history of countless miles and memories. I ran my hand over the hood, feeling the cool metal beneath my fingertips.

"I didn’t hear you complaining when we broke in the backseat," I teased, a smirk playing at my lips.

Her cheeks flushed that familiar shade of pink that always made my chest tighten. "I’m not complaining now," she murmured, slipping into the passenger seat with a shy smile.

I closed her door and walked around to the driver’s side, settling into the seat that fit me like an old glove. The scent of leather and faint traces of engine oil enveloped us as I turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life with a deep rumble, sending vibrations through the car.

We pulled out of the garage and into the mid-morning sun.

The engine purred as we rolled out of the garage and into the bright May morning. Sunlight streamed through the windshield, casting warm patterns on the dashboard. The town was waking up slowly, the streets still quiet save for the occasional car or early jogger. Trees lined the sidewalks, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze, a vibrant green against the clear blue sky.

I stole a glance at Ally beside me. Her hair caught the sunlight, glowing auburn like autumn leaves, and her eyes were focused on the scenery outside. She looked peaceful, and it made my chest ache in a way I couldn’t quite describe.

"Remember when we used to do this all the time?" she asked softly, not turning to look at me. "Driving, with nowhere to go?"

"Yeah," I replied, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "Feels like a lifetime ago."

She nodded, her gaze distant. The silence between us wasn’t awkward; it was filled with unspoken words and shared memories. It felt like a first date all over again, but with years of history and unresolved emotions hanging in the air.

I felt like a goddamn teenager, nervous and uncertain.

Fucking pussy.

I was a grown man, for Christ’s sake. But then I looked at her again, and it hit me hard.

She waseverythingto me.

Fuck, there was no denying it now. Not when she was sitting next to me again, not after everything we’d been through. And now that I had her back, there was no way in hell I was letting her go.

The thought made my grip on the steering wheel tighten even more as we turned into the campus parking lot. Pandora's Box loomed ahead—the campus ice rink that held so many memories for both of us.

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