Page 70 of Uniquely in Love

“Ellie, that isn’t fair.” No, it wasn’t. Because life wasn’t that simple. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? Life was complex. It wasn’t black and white, easy decisions to make. And making the one to end our relationship had broken my heart, too.

“I know it’s not.” I shook my head. “That’s why I never wanted you to. Because this life, Owen… This life wasmeantfor you. You’re so smart, but you’re so talented at hockey. And you love it.”

He reached out, like he was going to touch me again, and then realized what he was doing, dropping his arm.

“You were always destined for this. I couldn’t hold you back.”

Owen shut his eyes. “You never would have. You were supposed to comewithme. We were going to do it together. All of this.”

I gave him a sad smile. “And if you’d gotten traded before I graduated? What would I have done?”

“We would have figured it out.”

“Owen…” my voice was quiet.

He shook his head. “That’swhy you ended it? Why you…” His voice cracked. I’d never seen him like this once before. Like he was devastated. “Then why are youhere,Ellie? Why did you come to Seattle?”

I swallowed roughly. Where did I even start? I wasn’t ready to confess all my truths. Not yet.

“Why now?” He continued. “What changed?”

“I-I just…” I looked to the floor. “Ican’t.” The confession was hardly more than a whisper.

He sighed, standing up from the couch, dragging his hand up over his face. “Never mind, then. But Ellie, I can’t…” He grimaced, like this was causing him physical agony. Maybe it was. My heart ached more than it had in years, and all I wanted was to confess the truth. Every bit.

But what if he didn’t want to see me anymore? What if he asked me to leave? After everything we’d been through, I thought that would be unlikely, but the idea still haunted me.

“I can’t do this—us—until you’re ready to talk to me. But I’ll be here, waiting.” He cupped my face, running his thumb across my cheek. “I always have been, Ellie. I’ve always been waiting for you to come home to me.”

Tears pooled in my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said. It was all I could offer. He didn’t deserve this. He deserved someone better than me.

He sighed. “You know where to find me when you’re ready.” Wiping under my eyes, he dropped his hand, wordlessly walking back to his bedroom.

Doing the same, I curled up on my bed, trying not to cry. I’d done this to us. I’d ruined our chance of happiness years ago, and that was my fault. Why did it hurt so much? Why couldn’t I just tell him how I felt?

It shouldn’t have been this hard.

I’ll be here, waiting.

I always have been, Ellie.

I’ve always been waiting for you to come home to me.

Home. He was my home. He always had been. Maybe that was why moving here hadn’t felt like a crazy decision or a big life change. Because it meant I was closer to him.

The boy who’d stolen my heart in the ninth grade and never given it back. Even if it took me much longer than that to tell him I loved him, I always had. And I always would.

That was something that would never change.

A few days later,I was dismissing my class for the day when my phone buzzed with a Washington number I didn’t recognize. Pocketing the device, I finished saying goodbye to all the kids as they each headed out of the classroom.

Owen had left for his road trip this morning, and it had been strange watching him walk out of the apartment, knowing he wouldn’t be home for several days. His face flashed in my mind—that goofy grin and blond hair that he let grow longer during the hockey season. As soon as my classroom was empty, I pulled out my phone, sitting in my chair as I opened the text thread.

Unknown number

Hi. It’s Sophia—from the game last week!

I smiled. Even if I’d felt like an outsider at the beginning, I had really enjoyed being in the box with all the WAGs—and Sophia Donovan, the coach’s daughter. She was twenty-four—close to my age—and it felt like she needed a friend as badly as I did.

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