Page 12 of Uniquely in Love

“Ellie?” a deep voice called. The voice I would know anywhere. Was it even deeper now? Maybe. Even after all this time, it was a balm to my heart.

I poked my head out, looking down to find him standing in the middle of the yard, looking just as handsome as he had earlier. Maybe even more so, with his hair mussed like he’d been running his hands through it over and over, and an extra button undone on his shirt. Though maybe that was the alcohol talking.

Owen.My Owen. Only he wasn’t mine anymore, and he hadn’t been in a long time. He went out with models now. I’d seen photos of him up in Seattle, with different women on his arm for hockey events. It had hurt like hell every time, but I’d tried to ignore it. It shouldn’t bother me. I was the one who’d ended it.

“Owen.” My breath caught. “What are you doing here?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Thought maybe we should talk.”

“What is there to talk about?” I bit my lip.

“What isn’t there, Ellie?” He shook his head. “It’s been four years.”Almost five.Did he think I didn’t know that? I didn’t respond, and he moved to the ladder, climbing up quickly.

Drawing my legs up to my chest, I stared at him as he settled onto the floor across from me, not saying anything.

This space seemed even smaller with him in it. Maybe it was all the years of professional hockey, but he was much bigger now. All six-foot-three of him, with those broad shouldersand thighs that didn’t quit. If I let myself, it would be so easy to salivate over this man. His eyes were the same warm brown, and his hair the shade of dirty blond that it had been since I was little. I’d expected it to get darker, but it hadn’t.

“Four years,” he repeated, running his hands through his hair. “We went from being each other’s everything tothis, and you’re asking me what we have to talk about?”

I shrugged, feeling hopeless. “I don’t know what you want from me, Owen. We never would have worked in the long run. You were always destined for greater things. And look at you now. You’re living your dream. Playing in the NHL. You got everything you’ve always wanted.”

“But did you?” He looked…wrecked. But that couldn’t be right.

Did I?I looked down at my bare feet to my freshly painted nails. I’d kicked off the fancy sandals I’d changed into for my party before climbing up here, though I was still wearing my light blue dress. I didn’t know how to answer that, so I didn’t.

“So, elementary education, huh?” He asked, changing the subject.

Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I nodded. “I always liked kids, you know? And after everything, I just…” I closed my eyes. I didn’t enjoy thinking about the time after my accident. When everything had fallen apart around me and I’d had to rearrange my entire life my senior year of high school. “It made sense. And I love it.”

“You didn’t tell me.” Now, there was an edge of hurt to his voice. Owen sounded…defeated.

I blinked. “What?”

“You got hurt. The accident.” He gritted his teeth. “You—you didn’t tell me you were hurt. I had to find out about it from my mom. Do you know what that did to me, El? Knowing you were hurt and I couldn’t even comfort you? Knowing that I was away at college and couldn’t come and make sure you were okay?” He shut his eyes.

“We were broken up,” I whispered. “I ended it. I didn’t think?—”

“Of course you didn’t think.” His thumb reached out, swiping over my cheekbone before tracing that same line down my ear. “Because you didn’t ask.”

“Owen, I?—”

He shook his head. “Why do you think I stayed away all these years, Ellie?”

“Because you hated me,” I murmured, avoiding his eyes. “Because I broke your heart.”

His voice was soft when he cupped my chin, tilting up my head till my gaze met his, and said, “Ellie baby, I never hated you.”

My eyes fluttered shut. How was I going to survive this? Survivehim? It had taken me so long to move on. To stop feeling like my heart was missing from my chest. To find happiness again in the little things.

“You should have,” I said, miserably. He should have hated me for the things I did. For the way I left.

“It would have been easier if I did,” Owen agreed.

Now it was my turn to shake my head. “It doesn’t matter now.” The whispered words were all I could offer him. “It’s in the past. We’re in the past.”

It was what I’d had to tell myself to keep going all these years. That the moments we’d shared—no matter how good—were in the past now. Though this didn’t feel like anything had passed. Not when he was holding my face so reverently, his mouth only inches from mine.

And the worst was knowing what those lips felt like against mine. It had been so long since I’d been kissed by him, and all I could think about now was I wanted him to.

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