Page 88 of Off The Ice

But no, there were signs of her everywhere. Coffee cup on the counter. School bag by the door. Shoes in the middle of the living room.

But it was late in the morning for her to still be sleeping. Especially when I knew she would have to be leaving to get to work soon.

I dropped my stuff and headed toward the staircase, concern spreading in my chest. She was always downstairs by now. Always.

I was halfway up the staircase when I heard her. Groans of frustration filled the air and then a few thuds. I picked up my pace.

“Cassie?” I called, rounding the corner to her room and coming to a halt in her open doorway.

She was sitting crisscross on the floor, surrounded by a heap of colorful clothes, grumbling so loudly she didn’t hear me approach.

“Stupid. Nothing. Maybe I could—” Another groan. “No, that won’t work.”

“Cassie?” I repeated again, huffing out a laugh.

Her head whirled, eyes widening as she noticed me. She scrambled to her feet like a baby deer learning how to walk for the first time.

Again, fucking adorable.

“Liam!” she said, barreling toward me. “You’re back!”

Before I knew what was happening, she threw herself at me, and before my mind could process what was happening, my arms were suddenly wrapped around her.

What the hell is wrong with me?I thought, feeling breathless at the contact.It’s a fucking hug.

Her arms tightened around my neck, standing on her tiptoes to reach, and I almost groaned out loud at the contact.

Then, at once, she froze. Gasping as she ripped herself away, along with my heart in the process.

“Oh, gosh,” she said, mouth forming an ‘O’ shape. “I’m so, so, so sorry.”

My own mouth could barely form words while my arms already ached with the loss of her in them.

Get a fucking grip.

“For what?” I managed to get out without sounding as breathless as I felt.

“For attacking you like that! I just got so excited to see you because I missed you and—” She cringed. “Sorry.”

I stared at her agape. “Why are you sorry?”

“That’s weird, isn’t it?” She toyed with her fingers. “I mean, it was only two days and—”

“Cassie,” I tried to stop her.

“Two days is nothing in the grand scheme of things. It’s just 48 hours! I mean, like, 16 of those hours are spent sleeping!”

“Cassie—”

“Did you know some guy flew a plane around the world in 46 hours? He literally traveled the world in less time than you were away for hockey,” she rambled, words coming out fast as her eyes darted around to look anywhere but at me.

“Which sort of makes 48 hours seem likemoretime than it is, so I’m not making the right point, but that’s still crazy, isn’t it?”

“Cassie,” I tried again, to no avail.

“And I mean, I did end up going to bed super early because I was sort of bored and lonely, so let’s say 48 hours total, minus like eighteen hours of sleeping. That’s only 28 hours!”

“Cassie!” My hands reached out, grasping her shoulders until those big, oblivious blue eyes finally met mine.

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