Page 94 of Second Shot

I laugh. “Right? Nobody ever cared about my feelings on anything before. Suddenly, they need my thoughts on every little thing.”

After dinner, we drive home in comfortable silence, both of us processing the surreal reality of our new lives. Stanley Cup champions. The phrase still doesn’t feel real, even with the ring they’re designing for us and the banner that will hang in the rafters forever.

Inside, Ryan collapses onto my couch with a groan. I sit beside him, and he puts his arm along the back of the couch. He plays with the hairs on my nape, staring into space. I rest my head on his shoulder and he sighs contentedly.

“Guess what?” he says.

“Just tell me, I’m too tired to guess.”

He hesitates. “My father left me a voicemail this morning.”

I lift my head, searching his face. “He did?” My heart is racing because whatever the message said, it won’t be good. As far as I know, that man has never said anything good to Ryan. I’ve never even met the man and I fucking hate him. “What did he say?”

He turns to me and while there’s pain in his pretty green eyes, there’s also triumph. “I have no idea. I deleted it without listening to the message.”

I lift my brows. “Really?” I sit up and turn toward him. “Did you really do that?”

“I did.” He grimaces. “I don’t know why it took me so long to realize this, but he’s never going to change. I… I think most of my life, I kept waiting for the day he’d say he was sorry for how he treated me.”

“God, I’m sorry, Ryan,” I say softly.

He shrugs and I can see there are tears in his eyes. “He’s just never going to change.” His voice breaks and he wipes roughly at his eyes. “I finally get it. And it hurts. But it’s also kind of freeing. I don’t have to worry anymore if he’ll be mad at me. Or if I’ve disappointed him again. I always did and I always will because he doesn’t even see me. I don’t know what I ever did to him, but he hates me.”

I put my arms around him and he slips his arms around my waist. His breath is hot against my neck, and he’s trembling. I hold him like that for a long time, and then at long last he straightens. His face is flushed and tear stained, but he looks calmer.

“You’re such a better man than he is, Ry.” I brush an unruly lock of blond hair off his brow. “You were willing to look at yourself and better yourself. You accomplished all sorts of things he couldn’t. You won the Stanley cup for God’s sake. You went to therapy to deal with trauma. Despite having that abusive asshole as your father, you’re an amazing man. I feel so lucky to have you in my life.”

He gives a teary laugh. “That’s so insane that you’d feel that way. After how I treated you in middle school, to have your love is just beyond crazy.”

I smile. “I guess. But it’s true. I love you so much.”

He leans in to tenderly kiss me and then says, “And I love you too, Gabe. You’re the love of my life.”

“I feel the same. What would even be the point of any of this without you to share it with?”

“It would be a hollow victory.” He kisses my knuckles, and slides his fingers along my ring finger. “One of these days, I’m going to put a ring on this.”

I widen my eyes. “What?”

He smiles, looking uncertain. “Do you not want that?”

I blink at him. “I… I do, but I didn’t expect you to want that.”

He shrugs. “I haven’t wanted that before. Not with anyone else I’ve dated. But with you? I like the idea a whole lot. I like the idea of calling you my husband. I like the idea of you wearing my ring, so everyone knows your mine.”

I shiver. “I like that too.”

“Yeah?” Excitement flares in his eyes.

I laugh gruffly. “Then again, can you imagine the headlines? Blubber Boy Marries His Childhood Bully?”

He winces. “God, don’t use that awful name.”

“I’m sorry.” I grimace.

He pulls me into his arms, holding me so tight, it’s hard to breathe. “I’m so sorry, Gabe. God, I’m so sorry I ever hurt you like that. I want to die when I think about hurting you.”

“It’s okay, Ry. I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have used that name. It doesn’t mean anything to me anymore.”

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