Page 168 of Almost Ours
I stifled a laugh, grateful for her humour as we reached the table.
Shane greeted us with his signature smirk, looking far too pleased with himself. “If it isn’t my favourite critic and her charming sidekick.”
Nina snorted, flipping her hair dramatically. “I prefer ‘queen of sass,’ but I’ll let you have that one.” She crossed her arms, eyeing him. “So, Shane, who’s your victim tonight?”
Shane gestured to the man sitting across from him. “Ladies, meet Kyle.”
The man turned to face us, and my heart stopped.
Kyle.Thiswas Kyle.
My eyes flicked down, taking in the wheelchair, the strong set of his shoulders, and the easy confidence in his posture. When I met his gaze, his deep green eyes were kind but sharp, studying me with quiet curiosity.
“You’re Ryan’s Harper?” he asked.
The way he said it–like the title meant something–made my breath catch.
“Oh yeah,” Shane grinned, like he’d just dropped some kind of bombshell. “That’s her.”
Kyle extended a hand toward me, and I shook it automatically, my mind scrambling to keep up. “I’ve heard a lot about you. And Connor,” he added, his smile widening.
I forced a weak one of my own. “Probably not the best things lately.”
Kyle chuckled, picking up his beer. “Ryan would never say a bad word about you.Ever.”
The certainty in his voice made my stomach twist. I opened my mouth, unsure what to say, but Shane cut in, gesturing toward the booth. “Sit down. Join us. Drinks are on me–well, actually on Kyle, since he’s the high roller here.”
Kyle rolled his eyes, clearly used to Shane’s antics. Nina shot me a quick look before sliding into the booth across from him, and after a brief hesitation I followed, settling in beside her.
A waitress appeared to take our orders. I asked for a glass of wine, suddenly feeling like I needed something to steady myself.
“So,” Nina said, resting her elbow on the table as she turned to Kyle. “What brings you to our little corner of the world?”
Kyle glanced at me briefly before answering. “Planning with Ryan. Helping him get things packed.”
My stomach lurched.Packed?
Beside me, Nina’s posture stiffened. I barely registered the way her fingers brushed against my arm–like, questioning, like she was silently askingWhat the fuck?My throat tightened, but I kept my eyes on Kyle, even as I felt Shane shift uncomfortably across the table.
I tried to keep my expression neutral, though my voice wavered slightly. “Packed? What for?”
Kyle and Shane exchanged a look–one of those silent conversations that spoke volumes. Shane glanced down at his drink, suddenly fascinated by the condensation on the glass, deliberately avoiding my gaze. My pulse pounded in my ears.
Finally, Kyle answered, his tone careful. “Ryan and I are spending the next couple of months coaching the national sledge hockey team at their training camp.”
The words landed like a punch to the gut.He’s leaving?
I swallowed hard, willing my voice to stay steady. “That sounds… exciting.”
But the words felt hollow, foreign in my mouth.
Nina, either sensing I needed a distraction or genuinely curious, leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “Okay, I knowofsledge hockey, but I don’t actually know how it works. Enlighten me.”
Kyle’s lips quirked into a grin, and for a second, the tension at the table eased. “It’s basically hockey, played on sleds. The players sit in them, and instead of skating, they use two sticks with picks on the ends to propel themselves across the ice.”He lifted his hands, mimicking the movement. “Same rules as stand-up hockey–offsides, penalties, all that–but a lot more upper body work.”
Nina’s eyes widened. “That sounds intense.”
Kyle chuckled. “It is. People think it’s just a slower version of hockey, but it’s fast. And physical. Hits still happen. Guys get chirpy. It’s legit.”
