Page 194 of Almost Ours
Together, we stood in the rain, holding on to each other like we never wanted to let go. I didn’t want this moment to end, but I knew it had to.
Ryan pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes, his thumb gently tracing my jaw as he said, “You know, Harper… I spent so much time thinking that I had to be perfect to deserve you, but all I’ve ever needed was to be honest. Honest with myself, honest with you. And I’m telling you, right now, in the middle of this storm, that I’d walk through a hundred more just to keep you by my side.”
A shaky breath left me, my fingers tightening in the fabric of his shirt like I was afraid to let him go. Maybe I was.
“You don’t have to walk through anymore storms alone,” I whispered, pressing my palm over his heart. “Not ever again. I love you, Ryan. For exactly who you are. No past, no mistakes–just you. And I promise, I’m not going anywhere this time.”
His breath hitched, and for a moment, he just stared at me, like he was trying to commit every word to memory. Then, with a quiet groan, he pulled me in again, his lips brushing against mine in a kiss so soft, so reverent, it made my chest ache.
I smiled against his mouth, before pulling back slightly, my fingers tracing a raindrop down his jaw. “You need to get goingif you want to make it to practice on time,” I said softly, brushing my hand down his arm. “It’s disgusting out there, so drive slow and careful, okay?”
Ryan smirked, that playful glint in his eye making my heart do an unsteady flip. “I’d rather stay here,” he said, his voice dipping into a lower register. “There are so many things I’ve missed about you, Harper. So many things I’ve missed doing to you.”
My cheeks burned as he leaned in, playfully nipping at my bottom lip. I laughed despite myself, swatting at his chest. “Ryan!”
“What?” He grinned, completely unrepentant. “Just stating facts.”
I rolled my eyes, even as my stomach flipped again. “I would love for you to stay, but I’m not going to keep you away from your team. Those kids need you.”
He sighed, his forehead resting briefly against mine. “You always know how to guilt me into doing the right thing,” he teased, but there was no mistaking the affection in his tone.
“When do you need to let the coach know about the permanent position?” I asked, brushing a raindrop from his cheek.
“By the end of next week,” he said, his hand sliding down to rest on my hip. “I’m not making any decisions until you and I have a proper conversation about it, though. We’ve got a couple of days off coming up, and I’ll come back to see you and Connor then. We’ll talk everything through.”
I nodded, my chest tightening as he pulled me into a hug. God, I didn’t want to let go. His arms wrapped around me, strong and warm, and I felt like I could stay like this forever.
His breath was warm against my ear as he whispered, “Tell me to stay, Harper. Tell me, and I’ll stay. I’ll quit, I won’t go back. Just tell me to stay.”
I closed my eyes, his words tugging at every part of me. God, I wanted to say it. I wanted to tell him not to leave, that I’d just gotten him back and couldn’t bear to let him go. But I couldn’t. This wasn’t just about me–it was about him and the dream he’d worked so hard for.
I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, brushing my lips against his in a soft kiss. “We’ll be here waiting for you when you’re back. You deserve this, Ryan. I love you.”
He groaned, running a hand down his face before breaking in a reluctant smile. “You’re impossible, you know that?” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “But you’re also the most incredible woman I’ve ever known. I love you, Harper. I’ll be back before you know it.”
And with that, he kissed me one last time–slow, lingering, like he was trying to memorize every detail–before turning and walking to his truck.
I stood there, rain dripping down my face, watching him drive away until his taillights disappeared into the storm. My chest felt heavy with the weight of letting him go, but there was also a lightness, a joy I hadn’t felt in a long time.
I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face as I turned and headed back to the hospital, pulling out my phone to call Nina. There was no way I was keeping this to myself–not this kiss, not the confession, not the fact that for the first time in a long time, I felt like things were finally falling into place.
The arena buzzed with life–voiceshumming, skates slicing across the ice, the occasional burst of laughter echoing through the space. I walked in just in time, my phone still warm in my hand from my call with Harper. She and Connor had just gotten home from the hospital, and though her voice had been soft, it was full of relief.
“Good,” I’d told her, grinning like an idiot as I stood just inside the entrance. “I’m here too. Made it with time to spare.”
“Good,” she’d echoed, amusement threading through her tone. “Now go and show them what you’ve got, Coach.”
It didn’t matter that the rain was still coming down hard or that I’d just driven through what felt like a monsoon to get here. Nothing could dampen my mood–not after the lasttwenty-four hours.
As I rolled my bag into the dressing room, Kyle spotted me from across the space. He manoeuvred his wheelchair smoothly between players and coaches before stopping in front of me.
“I’d ask if everything’s okay,” he said, one eyebrow raised, his lips quirking into a smirk, “but judging by the look on your face, I’d say things are pretty damn good.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You have no idea.”
“Why don’t you tell me then?”
So I did. I told him everything–Harper, Connor, the hospital, the rain-soaked confession in the parking lot. By the time I was finished, Kyle was grinning from ear to ear.
