Page 196 of Almost Ours
“That’s dangerous.”
“Shut up for a second. What if…” I hesitated, then let the words spill.
There was silence, then Shane let out a low whistle. “That would be sick. You really think it could work?”
“Yeah,” I said, my pulse picking up. “I’ll talk to Jeff. See what he says.”
“Man,” Shane laughed, the sound echoing through the line, “if you pull this off… it changes everything.”
“Exactly,” I murmured, my grin widening. “That’s the point.”
I was sprawledout on the office couch, my laptop balanced on my legs as I sketched out tomorrow’s practice plan. The arena was quiet this late at night, the hum of the day replaced by a peaceful stillness.
It had been three days since I last saw Harper and Connor. Three long days. And I still had three more to go.
I grinned at the thought–three more days until I could wrap my arms around them, until I could spend every waking moment with them. Until everything felt right again.
The sharp buzz of my phone cut through the silence. A FaceTime call.
Harper’s name lit up the screen, and my heart did a little flip.
I answered immediately, my excitement spiking. “Hey–”
Before I could finish, the screen filled with Connor’s grinning face. “Hi, Ryan!” he said, his voice bright and full of energy.
I laughed, warmth spreading through me at the sight of him. “Hey, buddy! How’s my favourite hockey star doing?”
Connor launched into an animated recap of his day, words tumbling over each other as he told me about a project at school and how he’d finally beaten a tricky level in one of his video games. His enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself grinning so hard my cheeks hurt.
“Guess what else?” Connor asked, his eyes lighting up.
“What?” I leaned closer, fully invested.
“I taught Mrs. Knox how to playMario Kart!She’s not very good, though.” He giggled, clearly delighted.
I chuckled. “Well, you’re a tough opponent. I’m not surprised she’s struggling to keep up.”
Connor puffed out his chest. “She said I’m a mean driver.”
“You are,” I teased. “I’ve been on the receiving end of those banana peels, remember?”
Connor’s laugh filled the room, wrapping around me like a hug. God, I missed this. Missed him. Missed them.
“Connor, tell Ryan goodnight and hand me the phone!” Harper’s voice called from somewhere offscreen.
Connor groaned but turned back to the camera. “I gotta go, but I’ll see you in three days, right?”
“You bet. And get ready–I’ve been practicing. YourMario Kartreign is coming to an end.”
“No way!” he shouted before shoving the phone toward Harper and darting off.
And then there she was.
Harper’s face filled the screen, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Her hair was loose, framing her face in soft waves, and that smile–damn, that smile–knocked me flat every time.
“You’re stunning,” I blurted, unable to stop myself.
Her cheeks flushed, her smile growing wider. “Thank you.” Her voice was soft, almost shy.
