Page 208 of Almost Ours
For a heartbeat, she was silent, her hands flying to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. Then, the tears started, streaming down her cheeks as she choked out, “Yes! Of course, yes!”
She fumbled with her glove, tugging it off with trembling fingers before holding out her hand. I slid the ring onto her bare finger, my hands shaking almost as much as hers, the cold air forgotten in the warmth of that moment.
I stood, pulling her into my arms, and kissed her deeply, the world around us falling away. The city, the snow, the cold–it all disappeared as I held her close, her heart beating wildly against mine, both of us breathless with joy.
“Connor!” I called out, my voice bubbling with excitement as I pulled back, the joy making me feel like I was floating.
From behind a nearby tree, Connor came barrelling toward us, his face lit up with a huge smile. “She said yes?” he asked, breathless, his excitement obvious as he looked between the two of us.
“She said yes,” I confirmed, my heart soaring. Connor didn’t hesitate, throwing his arms around both of us in a tight hug.
“Finally!” he said, his voice full of exaggerated relief, making Harper laugh through her tears. “I’ve been holding that secret for days!”
Harper hugged him tightly, her voice thick with emotion. “You were in on this?”
“Of course I was,” Connor said proudly, his grin widening. “Ryan couldn’t have done it without me.”
I ruffled his hair, feeling a rush of love for this kid and the woman I was about to spend the rest of my life with. “I told you, Harper. We’re a package deal.”
She smiled up at me, her eyes full of love, her face glowing with joy. “And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
The announcer’svoice boomed through the rink, cutting through the air and echoing off the packed stands. “And now, starting on the first line, number 21… Connor Barzal!”
A roar of cheers erupted as I skated onto the ice, my heart thundering in my chest. The bright lights above made the ice shimmer, and for a moment, I couldn’t quite believe this was real. My first junior hockey game. The start of something I’d dreamed about for as long as I could remember.
I took a slow lap around the ice, nodding at the crowd, feeling their energy surge through me. And then it hit me–the name. My name.Connor Barzal.
As I lined up with my teammates, a flood of memories rushed back to me, vivid as if they were happening all over again. Four years ago, the morning of the wedding. I’d been getting ready with Ryan and Shane while Mom was upstairs, probably fussing with the final touches of her dress. She didn’t know what I was about to do, but we’d talked about it a few weeks earlier, and I couldn’t keep it inside any longer.
I knew how she felt about the name Bishop, though she’d never admit it. She didn’t want to carry it any longer, not aftereverything my dad put her through. But she hadn’t changed it, not wanting me and her to have different last names. It wasn’t fair. She deserved to let go of that part of her life, just like I did.
Ryan had been standing in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie, looking more nervous than I’d ever seen him. Shane had been trying to joke around, easing the tension, but couldn’t hide how antsy he was. It wasn’t just a big day for Ryan and mom; it was a big day for all of us.
“Hey, Ryan?” I said, pulling the folded piece of paper from my pocket, my hands suddenly clammy.
Ryan turned to me, brows furrowing as he saw the serious look on my face. “What’s up, bud?”
I handed him the paper, my fingers trembling slightly. “I wanted to give this to you before the wedding.”
Shane, who’d been tying his shoes, stopped and looked up curiously as Ryan unfolded the paper. I could see Ryan’s eyes scanning the words, and then, for a moment, everything went still. His expression froze–blank at first–but then his jaw dropped just a little, and his eyes lifted to meet mine, his eyes already glassy.
“Connor…” His voice cracked as he spoke. “This is a–”
“A petition for a name change,” I cut in, finishing his sentence for him. “I want to be Connor Barzal. I know Mom doesn’t want to keep Bishop, but she won’t change it because of me. But I think we should all have the same last name, you know? We’re a family.”
Ryan’s hand flew to his mouth, his shoulders trembling as he fought to keep himself together. He lowered the paper slowly, his eyes welling up with tears that he couldn’t hide. “Are you sure about this, kid?” his voice cracked, thick with emotion.
I nodded, my throat tight. “Yeah. You’re my dad now. You’ve been my dad for a while. I just want it to be official.”
For a moment, Ryan didn’t say anything. He just stood there, staring at me as though he couldn’t believe what I’d just said. Then, without warning, he pulled me into the tightest hug I’d ever felt, his hand cradling the back of my head like he was afraid I’d disappear if he let go.
“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice raw. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
From across the room, Shane cleared his throat loudly. When I looked over, I saw him wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, trying to look like he wasn’t crying.
“Damn kid,” Shane grumbled, his voice gruff. “You’re gonna ruin my tough-guy image.”
Ryan and I both chuckled, pulling away from the embrace. Ryan glanced back down at the petition, then back at me, his smile so wide it almost seemed like it would split his face in half.
