Page 61 of Face Off

“I wanted to see you. Both of you,” I admitted.

“You saw me last night.” She raised a brow.

“Yeah, and I wanted more.” So much more. There was a moment last night, walking around and holding her hand, that a realization smacked me in the face. Looking around at all of my friends, happy and settled, I was finally able to admit to myself that I wanted that too. And it wasn’t just the general concept. It had taken this long because I hadn’t met a woman I wanted to settle down with. Until Holly. Sure, when I first found out she had a daughter, I was overwhelmed and didn’t think that was something I could handle, but so much had changed. I got to know her and Sadie, and my heart was no longer my own.

Her cheeks reddened, but she didn’t say anything, so I decided to tell her how I felt, in the middle of a fast-food restaurant.

“My life has become unpredictable for the first time ever. Since the moment I first put on skates, my future was set on one course. Everything I’ve done has been to reach one goal. And I’ve been living it now for years, and the very idea of it ending is absolutely terrifying. I feel like my world is crumbling around me. I have no idea what I’ll be doing in three months, let alone a year, and it’s completely new to me.” I sucked in a breath. “But there’s been one thing that’s become a bright spot through this all.” Her eyes met mine, and I felt a calmness I hadn’t ever experienced, not even when I got my first contract and knew I was going to play in the NHL. “You.”

Her brows rose. “Me?”

“Yeah.” I looked over at the play-place to check on Sadie. “Both of you.”

She smiled. “I have to admit, knowing you’d be at the park or even around the arena is something I look forward to.”

I wanted to jump on the bench and cheer, scream to all those around us that she liked me, she really liked me. Well, at least as a friend. I wanted to test my luck, see exactly how much she looked forward to our interactions, but it wasn’t time. Not yet. Not while we were surrounded by families and eating food out of paper wrappers.

“Should we go to the park, or do you think she’ll be happier here?” I asked.

“Well, you know her favorite place in the whole world.” She began cleaning up the table and putting our trash on the tray.

“Swings.” I laughed.

“Right, so she might have been satisfied with this if you didn’t mention the park, but I’m sure she can’t wait to get there.”

While Holly went to the garbage bins, I opened the door into the playroom. “Sadie?”

“Mikey!” Her voice called from somewhere beyond.

“Ready to go to the park?”

“Yeah!” she cheered, and a few moments later she appeared at the bottom of the slide. She picked up her shoes and ran over to me, taking my hand and pulling me to a row of chairs. “Can you help?”

She kicked her feet out in front of her, and I got on my knees and slipped on her pink shoes and tied them. “All set?”

She nodded and jumped down, taking my hand again.

It was so natural for her. Clearly not something she was thinking about or analyzing. I wanted to remember this moment forever.

When we went back into the main part of the restaurant, Holly was waiting. Her eyes dropped to our hands, and a smile flickered across her lips before she opened the door. “Let’s go.”

21

Holly

I was turning into that single mom. The one that got all mushy and excited when she saw a man being nice to her child. When her daughter liked that same man. Thinking of a future with those being regular things. Like a big, happy family.

Mikey said we were a bright spot in all the mess surrounding him. That was it. He liked us. He liked spending time with us. I was getting so far ahead of myself to think it was anything more. He wasn’t in a place to think of the future, well, beyond what he was going to do with his career. He had more than enough on his shoulders. I couldn’t add my imaginary life of us together onto that.

He was offering more than I could have ever asked for. Friendship.

It was exactly what we both needed right then.

His friends were busy with their own lives and families, but the two of us were in the gray in-between. Yes, we were adults with our own busy lives, but no one to share that with. We gravitated toward each other from the beginning because we had that in common. We both needed someone to talk to and somehow recognized that in the other.

“Holly?” he said my name, and I snapped out of my thoughts.

“Yeah?”