A million times faster.
36
THE BEST THING
FORD
When I’m on the ice, I wear all sorts of protective gear—shoulder pads, a mouthguard, a cup. They help protect you from the hits.
In life, though? You can’t really protect yourself. Not with a stoic attitude or an emotional shutdown.
So, with no armor—just my heart on my sleeve—I walk into the middle of their live stream.
I’ve been watching it online from the driveway for the last fifteen minutes. About five thousand people are tuned in. Fewer than the number of fans who come to a Sea Dogs game, but far more than I ever expected to witness the hardest thing I’ve ever done: ask for another chance.
With a curious glint in her gaze, Skylar stands in front of the dove gray couch she picked out one afternoon last month, when I started to realize I could fall for her. Probably already had.
I square my shoulders, ready to say the hard stuff. I should’ve scripted this. But some things are better unplanned.
“I miss you,” I say, my voice steady even if everythinginside me is trembling. “And I was completely wrong when I thought you distracted me from playing.”
Her bright eyes are fixed on me. I hope her heart’s still open, too, but it’s hard to tell. She’s saying nothing—just waiting for me to keep talking.
“It was fear that distracted me. The fear that you might not feel the same as me. The fear that you might not want the same things I do. And I let it masquerade as something else.”
Trevyn smothers a smile. Mabel rolls her lips together, trying to hide hers. They’re in on this too. I called and asked when they were going live, and they told me.
“I’m sorry,” I continue, my chest cracking open. The fear’s still real, but I have to push past it. She’s worth the risk. “I’m so sorry I didn’t realize this the other night. I’m sorry it took me almost a week. But I know it now. And if you’ll take me back…” I pause, my heart stuttering with hope. “I’ll always put you first. Well, sometimes I might put your dog first, but I think that’s one and the same in your eyes.”
Her eyes shine—hopefully from happy tears—as Mabel keeps the phone steady, capturing every word.
“It is the same,” Skylar says, her voice wobbly. Her lips quirk up and she can’t seem to fight off a smile.
“Good. Because I love you,” I say, and that was hard, but it’s also freeing. Like getting back on the ice after an injury. Like stepping out of an ice bath. Like finally,finallyletting go of the past for real. “I love you so much. When I met you and your dog humped my dog, I thought you were a complete pain in the ass. But I couldn’t stop thinking about you—and I haven’t stopped since. And now I know that’s not a bad thing. It’s the best thing.You’rethe best thing.”
She shakes her head slightly, and for a second, I worry she’s going to say no. But it’s more like amazement. She steps forward, grabs the collar of my shirt, and says, “You beat me to it.”
“To what?”
“To sayingit,” she says, and I hope so hard heritmeans what I want it to. “I realized I kind of ran away too,” she says, apologetic, but she hardly needs to be. “I didn’t tell you that you were an idiot the other night. I didn’t tell you that you were wrong. And I definitely didn’t tell you that I’ve fallen in love with you too.”
My breath hitches. My chest warms, and I feel drunk in the best of ways. Those words are all I want.
“I want to be there for you,” she adds. “I want to take care of you. And let you know I’m not going anywhere. You can’t get rid of me.”
“Well…you are my next-door neighbor,” I say.
She smirks. “Exactly. Which is why you really better be nice to me. Ineverysingle way.”
I grin. “So will you take me back?”
She lifts a brow. “Only if you’ll eat a peanut butter dog biscuit live.”
“That’s all you’re gonna make me do?”
“Okay, fine. Get down on your knees and tell me I’m amazing.”
“That’s easy.” I drop to my knees, look up at her, and say, “You’re amazing. And even when you drove me crazy, I was falling in love with you. I want to keep falling in love with you. Every single day. Will you let me?”
