"I know."
"Three weeks of nothing. No calls, no texts."
"I know."
Her eyes drop to my banged up hand. "What happened there?"
"I put my fist through a wall." No point in lying. Not anymore.
She studies me for a long moment, jaw working like she's chewing words she won't say. Her eyes dart away, then back.
"You look like shit," she finally says.
"Feel like shit." I try to smile but it doesn't work.
"Can I come in?"
"No." She crosses her arms, the barrier between us as solid as the door. "Why are you here?"
A lump forms in my throat, making it hard to swallow. I hadn't planned this out. But standing here now, I know exactly what I need to say.
"I was wrong. I thought I had to choose—Tyler or you, father or partner, captain or boyfriend. I thought I was protecting everyone by keeping the pieces of my life separate. I thought—" My voice cracks, and I have to take a breath before continuing. "I thought I couldn't be everything everyone needed me to be at once, so I had to pick what mattered most."
Her expression doesn't change, but her energy does.
"Instead, I fucked everything up. Tyler misses you. I miss you. I’ve been a shit hockey player. And I—" I press my palm against the doorframe to steady myself. "I haven't been sleeping for shit. Can't eat. Can't think straight. I thought I was making the noble choice, but I was wrong. Running away from what scared me most."
"Which was what?" Her voice is so soft I almost miss it.
"Being happy," I admit. "Having things I thought I didn’t deserve. A family. You."
She uncrosses her arms but still doesn't invite me in. I can see the hurt in her eyes.
"You cut me out," she says, and there's a tremor in her voice. "You didn't ask what I wanted. You decided for both of us."
"I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I could protect you that way."
"That wasn't your choice to make." Her eyes flash with sudden heat. "I'm a grown woman, Logan. I can decide what battles I'm willing to fight. What shit I'm willing to put up with. What pain is worth it to me. You took that away when you walked out."
She's right, and I know it.
"I did," I acknowledge, meeting her gaze directly. "And I was wrong."
"Do you know what it's been like?" She's not yelling, but her voice carries an intensity that pins me in place. "Seeing you struggle on TV? Losing my job and then having the only other things that mattered ripped away too?"
I shake my head, unable to find words.
"It was cruel," she continues. "Making that decision for yourself was cruel, Logan. Even if you thought you were being noble."
"I know," I say, the words barely audible. "I'm so fucking sorry, Reese."
She takes a deep breath, steadying herself. "If—and it's a big if—we try this again, I need something from you first."
"Anything." The word comes instantly.
"No more running when things get hard," she says, each word clear and deliberate. "No more you deciding for both of us. If something affects me, affects us, we talk about it. Together. Always."
I nod, feeling my shoulders relax slightly. "Never again," I promise. "No more separate boxes for different parts of my life. Just me. All of me, all in."
