“I can’t let the reservation go to waste, and I sure as hell don’t want to stay home alone with Cookie staring at me for six days. Come with me.”
He stares at me, and I hold my breath, waiting for him to say he has stuff he needs to do, or he wants to be alone.
But then his smirk grows into a broad smile, and the tension around his eyes seems to disappear. He’s obviously figured out my little game, but at the moment, I don’t give one tiny rat’s ass.
“Yeah,” he breathes out, the word ghosting into the cold air. “That sounds great. Get me out of here.”
Victory rushes through me warmer than whiskey. “Done. Let’s plan to roll out on Friday morning. 9:00 a.m.?”
“Hell, yeah,” he says. And for the first time in a week, there’s a spark of life in those blue eyes. “Thanks, Lou.”
“You’re the one doing me the favor, remember?” I wink. “Go get some sleep, Rookie. I’ll see you here tomorrow afternoon.” We’ve got one final game before the break. Tomorrow night,against the San Francisco Fire, who are currently sitting in last place in the entire league. And then it’s a solid week off.
“Night.”
He gets into his car, and I turn toward my SUV. My heart is hammering against my ribs as I slide into the driver’s seat and shut the door, sealing out the rain.
I unlock my phone.Reservation Confirmed.
I stare at the message, chewing on my lip. Well, Caley did tell me to grow a pair—I wonder if this qualifies. Five nights of nothing butTanner, me, the wild Pacific Northwest coast, and a fireplace.
This is a big, giant-ass step, and if it goes off the rails, the consequences are going to be major, and not just for our careers. For the first time, maybe ever, I’m worried about the consequences for my heart if this goes sideways.
“Fuck,” I whisper, leaning my head back against the headrest. It’s terrifying.
I can’t wait for Friday.
Chapter 15
Tanner
The windshield wipers of Louis’s SUV are working overtime, fighting a losing battle against the deluge hammering us as we head west. It’s not just rain; it’s a gray curtain of water that blurs the world into streaks of slate and charcoal.
I should be white-knuckling the steering wheel. Visibility is shit, the roads are slick, and I’m driving a car that costs more than my mom’s house. But I’m weirdly calm and comfortable.
In the passenger seat, Louis is shifting around, trying to get comfortable without jostling his sling. Every so often, he lets out a small hiss of breath. I can’t tell whether it’s from pain or from frustration at still being in the sling, but whenever I glance over, he flashes me that trademark grin, the one that disarms referees and charms the pants off—well, everyone.
“We’re getting clo-o-se!” he says excitedly as he peers through the rain-streaked glass.
“GPS says ten minutes,” I say, keeping my eyes on the wet asphalt. “Unless this rain washes the road out.”
“Makes for great atmosphere,” Louis counters. “It's cozy.”
“It’s a car wash without the wax,” I mutter, though I don’t actually mind.
There’s a safety in this setup that I didn’t expect. When Louis asked me to come with him, my brain practically short-circuited. Four nights together. Alone. It felt dangerous. But now that it’s actually happening, it feels natural.
We round a curve in the road, and suddenly, the dense forest on our left breaks open.
Lou lets out a low whistle. “Whoa,” he breathes.
I ease off the gas, captivated by the view spread out before me. The trees have given way to a drop-off, and below us, the Pacific Ocean reveals itself. It’s a churning expanse of gray-blue waves crashing against jagged black rocks. White foam sprays high into the air, carried by the icy wind. It’s wild, untamed, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Lou leans forward in the passenger seat. “Riley wasn’t kidding. She said the view from the highway was the best part, but damn.”
My hands tighten on the wheel at ten and two. “Riley?”
“Yeah, Riley Campbell. The receptionist? She’s the one who told me about this place. Her cousins own a renovation company, Hot Dam Homes, and they did the work to upgrade this place. I guess it was pretty dilapidated before they fixed it up.”
