“Exactly,” I say softly, dipping my chin. “Our secret.”
His eyes grow darker and the muscle in his jaw tics before he nods. “Our secret,” he repeats, his voice low, his tone off, but I don’t question him on it.
Even after he walks me out to my car and sends me on my way home with the warmth of his lips lingering on mine, those two words feel unsettled inside my mind.
I’ve never been a fan of secrets and here I am, building my own collection of them…
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
JACE
The early morning sun cuts in through the high windows along the east side, casting rays of sunshine across the unfinished floorboards inside the entrance.
We closed on the rink yesterday and the roofing contractors are already here to start repairs.
Walking deeper into the building, I move past the entrance as my mind cycles through our to-do list. Permits, materials, roofing estimates, contractor schedules. The list feels never-ending and borderline suffocating. Eventually, this place will be everything we want it to be, we just have to survive the in-between for now.
We agreed I’ll be overseeing the remodel myself for now. Due to his situation, Harrison can’t leave his job until we determine if this venture is going to be lucrative or a bust.
The hinges of the door groan, drawing my attention away from the cracked boards and I turn around as Harrison comes walking inside. His lips are pulled downward and the bags beneath his eyes are dark.
He looks like hell, like he hasn’t slept in weeks. It’s the kind of exhaustion that settles into your bones, the kind that festers, refusing to go away on its own. It’s mental exhaustion and I can’thelp but wonder if it’s from the stress of this project. He stops when he gets to me, his shoulders slightly slumped.
“You look like you could use this,” I say, handing him one of the hot coffees I stopped to grab on my way into town this morning.
“Thanks,” he says, his voice gruff as he looks out past me at the ice. Nothing about his appearance is new. It’s become his normal recently, although he appears more fatigued today than he has before. There’s something beneath the surface that’s eating at him.
He spins the coffee cup sleeve around his cup over and over as if it’s grounding him. He doesn’t take a sip right away. He gazes out at the ice, like he’s desperately searching for some answer or resolve.
“You good?” I ask, my eyebrows tugging together as my eyes quickly scan him. He’s wearing a pair of joggers and a sweatshirt, which isn’t out of the ordinary for him. His hair's a bit disheveled, but it’s the bags under his eyes that really grab my attention.
He looks back at me, his expression giving nothing away. “I’m fine.”
Knowing Harrison’s aversion to emotions and discussing them, I let the issue go instead of pushing it. “I was just double checking our list and making a few notes.”
Harrison nods. “We have all the contractors lined up, right?”
“Except for minor things like painting and cosmetic stuff. I figured I could handle most of that.”
“I told you I’d help,” he says, his voice low—not in warning, but just as a reminder.
“I know we can figure it out when it’s time for that stage of work,” I say, not wanting to dive into the specifics of it now.
Judging by the look on his face, it’s apparent he’s dealing with some other things that are probably taking a front seat inhis mind. “Are you sure you still want to do this? It’s not too late to back out if it’s going to be too much.”
The muscle in his jaw tightens and he shakes his head. “No, this is what I want to do. I put in my resignation letter, so at the end of the month, my schedule will open up a lot more.”
His words hang in the air for a second. He turns to look at me. “I told you, this is everything I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Damn, I was not expecting that.
His voice carries conviction, but there’s still something under it. It’s not doubt, but it almost sounds like regret. This has always been his dream and for him to make that jump, even when Erin tried to talk him out of it—–it says a lot about his commitment to this.
“Okay,” I say, nodding at him. “Just know, if it ever changes, all you have to do is tell me. There will never be any hard feelings.”
He forces a smile onto his face, although his expression does soften and relax a bit. “Thanks. That won’t happen, but I appreciate the sentiment.”
“We’re taking on a lot here.” I pause, chewing on the inside of my cheek for a moment. “Willow offered to help with anything we might need, when the time comes if there is something she can help with.”
