In bed.
I see our future together, and I’m not going to let fear threaten that.
Maybe our season is over and Ross will sell the Storm. Maybe the family we’ve found will be split into pieces. I’m not giving up on Jordan, though. I’m not letting her go.
I’m going to convince Jordan Hathaway to fall in love with me.
CHAPTER 71
JORDAN
“Bye, guys.”I wave as Rory, Hayden, Jamie, Alexei, Luca, and Carey leave. They call their goodnights, walking off into the dark, and an uncomfortable weight of emotion lodges in my chest.
Hayden and Darcy’s wedding is in a week. Who’s going to feel like celebrating now? They’re going to look back on photos of their wedding and pair it with memories of not getting into playoffs.
“Wait.” Luca runs back and wraps me in a tight hug. “I’m sorry we let you down,” he says and my heart cracks.
Yes, I will have to return to the bar now, but the part that’s killing me is that these guys wanted to win the Stanley Cup more thananything. It could have changed their whole careers. They’d look back on memories of winning for the rest of their lives.
“You didn’t.” I give his shoulders a light shake, even though he towers over me. “I promise, Luca. I’m proud of you no matter what.”
He gives me a lopsided smile like he doesn’t believe me but nods, stepping back. “Well, goodnight.”
I close the door behind him, chewing my lip. I meet Tate’s eyes where he sits at the counter. Sad country music that Carey put on still plays on low volume.
“I’m really going to miss those guys,” I tell him.
They’ll come back to the bar, but it won’t be the same, now thatI’ve failed them like this. And eventually they’ll move on like they were always meant to.
He nods, gaze gentle and soft.
And you,I want to say.I’m really going to miss you.
Our deal was until the end of the season, and we’re not getting into playoffs, so whatever fun Tate and I were having is done. My heart tightens into a tiny little stone and sinks through me, down to the floor.
“I’m fine to close up if you want to head home,” I tell him, heading back behind the counter.
His gaze is all over my face. “I’ll stay. Is that okay?”
“Of course.” I welcome it, tonight.
“I know how much you love being alone.”
I smile. “Not tonight.”
He studies me for a beat. “Are you lonely, Jordan?”
An ache moves through my chest. He asked me this once before, and I said no before I could even think about it.
“I don’t know,” I admit, feeling exposed. “I think I’ve been alone for so long that I don’t know what anything else feels like.”
I don’t feel lonely around you,I don’t say.
He makes a noise of acknowledgment, and when our gazes meet, my heart does a flip. I don’t know what it means, that I want to be around Tate when things go horribly wrong. That his presence makes everything hurt less. The affection in his eyes makes me ache. I want to wrap myself in him like a blanket.
“Will you dance with me?” he asks, and when I nod, he takes my hand and leads me to the open area of the bar.
We sway to the song’s twangy slide guitar and I sink against him, inhaling his comforting, clean scent. I let him lead, let him sway me around, my focus on the areas where we touch—our hands, his arm around my waist, my hand on his shoulder.
