I know kid.
Sometimes I don’t believe it’s real either.
I don’t even realize I’m crying until Layken squeezes my shoulder.
“He loves him,” she says softly. “So much.”
“And if you don’t mind my saying so,” Ella says, bumping my shoulder with her own, “I would venture a strong guess that he loves you too.”
He loves me?
“Harrison?”
Ella nods, a knowing smirk forming on her lips. “Mhmm. You should’ve seen him today. That man would easily walk through fire for you. If that’s not love…”
It is love.
Because I would walk through fire for him too.
“Yeah…” The word comes out but I’m so captivated by Harrison and my son,ourson, on the ice, I’ve forgotten what we were even talking about.
Harrison skates over to Connor, drapes an arm around his shoulders, and leans in to say something that makes Connor laugh so hard he almost tips over. And suddenly the guilt I carried all morning—the fear that I’d failed my son—loosens its grip.
Because I didn’t fail him.
I just chose someone who would never let him down.
Harrison looks up, finds me through the glass, and gives me a small, reassuring smile.
A smile that says “I told you I’ve got this.”
And for the first time ever I believe it with my whole self. I believe it so strongly the next words to tumble out of my mouth fall without a second thought.
“I love him too.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
HARRISON
My condo is too quiet.
That’s the problem.
I’ve already wiped down the counters twice. Chicken is in the oven though Harper and Connor won’t be here for another twenty minutes. I keep checking the clock like it’s lying to me, like time might suddenly decide to sprint.
Fuck, I’m all over the place today. On one hand, I’ve been anxiously awaiting this day for weeks, wanting Connor to know the truth. Hoping he’ll be just as excited to find out that I’m his father as I am to tell him, so we can finally be a forever family. But on the other hand, I’m nervous as fuck for the truth to come out. We’ve been in this comfortable little bubble of happiness since I kissed Harper all those weeks ago. Connor has been amazing letting me see his mom even though that means I’m taking time with her away from him. The guilt is real, and so are the nerves, because if he doesn’t take the news well, I honestly don’t know what I’ll do.
What if he hates me?
I mean, I know he loves me as a player, but what if he hates the idea of my being his dad?
What if he refuses me?
What if he doesn’t want me to love him?
I drag a hand through my hair and exhale hard. “Okay, okay, get over yourself, Meers. He’s a kid. Kids are resilient. And he’s going to love this.”
Maybe just…practice again.
