“Wait…” Piper has the look of someone trying to piece something together.
Shit. Did I give too much away? There’s no way. I haven’t even come close to hinting at who the guy is.
Except I must have given my sister just enough because her face lights up.
“Oh my God! It’s him!”
“Shh!” I hush her as Dad comes into the living room and hands us each our drink.
“What are you two whispering about?” he asks.
“Dad, could you maybe grab us some pretzels?”
“Okay?” he asks, confused more than anything.
“Thank you.” She watches as he leaves before turning her attention back to me. “It’s Graham, right?”
“Piper, seriously! Stop talking!”
“That means I’m right.” The look of gloating on Piper’s face is too much for me.
“Okay, I’m going to watch the game in the silence of my room.”
“Hey.” She grabs my arm and tugs me back down onto the couch. “Look, I won’t say anything. Trust me, but it makes sense.”
“It does?” Am I really that transparent?
“Yes. The way you’ve always grumbled about him and what he did to you. You hated him. Only makes sense you fell in love.”
“Have you always been this smart?” I ask, tongue-in-cheek.
“Yes. You just ignored your little sister,” Piper says with a cocky smile. “I only call it like I see it.”
“Like I said, it fucking sucks.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
GRAHAM
“You want anything for dinner?” Mom asks.
“I’m okay.”
“You sure?” She ruffles my hair, drawing my attention to her.
“I’m good.”
The All-Star game plays quietly in the background in the living room. Dad is in the kitchen behind us cooking.
Not much has changed about this place since I left. The shelves lining the wall next to the TV are stuffed to the brim with pictures. Pictures from football games. Super Bowls. Me at hockey practice. Holidays with families.
The walls of this house are filled with nothing but love.
Something I haven’t felt a lot of these last few weeks.
It’s been a weird time for me. Ever since Noah came back here, to Denver, it’s like I’ve been in a fog. A quiet, ever-present fog without Noah at home.
I didn’t want him to live with me, but now, it’s not the same without him. I’ve been spending more and more time training at the rink. The one upside? I’m in the best shape of my life.
