Everything in me eases at the sound of her voice. “Hey.” I sink deeper into the pillow, tension slipping out of my shoulders. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No,” she says softly. I hear movement, the faint rustle of something being set down. “Everyone just left and I was tidying up. Couldn’t find my phone.”
I smile to myself, picturing her moving around the house. “Did you have a good night?”
There’s a pause, then the quiet click of a door closing. Her voice shifts—softer, more private. “It was a lot of fun, Tuck. Especially when you got the winning goal.”
Something warm spreads through my chest at that. Pride, yeah—but not the kind I get from the guys. This is different. This is hers.
“The boys in bed?”
“Yeah. They stayed up in their rooms and watched. We could hear them yelling all the way downstairs.”
I let out a quiet chuckle, imagining it. “Where are you now?”
“In my room.” A beat. “Well…your room.”
My grip tightens slightly on the phone. The image hits, and I love the idea of her in my bed, tucked into my space. Whether I’m there or not.
“How did Josh make out with his geometry?”
“He did good. Thanks for helping him.”
“Anytime.”
“Lucas cleaned up the leaves today,” she adds, her voice drifting, softer now. “The trees are almost bare.”
“Yeah?” I smile, staring up at the ceiling. “Guess that means we can finally put in that rink.”
She goes quiet.
I frown slightly, shifting. “What?”
“Tuck…that’s too much.”
“Not if he’s helping,” I say gently. “And besides, I can teach him a few things.”
There’s a pause, then, quieter, “Okay.”
I close my eyes, letting that settle between us. “I’ve got a few days off when I get back. We could start it together.”
“Okay,” she repeats, her voice even softer.
“You want me to let you go? You sound tired.”
“No,” she responds quickly and something in my chest tightens. “I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit.” A small exhale. “I like hearing your voice.”
My breathing slows as well. “Yeah…me too,” I admit.
The line goes quiet after that, but not empty. Just…shared quiet.
I don’t remember falling asleep. But the next thing I know, I’m blinking awake in the middle of the night, my phone still resting against my chest. For a second I don’t move, just listen.
Her soft, even breathing comes through the speaker.
I swallow, something deep and unfamiliar settling in my chest. Carefully, I set the phone on the nightstand, like I might disturb her if I’m not gentle, even from miles away.
I strip out of my clothes and slide back into bed, the sheets cool against my skin. Maria is miles away, but with the quiet sound of her breathing filling the room, it feels like she’s right beside me. I like that. Probably far too much for two people who are temporarily playing house.
