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“Wow, that’s awful.” I think of her and Noah finding out the news all those months ago, and my heart tightens inside my chest. The same heart I didn’t think worked anymore.

“It’s been hard, I just feel so bad for Noah. I miss them like crazy, but they got to see me grow up, you know? Prom, college graduations, starting my career. But they’ll miss all of his milestones. I think that hits him really hard.”

“That sucks.” I clear my throat that suddenly feels too thick. “I can relate to that. My parents are alive, sure. But my mom left when I was little and my dad’s been in prison since I was ten. I don’t know them. My mom has called me once since she walked out of my life, it must’ve been five years ago. I’m not even sure how she got my number… but she didn’t even ask how I was doing. Just said she needed money. I blocked her number. And my dad, I don’t even accept his calls anymore.”

Andie studies me, a question in her eyes. I tilt my chin in a small nod, giving her permission to ask whatever it is she wants to know. Something I’ve never allowed anyone else—unlimited access to my mind, my soul, my heart of stone.

I wonder if she understands how much I’d give her.

Everything.

I’d give her everything.

But nobody wants a heart of stone, do they?

She finally asks her question, “Why don’t you answer his calls?”

“I used to,” I answer honestly. “I used to hope we could be fixed… put back together. But every call ended the same way… him blaming me for Mom leaving. Then, when my NHL career was well on its way, he only called begging me to pay his bail.” I pause to take a drink of water, trying to clear the knot in my throat. “They haven’t been my parents for a long time. Maybe in blood, but not where it matters. They only wanted me for what I could do for them.”

Andie’s small, warm hand comes to rest on my leg. It’s comforting and exhilarating all at the same.

“You’re pretty amazing, so it’s too bad they’re missing out. Your parents really suck,” she says, looking up at me with those big brown eyes.

Surprised by her response, I laugh. A real, throaty laugh that shakes my whole body. This girl and her sassy mouth.

I can feel her staring at me as my laughter fades, smirking up at me with a twinkle in her eyes. “If I knew where they lived, I’d toilet paper their houses.”

“Well, my dad lives at the Wisconsin Correctional Institution, so please don’t do that.”

This time, Andie laughs, then stops abruptly and brings her free hand to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed at that.”

Sliding my hand over the one she has on my leg, I tell her, “Weirdly enough, it’s kind of nice to laugh about it. Better laughing than being angry, right?”

Andie gives me a little smile and I find myself rubbing the back of her knuckles with my thumb. Back and forth, tracing the shape of her hand, enjoying the smoothness of her skin. She surprises me yet again when she flips her hand over and twines her fingers with mine. The way our hands fit together sends a warmth through my body, like déjà vu. Like I’ve dreamed of this girl, this moment, my entire life and it finally came to fruition.

“I wanted to do this last night at the game,” I whisper.

“Do what?”

“Hold your hand.”

CHAPTER 23

ANDIE

I could spend days just sitting here, holding this man’s hand. The way he looks at me, touches me, is so reverent, so tender. I almost can’t face the intensity of it. I should’ve expected it; everything Mitch does is with passion and intensity.

But when all of that is poured into something as simple as hand-holding?

I am undone.

Eventually, he slides his hand out of mine and tells me we should eat. The loss of his hand in mine feels like the loss of a limb. It just felt so right there.

We start eating our soup and sandwiches, which are delicious, and I notice Mitch’s turkey panini is loaded with meat. Like probably three times the amount in mine.

“Geez, did you order double meat or something? You can barely fit that thing inside your mouth.”

He nearly chokes on his bite at my comment. He takes a drink of water and pounds his chest a few times like he’s dislodging food that got stuck there. “Triple meat. I have to get a certain amount of protein each day. Helps me build muscle and gives me energy for the games and practices.”