Page 9 of Third Time's the Charm
I ran into Harrison while I was being nostalgic for a life I ruined. I knew Berlin was working and I knew she knew I was here, so she would be working extra hard. It was the perfect time to take a walk by the house.
And okay, maybe there was a part of me that hoped Berlin would come home early, find me, and we could fight. Was it bad that I craved an argument with her? Even stupid, small ones that made no sense? Yeah, it was fucked up. But no one got my blood pumping the way Berlin could. These last few weeks, running into her and feeling that fire course through my veins again (even if it was while she was fuming mad at me) felt good.
Anyway, the tide was out, so I ended up wandering the mudflats for a while, which was when Harry found me and asked me to join him for a drink.
And now we were sitting on the main square surrounded by palm trees wrapped in multi-colored Christmas lights, people decked out in red and green, and fake snow being piped in from above, every hour on the hour.
“Can you believe it?” Harry scowled at his phone. “We’re getting a cold front on Christmas Eve. Good thing the boat parade is tonight.”
A cold front this far south doesn’t do a whole lot besides rain and drop the temperature for maybe a day. Two at the most. The best part is the humidity drops. That’s what really gets the locals more than the temperature change. It amplifies the difference. When you live your whole life, day and night, constantly surrounded by a layer of water, losing it, plus the temperature changing, is like someone ripping off your blanket first thing in the morning.
“Everyone will be in sweaters and jackets Christmas morning,” I said just before tipping the last of my beer back.
“Fires in the fire pits, rubbing hands and wondering if this is what winter feels like,” Harry chuckled.
Even though I spent my life in a hockey rink, I’d probably be right there with everyone else, sweatered up in the high sixties, shivering. It’s one thing to be mentally prepared for the cold of a rink, or when there’s snow on the ground, but when you’re walking around palm trees, the sound of the ocean in the background, and a cool breeze? Might as well put us all in a parka and call it a day.
“Ma wants to stop by the parade for a bit. Do you know if Berlin will be out?” I kept scanning the crowds. It was the end of the day and now was the best chance I had of accidentally bumping into her...unless she would be out tonight as well.
“I don’t think so. She told us to take the girls and have fun. Said she’d do takeout and call it early.” He leaned forward. “Don’t try any shit that ruins Christmas. This year has been enough for all of us.”
“Shit?”
He scowled. “Accidentally getting your ass invited to London’s wedding? Berlin was damn near apoplectic.”
“Apoplectic? What are you? A ninety year old man?”
His scowl deepened. “Making fun of my vocabulary is classic deflection. Stay on topic.”
I put my hands up like I could somehow tamp down the brotherly emotions starting to come off Harrison in waves. “The wedding was a genuine accident.”
“No, arriving was an accident.Stayingwas on purpose.”
He had me there. But what was I to do when the love of my life was only meters away? I had the opportunity and I took it. “Erik and Zoe needed to get there on time for the surprise.” My little brother’s teammate, Chris, was also getting married. They got a flat tire. I rescued them. But time was tight and I hadno choicebut to continue on with them.
“And then you justhappenedto see London, who just happened to ask you to stay, and you just happened to keep running into Berlin for the rest of the day. What do you think you’re accomplishing? All you’ve done is make sure she marries Ryker as soon as possible.”
That was a problem. I fully admit that. I hadn’t factored that action into my decision tree. “All I know is, I can’t repair a relationship from a distance.”
“Maybe some things can’t be fixed.”
Now I scowled. “Is that your experience after a decade of marriage?” I knew for a fact their marriage wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
No one’s was.
“Actually, yeah. If you break someone so much they change, you’re fucked.”
I think I choked on air when he said that. “Has Berlin changed?” I held my breath even though I knew it wouldn’t alter the past or the future.
“I’m not sure. She’s different, I know that much.”
Fuck…I was such an asshole. A selfish fucking asshole.
Harrison’s eyebrows flew up to his hairline. “Hey Cynthia!”
I turned around in my seat. A woman in cargo shorts, a tank top with a blue UPF shirt open, and sunglasses on top of her dark curly hair froze with her hand over a beer mug.
“Oh hey, Harry. Jack.”
