Bella’s tongue lolled, panting like she knew I was full of it.
“Ugh.” I rubbed her ears. “Fine. I didn’t hate having him around. There. You happy?”
A wind gust rattled the fence, and Bella’s ears twitched.
I stood up slowly, brushing my hands on my thighs. We circled once more, and when we came back through the gate, I unclipped her leash and hung it up by habit.
A car engine hummed outside. I didn’t think much of it until I heard the crunch of tires on gravel.
My heart raced.
I glanced up.
It wasn’t him.
Just a delivery van.
I turned back to the towels.
I folded another towel and pressed the crease sharply. The cold edged in, but the tightness in my throat wasn’t from the weather.
Somewhere between folding towels and restocking biscuits, I realized the light had changed. The sun was higher, casting a sharp line of gold across the kennel floor.
My stomach was starting to rumble. "How is it one o'clock already?"
"Tessa," I shouted as I put on my coat. "I'm gonna run home to get some lunch. I'll swing by Fetch and Feed and pick up some supplies to hold us over until the bulk orders arrive."
I found myself behind the wheel idling at a red light near the rink.
The windows were starting to fog, but I could still make out the curved roofline, the faded team banner flapping weakly in the wind. My fingers flexed against the wheel, like they’d only just realized where I was. I hadn’t meant to drive this way. Or maybe I had.
I tapped the steering wheel with my thumb, then turned into the lot.
Only a few cars. Late practice? Early? I didn’t know the schedule anymore.
I cut the engine. Got out of the car and started walking towards the entrance.
The wind whipped past me, too loud to make out the rink noise.
And then—I did hear it.
The sharp echo of skates cutting ice. A voice calling out a drill.
My fingers had already curled around the door handle. I’d opened the door.
I stepped in.
The glass doors to the rink were foggy. I could see shadows moving. I heard the sound of a stick tapping the boards, the unmistakable cadence of someone shouting, encouraging, pushing, Colton's voice.
My chest tightened.
He was still here.
For some reason, I’d imagined he’d be gone already. That once the trade news broke, he’d just disappear. And that maybe I would get a text eventually.
But he hadn’t left.
And now I was standing here like an idiot, unsure what I had hoped to see.
