For a while, we just stand there. Two sweaty, emotionally bruised idiots, surrounded by ghosts of who we used to be. Then, without a word, Åkerman steps forward and pulls me into a hug. It’s awkward with all the gear, but it’s solid.Real. I freeze at first, but then my arms wrap around him, the years of anger bleeding out with every second we hold on. It’s the kind of hug that says everything we never managed to say out loud before today.
I'm sorry.
I missed you.
We’re okay.
Jasper finally lets go of me. He sniffs and scrubs a hand over his face, avoiding my eyes like he’s afraid I’ll call him out for getting emotional. But I won’t. I don’t think I could speak right now even if I wanted to.
“Well, now that that’s out of the way, I need to shower before I’m late for my Valentine’s Day date with Vivian.” He starts skating off but then pauses. “Happy birthday, Ras.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, shoving his shoulder playfully as I skate past him to grab my stick. He follows, and as we both slow to a stop near the benches, I glance at him. “See you tomorrow, Jasper.”
I move to skate away, but his hand on my arm stops me.
“That’s the first time you’ve called me Jasper in years.”
I shrug, not looking back as I step off the ice. “Took me long enough.”
The weight of the overdue conversation with Jasper still presses on me as I walk toward my place, but the feeling is somewhat different now. Lighter. A little raw but so damn freeing.
I made peace with Jasper today.
Our conversation was years in the making. Too much time was wasted holding onto a grudge that stopped being about the past a long time ago. It became a part of who we both are. But now, for the first time in a long time, that feeling is gone.
I know it’ll take time for us to be good friends again, but I’m hoping today was the first step toward that. Because like I told him, I’ve missed him.
Shutting the door behind me, I breathe in the delicious smell coming from the kitchen. It’s something familiar, something rich and—holy shit.
“Did you get Swedish meatballs?” I call out.
Haisley’s laughter filters in from the kitchen. “You should be a detective, Westerholm.”
I round the corner and find her at the kitchen counter, unpacking takeout. I take her in, committing every detail to memory, my chest tightening the way it always does when I look at her too long these days. Her long golden hair is twisted into a loose bun, a few strands framing her stunning face. Her ankle is still in the walking boot, and every time I see it, I can’t help wondering how she’s really holding up.
“Happy birthday, Rasmus,” her voice brings me back.
“Thanks,” I murmur and check the bag. “You really went to Scandi Kitchen?”
“You might have mentioned it’s the only place in the City that gets Swedish meatballs right.” She smiles and hands me a deep plate. “I figured you might need some comfort food today. So, I took the liberty of picking up your favorite for tonight’s impromptu TV dinner.”
My fingers tighten on the plate as I look down at it. It’s such a small thing, but it means more than I know how to put into words.
“Thank you,” I barely get out. I’m close to tears because today has been a lot, and this woman made it even better.
We settle on the couch with the plates balanced on the trays. The screen plays a rerun of a sitcom I’ve seen a thousand times, but neither of us is really paying attention to it. Haisley tells me about her fashion scouting trip, which is coming next week, and I listen carefully, trying to remember every detail.
“You okay?” She asks softly as I haven’t spoken in a while.
I nod, but it takes a moment before the words follow. “Jasper and I talked.Reallytalked.”
Her eyes lift to mine, curiosity and tenderness flickering in them. “And how do you feel about it?”
“It wasn’t pretty. Almost decked him, and then we said the things we should’ve said years ago. I guess we both held onto the past too long. Anger, resentment, all the usual crap. But it’s hopefully over now.”
“Just like that?”
I shrug. “Not just like that. But I think we finally see each other in a way we never did when we were younger. We needed time to grow up, to live a little, before we could get here.”
