“I get that. I was you once, but I decided I loved hockey more than her or, really, I was forced to choose hockey over her. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles, you know? You don’t always get what you want, even when you work so fucking hard for it. It all just blows up in your face, and then you’re left with nothing but your stick and a puck. At least we’ll always have hockey, huh?” he said, holding his beer out to cheers.
Phillip tapped his beer to his, knowing that there was a story there, but Phillip didn’t know if he wanted to know it because Karson was right. It did blow being in love, especially when that person doesn’t want to love you back. So many things were clear indications that this thing with Reese wasn’t going to work, but he still allowed himself to fall, to want her more than his next breath. He couldn’t help it.
Nodding his head, he took a long swig of his beer as Erik said, “I love my wife.”
Karson and Phillip both looked over at him, but he just shrugged his shoulders before draining his beer and laying a five on the bar. “And because of that, I’m going to go call her and make sure her and my kiddo are good. Goodnight, boys.”
They watched him walk away and then turned back to the bar, both draining their own beers before ordering another. Phillip looked over at Karson and said, “Sometimes I think I should give up, but it’s not who I am. I know what I want, and it’s her.”
Karson nodded. “Yeah, Lacey was that to me but, in the end, I had to protect her. I know I hurt her and I know she probably hates me, but I had to leave her because I couldn’t give her what she deserved. I’ll never be the same without her, and I’ve accepted that to protect her.”
It was obvious that this was not a happy tale; he could see it in Karson’s eyes. The guy was still torn up about it, and that scared Phillip. Would he be like that if things ended with Reese? He didn’t want to think about that, though, so taking a swig of his beer, he pushed the thoughts away and let out a breath.
“Do you think it was worth it?” he suddenly asked.
Karson looked up. “Worth it?”
“Loving her.”
Karson smiled. “Hell yeah, the time I did have with her was…” He paused as he grinned like a fool before shaking his head. “She was perfect to me but we were kids, and the cards weren’t in our favor. Maybe we’ll cross paths one day, and we can amend it all, but yeah, it was worth it. I’d fall for her all over again and then again. I still love her. Miss her like you wouldn’t believe.”
Phillip looked back down at his phone. He knew it was worth it. Reese was meant for him. Like the way a stick was meant for a puck. The way skates were meant for the ice. It was natural, perfect even, and that was the way he saw him and Reese. The perfect match. All she had to do was break away from all the things that had her tied to the motion that being alone was what she was meant to do. It wasn’t. She was meant to love him, damn it.
Letting out a breath, he reached for his phone to tuck it in his pocket, so that he’d stop looking at it, but as he did it, it went off and he saw that it was a text from Reese.
Thank sweet baby Jesus! It was about damn time!
Sorry, I’ve been asleep. I wish you were here. I feel like poo. I could use a hug or two.
Relive flooded him as he smiled, and Karson said, “There she is.”
Phillip nodded. “Yeah, she’s been asleep. She’s sick.”
“Cool. Well, while you talk to your girl, I’m going to go find one to fill the void I’m feeling. Talking about Lacey fucks me up, and it looks like JT has found the motherload of females.”
Looking out at where JT was surrounded by many gorgeous ladies, Phillip smiled. He then reached out, cupping Karson’s shoulder. “Have you tried contacting her?”