Tate wandered toward the parking lot, and Eden and Beckett were left alone, staring at each other.
Finally, a soft smile lifted his lips. “Hi.”
Nervous laughter escaped on a whispery huff of air. “Hi.” Another moment of silence while they held each other’s gaze. “You don’t look surprised to see me.”
“The guys texted me that you were here.”
“Ah.” She laughed. “Right.”
“Eden—”
“I just—”
They spoke at the same time. But Eden pushed on. “I know you probably don’t want to hear what I have to say, and I realize it may not matter to you now, but I think it’s important for you to know because it might be something you can find value in when you look back.” She stopped only long enough to draw breath. “I’m here to apologize for doubting you.”
He stepped forward and opened his mouth to speak.
Eden held up a hand. “I don’t expect you to forgive me. It was wrong and so hurtful. It wasn’t meant that way, but that doesn’t matter either, because I know that’s how it felt. An
d you were right, I do know you. My heart knows you. But I was letting my head lead because I was afraid to trust my gut. But I know my gut was right. And I’m so very sorry for judging you and judging you wrongly. So, yeah, I wanted you to know that I don’t doubt you, no matter what Kim says.”
She needed to turn. Needed to walk away. Needed to let him move on.
Turn. Walk away. Move on.
Biting the inside of her lip, Eden dropped her gaze to the concrete and the exterior light pooling on the ground blurred in the tears gathering in her eyes.
She started to turn, but Beckett’s hand closed on her arm.
“My turn,” he said.
He dropped his duffel and wrapped her in his arms so tight, he pulled her off her feet. A half laugh ebbed from her throat, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He pressed his face to her hair and murmured an emotional “I’ve missed you so fucking bad.”
That did it. Her tears spilled over her lashes, and the sobs she’d been holding back all week rolled out. And nothing in the world felt better than having Beckett’s arms around her when she needed him.
He set her on her feet but continued to hold her tight and stroke her hair as her emotions quieted.
“I was coming to see you after the game, because I was wrong too.” He eased back and cupped her cheek, wiping at her tears with his thumb. “Given who you are, what you’ve been through, you weren’t wrong to wonder. And I want you to know that however long it takes for you to feel comfortable, for you to believe in me, I’ll wait. I don’t care if it takes a week or a month or a year, I’ll give you the time you need to find the truth, because I love you, Eden. I love you, and I don’t want to live without you any more than I want to live without Lily.”
Another sob bubbled from her throat, this one from an abundance of love. She slid her arms around his waist and held him tight, unable to get words out of her thickened throat.
“I have the entire legal file in the car,” Beckett continued. “Kim’s holding a press conference Monday, recanting her allegations. She’s signing custody of Lily over to me permanently in lieu of criminal charges. And she’s not getting a dime. You can read her statement—”
“I don’t need to read it. I have no doubt.” She lifted her gaze to his and framed his face with her hands. “My heart knows.” She pulled his lips to hers for a kiss and murmured, “And my heart knows I love you. So very much.”
23
Three months later.
If Eden slid forward another inch, her butt would fall off the seat. She had one hand curled into a fist, the other arm curved around Lily’s waist where the girl sat on her lap.
“Come on, come on, come on…” she murmured, watching Beckett toggle the puck between the front and back side of his stick blade as he sped down the ice.
He hit some resistance in the form of the Indians center and passed to Rafe. A left wing stole the puck from Rafe, but Beckett was already swinging behind the net and slammed him into the glass, freeing up the puck for Rafe again.
All the players closed in, the tension ratcheted up, and people in the forward rows stood.