Wild Zone (Rough Riders Hockey 4)

Behind him on the television, an ESPN sportscaster interviewed an athlete. Around him, people chatted or worked while waiting for their flight. But Tate was restless. Anxious to board his flight and get on with his life.

He left a twenty on the table beneath his half empty beer and strolled into the aisle. Hudson News drew him. A magazine or a novel might keep his mind busy. He started that direction. The woman haunting the empty gate wandered back to her seat in the corner. Something about the way she curled her feet under her and dropped her head into her hands stopped Tate in his tracks.

He couldn’t get a better look at her without walking into the darkened area, and the thought of interfering in her little haven pushed his feet toward Hudson News. But no magazine caught his interest. Every novel seemed too intense.

“I’m just fucked,” he muttered to himself, leaving with nothing but two bottles of water.

Before he knew it, he was wandering into the empty gate area. And halfway to the window, his feet stopped dead again. The woman’s chin rested on her bent knee, where she stared out the window. Now, he could see better and familiarity zinged down his spine.

“Olivia?” He thought the word more than spoke it, but she responded, glancing toward him.

Olivia.

His heart rate spiked. His stomach flipped.

Ah, fuck, he wasn’t ready. Je…something. Je suis…something.

She twisted in her seat to face him. “H-hi.” Her gaze darted behind him, then around the gate, as if that would explain his presence. “What… Oh.” Some excitement or shock or something seemed to leak from her demeanor. “You must be headed to Ontario.”

He shook his head, but his feet carried him straight to her. She’d been crying. Her eyes were swollen and red. Her cheeks botchy. Her hair was up in a messy bun.

She looked vulnerable and sad.

His heart surged. He dropped his duffle and lowered to a crouch in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

Her gaze darted away and she shook her head. With her legs still curled under her, she was tucked into a safe little cocoon. She looked young and fresh but…

“She’s just a little lost.”

Quinn’s words floated into his head and he knew in that moment, she’d been right. Olivia, for all her strength, her ambition, her drive, was also a little lost. Which was exactly how Tate felt right now.

“I, um…” she sniffled. “Missed my flight.”

Suddenly, Tate couldn’t think of what to say. Didn’t know where to start. He put the water bottles on the floor and clasped one hand over her thigh, the other over her bare foot.

“Did everything go okay yesterday?” Her eyes lifted to his. “After I left? The guys I was working with were really experienced. I knew they could handle plating desserts. I talked to mom this morning. She said you told her it was a record-breaking—”

He cupped her face and leaned in, kissing her. After a second, Olivia sighed and a little whimper carried from her throat. He pulled back, met her eyes and found tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Baby, I’m sorry.” He wiped at her tears and she curled her hands around his wrists, the move so sweet, he felt his love for her blossom in his chest. He kissed her again, gentler. Sweeter. He felt the moment Olivia let go of her barriers, leaning into the kiss with a moan of relief. Tate opened to her and she responded. Just like that, they were in sync. They were connected. They were communicating.

He pulled back and stroked the stray strands of hair away from her face. “I have so much to say, but I wasn’t expecting to see you for at least another ten, twelve hours. Now my head’s all jumbled and I can’t think.”

Her brow pulled. “What?” She looked around again. “Aren’t you going to Ontario?”

He laughed, lowered to his knees and pulled her into his arms. She locked her arms around his neck and buried her face against his throat with another whimper that tugged at his heart.

“No,” he said, holding her tight. “I cancelled Ontario. I’m on my way to Paris.”

She gasped and pulled back. “What?”

He exhaled. So much to say. But his brain was floating on a rush of endorphins that made thinking extremely difficult. “I canceled Ontario. I want to spend the rest of the summer getting to know you. I want to spend the next few months showing you who I am. I’m going to earn your trust back, Liv.” He pulled his ticket from his pocket and pushed it into her hands. “One way ticket, baby. I’m not coming back until we are as solid as granite.”

“Oh my God…”

More tears spilled. He couldn’t tell if they were happy tears or sad tears or frustrated tears, but it didn’t matter. Nothing would change his plans of spending the rest of his free time proving to her that they were meant to be together.

“Did you get another flight?” he asked. “What time does it leave? Maybe I can change flights.”