She left in a daze, with Claire trailing behind her. Through the whole baby shower, she sat quietly beside her, involved, but Reese knew she was worried about her. Once in the car, Reese headed in the direction of Phillip’s house, her head leaning on the window as she tried to find the courage to go in with Claire and face him.

“He misses you too, you know.”

Reese looked over at Claire before looking back at the road. “I know, but this is all so difficult, Claire.”

“I get that, but being apart is obviously not good for you two. Can’t you try to work it out?”

Reese fought back the tears as she nodded. “I want to, but I don’t know how. I messed everything up.”

“I think that if you told him you missed him, he’d tell you that he missed you too, and then you two would be fine. He will understand that you messed up, just admit that. People make bad decisions when they are stressed, or scared. He gets that.”

She shook her head. “It is so much more than that. First, I am scared of what I am feeling, scared that he could hurt me, and then I don’t even know if he wants the same things I want, because I wouldn’t even give him the chance. I know this is my fault. I get that, and I know that I have to fix it. It’s just that I don’t know how. I don’t know how to look at him and tell him what I am feeling. I’ve never been good at that. I just say how it is. I love you and that’s it. You know?”

She slowly smiled and then asked, “Do you want us in your life?”

“Yes,” she said without thinking.

“Then tell him that. You two can figure out all the other crap later. If you love him and he loves you, what else is there?”

“I don’t know.”

Claire reached over, placing her hand on Reese’s. “You two belong together. It will work out, you just have to try.”

Reese thought that over as she pulled into Phillip’s driveway. Gathering her things, Claire looked over at her and asked, “What time will you pick me up tonight?”

She was confused. “Pick you up for what?”

“Game one, playoffs, we have seats. Don’t tell me you’re blowing me off.”

She groaned as she covered her face. “Please don’t make me go, Claire.”

“You said you would, and Phillip will be there!”

“I know, that’s why I don’t want to go.”

“But you guys can talk.”

“If I wanted to talk, I’d go in the house and talk to him.”

“Okay, let’s go,” she said, throwing her door open.

“I can’t,” Reese stressed. “I don’t know how to face him yet. I hurt him, I saw it in his eyes, and I don’t like that I did that.”

“Okay, well, hopefully you figure it out by tonight. Be here at six and then its game time!” she exclaimed, before hopping out the car and running up to the door. Reese watched her disappear inside and then shook her head. She had already disappointed the girl so much by cutting things off with Phillip. She knew that it was understood that Reese wasn’t going anywhere, but she still felt like Claire was mad at her, upset with the outcome of everything. She wanted to fix that. She wanted to fix what was going on between her and Phillip; she just had to find the courage to do it. She was pretty sure going to game one wasn’t going to help but then again, maybe it would. The more she thought about it, the more she thought that maybe Claire was a genius.

As Phillip skated in his usual nine circles around the goal, he listened to the roar of the crowd as he took in the already thousands of people that were watching him. This was going to be a good match up, and he was hoping for a quick series by winning four games straight. He had faith in his team, but the Red Wings were a veteran-filled team that had plenty of banners hanging from their rafters and dominated the sport with ease. He was worried, but not that worried. They were ranked first in the division and on one hell of a streak. They had this.

Plain and simple.

Stretching his neck from side and side, he slid into the spot beside Shea and started stretching with him as he looked around the glass, reading all the signs of encouragement from the greatest fans in the NHL.

“You ready? Head in the game?”

Phillip looked over at Shea and nodded. “Fuck yeah.”

“Good, I know you have some shit going on in your personal life but like the professional you are, you never let that affect your hockey. I admire that about you.”

Taken aback a little, since he didn’t know that Shea knew about him and Reese breaking up, he said, “Thanks.”

“No problem. Don’t worry, there are other fish in the sea.”

Phillip scoffed. “Is that what everyone said when Elli and you split?”

Shea’s eyes widened. “Shit no, she is my prized fish.”

“Well, Reese is mine.”

Shea gave him a wide smile as he nodded. “Then I suggested you catch that one and make her yours.”

“That’s the plan, but she is being very uncooperative and won’t take the f**king bait.”

Shea scoffed. “The good ones usually do.”

“Those Allen women are tough,” Jakob said from the other side of him. “Reese is a mini version of Harper. Trick is to give her time. She’ll come around.”

“I sure hope so cause I—” He stopped short because he was about to say that he needed her to breathe, but figured that would make him sound like a pu**y so instead he said, “I just want to be with her.”