Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Hope’s POV

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The small apartment welcomed me in silence. This small space that I had lived in for years ever since I moved to Manhattan didn’t feel like mine anymore.

Levi hadn’t even been here, but even then, it felt like every corner of the apartment had been left with an imprint of him. His laughter that had never echoed within these walls somehow lingered anyway. His presence clung to every quiet space and every breath I took.

I didn’t even feel this way when I broke up with Connor, and he had been the one who lived with me for years.

It just showed that the feelings I had for Levi were far more than what I had ever felt for Connor. I could say that for sure now. There was no denying it anymore.

That was why, when I collapsed onto the couch, I couldn’t stop the tears that ran down my cheeks. My mind was filled with endless possibilities of what could have been between the two of us.

The future I had secretly imagined, the moments we would never get to have, the words I would never get to say-they all crashed over me at once until I could barely breathe.

But a part of me knew that Margaret was right. We were worlds apart, and it would be difficult for our relationship to work out. I tried to wipe away the tears from my eyes, but it felt useless. They came and came, like a storm that refused to relent, each one carrying another goodbye I wasn’t ready to say.

Like the universe was playing some kind of cruel joke on me, I had accidentally sat on the remote, and the television turned on. The channel was already on the sports network, and the man before me was none other than Levi.

Despite the tears streaming down my face, I couldn’t help but smile.

He had actually taken the interview because I told him to be more open to the public. I knew he wasn’t one to do it on his own initiative, so a small part of me knew that he had done this because of what I said.

The reporter asked a question. “We’ve seen the shift in your plays for the past two games, Levi. While you’ve always played aggressively, what has made you score all these winning points?”

Forest, Desmond, and the twins in the background shared knowing looks with each other. I would miss these guys, too- along with Lia and Aiden. In such a short time, they had somehow become people I looked forward to seeing every day. 1 could safely say that I had found myself a good group of friends, and losing them hurt more than I had expected.

Levi thought about it for a while before a small smile appeared on his lips.

My breath hitched because he looked so handsome on the screen. There was something different about that smile.

It looked very… happy.

“I guess someone is making me love the things I thought I’d lost the spark for,” he said.

“I want to keep playing because of that. I guess… I’m just having more fun playing.”

With those words, my tears streamed down again.

I couldn’t handle it anymore.

My chest hurt so much that it felt impossible to breathe.

I reached for the remote with trembling fingers, turned off the television, and stood.

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Chapter 112

Jul

I have to leave this place soon, too.

If I stayed any longer, I was afraid I’d only keep looking for him in places where he had never even been.

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I had just stood from the couch, tears still streaming down my cheeks, when the front door suddenly opened and happy whistling filled the apartment.

Just from his footsteps alone, I could already tell it was Harley. I had no choice but to turn my back to him, desperately trying to wipe away my tears before he noticed.

“Hope?” he uttered. “You’re home? Is your work done?”

“Anyway! I saw that you guys won. We won, too!” he excitedly said.

His footsteps came nearer and nearer until I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders.

“We have a short break before the semis start. Sweet, right?”

“Wait,” he muttered, looking down at me.

I could feel his gaze settle on the top of my head while I desperately tried to keep my tears to myself. I bit my lip, willing myself not to fall apart.

But I had already fallen apart.

He stepped in front of me and placed his hand on my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze.

“Why are you crying?”

I pursed my lips and couldn’t find the right words to say. There were too many of them, and yet none of them seemed enough.

“Fuck,” he cursed. “Is it that bastard Connor again? I swear. If you’re like this because of him, I’ll break his knees so he won’t play hockey ever again.”

I silently shook my head and finally found my voice.

“I quit,” I whispered.

He was silent for a moment.

“Quit?” he muttered. “Quit what?”

I swallowed and looked up at him. His breath hitched the moment he saw my face, and I saw genuine concern replace the rage that had been there only seconds ago.

“I’ve quit my job,” I told him.

“What?” His eyes widened. “Why the hell would you do that? This has been your dream for a long time, Hope!”

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