AMBER POV
The second Alan pulled into the parking lot, my breath hitched.
I knew this place.
The massive glass windows reflected the dimming sky, the bold team emblem staring down at me like a ghost from my past.
An ice rink.
I stared at it, a strange tightness creeping up my throat.
“Do you want me to watch your hockey practice as our date?” I asked, my voice flat.
Alan blinked, then scoffed. “Why the hell would I want that?”
I turned to him, confused. “Then why are we here?”
He unbuckled his seatbelt, shifting toward me. “Come with me, my jewel.” His voice was softer now, careful. “I want to skate with you. Like when we were pups.”
My breath caught.
For a moment, I just sat there, frozen.
Like when we were pups.
The words stirred something deep inside me, something fragile a
