12. Harrison

12

HARRISON

Bergan and I get up early and go hiking in the mountains. I’d much rather stay in bed all morning with her, but she won’t have it. She wants to show me her beloved Colorado and so I make sure I follow behind her on the trails so I can really take in the view. However, her excitement shows me a different view of Colorado and it is beautiful.

It’s not so bad. Would it be so hard to stay here? Colorado has family close by in Storm Canyon. It has hockey. It has the freshest air to fill my lungs and a lot of other activities that I enjoy like snowboarding—a lot like surfing on tiny bits of ice.

More importantly, it has Bergan.

Whoa. When did I start considering staying?

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Bergan asks as she opens her arms wide at the top of the trail like she’s trying to wrap her arms around the scenery if she could.

I smirk and eye her up and down, but keep my mouth shut as she lifts her eyebrow. I grin and take in the scenery.

“It really is beautiful.” I take a deep inhale and soak in all the crisp mountain air, almost lighter— and probably is with less oxygen, but it’s invigorating.

We sit and snack on protein bars and sip our waters as we enjoy the silence. It’s the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time and love how I can just be with Bergan. Not talking, not needing to play some part like with other women. Hell, I can’t imagine any of my last dates coming into the mountain. Unless there was a spa, a Gucci store, or a Cartier. Not once has Bergan asked me to buy her or shower her with anything but my attention is wholly hers.

She stands and wipes the dirt off her delectable round and perky ass. “I’ll race you to the bottom.” She begins running and I jump up to chase her. Being the most carefree I’ve been since I can remember.

It reminds me of my sister, Millie. The life she has and how she bounced back from cancer. How her laugh can make me feel like life is going to be okay. A piece of my heart belongs to Millie, and I hope Bergan can understand that. She is the only reason I would leave Colorado. If Millie asked me to do anything, I’d do it.

She and Bergan are a lot alike.

The hike is a great way to start the morning and when we arrive back at Cole’s place, we jump in the shower, separately and to my irritation, and get ready for the bar-b-que lunch my family put together. Bergan blends into my family with ease and I can tell everybody adores her like I do and today can’t be any more perfect.

“Harrison, what are you doing?” Bergan wiggles her luscious body against mine and it makes my constant semi ache.

“Stealing a kiss.” I push her up against the hallway wall and kiss the living daylights out of her. I pull back quickly and wink before heading into the bathroom, letting her get back to my family.

I contemplate dragging her in there with me, but I don’t want to compromise anything with her because I’m aiming to get her for keeps now and I can tell this woman is a flight risk. I’m not sure what’s happened to her in the past, but I’m going to find out.

The day flies by and it’s late afternoon, time to load up my car and head back to reality has come far too soon.

Bergan sighs as she rests her head on the seat. “I had a great time. Thank you for bringing me.”

“Anytime.” And I mean it. I want her to always come away with me. I pull into the gas station to fill up.

“Want anything?” she asks as I open my door.

“Get me a drink, whatever you’re having will be great,” I say.

“Will do.” She hops out of the car, and I can’t help the big goofy grin on my face. As I pump gas, my phone rings and my little sister wants to video call. I always answer when she wants to talk.

“Millie, my sweet girl. How are you today?” I lean against my SUV, facing the pump.

“Arrison.” I smile out how she never pronounces the H in my name. “I’m good. I wost a toof! See!” She wiggles her tongue through the hole.

“Awesome. How much did the tooth fairy bring you?”

“A quarter and I wanna give it to you to add to the kids with cancer.” Her face is serious and determined, and my heart melts for her all over again. I’m never not in a gush mode when it comes to this little girl.

“I think they’d really like that and every penny helps.”

“Daddy wants to talk to you. Bye.” Then Millie’s gone before I can say anything and I laugh. A girl of few words, but she amuses me to no end. Perfect in every way.

My heart twinges at not being able to hold her and take her on ice cream runs whenever I want. She’s the driving force to get me back to California, but Bergan’s face flashes in my mind and this need to be with her is overtaking the ever-present urge to get back to California. The realization startles me that things are changing. And what will that mean for Millie?

“Hey Son, how’s the quest to come back to Cali going? Any teams asking about you?”

I smile, but there’s not much behind it. He’s reading my mind, and it’s a little disconcerting because I’m not sure what I should say.

“I don’t know. I’m really starting to like Colorado, Dad.” I sigh and rub my forehead, hoping it’ll clear up some answers for me.

“Oh. Really? That’s a new development.” His jaw tightens, his eyes becoming darker. “Just remember, your sister loves you and misses you.”

Great, now I’m getting the guilt trip. Something I don’t need at the moment.

Bergan

I hug large bottles of cold water against my chest, and I can’t keep the giddiness within me from bubbling over. I know I said there’s no more with Harrison than the one night, but damn it was the best night of my life. I’m still aching for more and I haven’t been able to stop replaying every moment of it.

I was tempted more than once to drag him upstairs while we were at the bar-b-que to have another memorable moment with him. But I need to think about it all before I jump in. This isn’t my first rodeo, and I need to make sure I’m smart about this bucking bronc. It’s easy to get hurt.

I stop at the front of his vehicle when Harry’s voice carries over from the opposite side. “I know, I love Millie. She means the world to me, you know that. Yeah, I’ll make it back to Cali, one way or another.”

I freeze in place as my stomach gets lodged in my throat. I swallow down a large gulp and try not to let any emotions move into my face. He loves someone named Millie…

That’s a far distance from the name Bergan.

Harrison notices me and smiles. “I gotta go.” He hangs up and there’s no guilt, but why should there be. We never promised each other more than one night.

One… and done.

I give him a weak smile and move to the passenger seat, avoiding him for a few moments. Hearing him talk about loving another woman stuns me when it shouldn’t. It’s not like I haven’t heard Millie’s name before.

What did I fucking expect? I said no future. Nothing past this weekend.

He’s holding up his side. I set the boundaries. I have no reason to be pissed or hurt. I’m a big girl and created this situation all on my own.

The lump in my throat gets bigger as I can’t get over the disappointment that I created for myself. It’s as big as one of the mountains that I’m staring at out my window and I only have myself to blame.

Going home, writing the story, and moving on is the only thing I can do for myself now. Lesson learned. I said no hockey players, I should’ve meant it.

Harrison hops in and starts the car. “Ready?”

I nod and rest my head against the headrest.

“You okay?”

“A little headache.”

“Okay, get some rest. Hopefully, it’ll be gone by the time we’re back home.”

I don’t answer. I close my eyes and feign falling asleep until I actually do.

A tear falls where he can’t see it and I promise myself it’ll be the only one.