The smile faded from Liz’s lips. “I meant Bindi and I should go home.”
The air was cooler now and Liz still had on her swimsuit. Wyatt stepped back and she felt cold and alone. She just wanted him closer again, but she knew she couldn’t rely on him, not for body heat, not for love, not for Bindi...
“Oh,” said Wyatt. He looked to his feet and furrowed his brow at the new development. “You don’t want to come over for dinner? We can go somewhere else, if you’re not comfortable at my place.”
“That’s not it, Wyatt. Bindi’s clearly exhausted. I’m a mother. I’ve got to look out for my daughter. She needs to get home.”
Wyatt kicked a pebble by his feet. It skidded across the parking lot gravel and reminded Liz so much of when they were younger that she nearly passed out from the nostalgia overload. Her belly growled quietly. She was famished but she knew where her priorities lay, and it wasn’t with him, not now.
“I understand,” he mumbled. His cheeks glistened under the lamplight. “Just let me take you out sometime. I know its summer and Bindi’s not in school, but there’s a daycare on the ranch... Listen, I just don’t want to drift away again. I don’t care if it doesn’t lead to anything, we have to try—I have to try.”
Liz sighed. “What makes this time any different than the last two?” she asked. “If we couldn’t stay close then, why now?”
“We’re older. More mature. We’ve seen what the world has to offer—we know what we want.”
“You’ve seen what the world has to offer,” Liz clarified. “Don’t forget, I’ve been stuck here. I’m not complaining. I wouldn’t trade Bindi for the world, but don’t act like we’ve lived the same life.” She wasn’t angry. She had dealt with her resentment issues long before this moment, but she still felt the need to make Wyatt understand. Things were different now, but not like he thought—still, she couldn’t bear the thought of telling him the truth, not yet.
She looked up at the man who she knew had been through so much. He had found such fortune and such tragedy in his life. She was sure he’d turn in all the money and fame to get his parents back. Would he do the same for her? For Bindi?
She wasn’t sure if she was ready to find out, but she knew that she’d eventually have to. She knew that she couldn’t run from this forever. Wyatt was right in that sense. They were both more mature now; her included.
Maybe it was time to give this thing a real shot.
“How long are you in town for?” she asked, finally breaking the silence between them.
“At least until September,” he responded.
“Then what?”
“Then I have training camp.”
“In Toronto?”
He nodded.
It wasn’t so far—maybe a day’s drive or a 5-hour flight—but it was far enough to keep them apart, and that’s exactly what it had done for the past five years—keep them apart.
Liz had always been too proud to accept Wyatt’s help when she’d needed it the most. During their last go at a relationship, he could have easily afforded to fly her out to Toronto whenever they wanted to see each other, but Liz had wanted to take control of her own life. Wyatt had left her before, and that desertion had planted a gnawing seed of doubt in her that had grown into a mighty tree of self-determination.
What if Liz found herself alone again, but without her own life to fall back on? She’d been determined to carve out her own path before she could let herself be beside Wyatt on his.
So, she’d gone to an out-of-state university, graduated, got a teaching job in her hometown and given birth to the most wonderful little girl in the world, all on her own.
She had her own life now. It could be hard, but with Bindi it was always worth it.
Still, she didn’t know if Wyatt and her could ever truly last. Would they be able to survive the distance during the cold, harsh winter if they rekindled their relationship during the soft, warm summer?
A car door slammed somewhere on the other side of the parking lot.
Liz didn’t want to think so far ahead. She had just escaped her past; she didn’t want to get stuck in her future. September was around the time when Bindi would start school. Liz shuddered at the oncoming loneliness. Wyatt stepped forward and lent her a bit of his heat. She relaxed in his lamp lit shadow.
No one had ever made her feel the way Wyatt still did. She wanted to curse him for making her feel worthy of love again—she wasn’t sure if she deserved it, or if Wyatt meant it enough to actually stick around this time—but she knew she couldn’t resist, not when he was so close.
Plus, Bindi seemed to like him...
“Maybe I can bring Bindi back up here tomorrow,” Liz finally said.
Wyatt let out a sigh of relief that made her smile. He really does want to be around me, she thought as she lifted herself off the bumper. The car didn’t budge.
“We’ll have a great time, just like we did today,” he assured her.
They stood awkwardly apart from each other, like neither of them were quite sure how to end the unexpected reunion.
“It was nice seeing you again, Wyatt,” Liz finally said.
“Who would have thought that little pond had any more surprises left in it,” he smiled back.
“Something always seems to happen at that place,’ Liz agreed. She looked around the almost empty parking lot. There were still a few cars left, but none that she could picture Wyatt driving. He was always a big truck kind of guy. “Need a ride?” she asked.
Wyatt seemed to consider it for a moment before shaking his head. “I could use the walk,” he determined. “I haven’t been here in so long and it’s such a beautiful night.”
Liz nodded. The two long lost lovers lingered for a little while longer before Liz finally turned away. She buckled Bindi into her seat and exchanged numbers with Wyatt. Before long she was back on the road.
The car ride home was similar to the car ride to the ranch; a sleeping daughter in the back and Liz left alone with her thoughts. This time though, there was a glimmer of hope in her heart that hadn’t been there before. She tried to smother it as she pulled into her driveway and carried her little girl to bed, but it was no use.
Hope was here to stay. Liz’s fortifications were crumbling at the thought of what tomorrow could bring. She didn’t know whether happiness or heartbreak waited for her on the horizon but, for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to look ahead; to dream.
Chapter 8
Wyatt
Wyatt woke up with a smile on his face and a jump in his step.
His injury seemed like a distant nightmare as he prepared for the day. He didn’t have time to dwell on the pain, he had to get ready.
What’s the plan? Liz had texted him first thing in the morning.
Wyatt had been thinking about it all night. He used the long walk, from the southwestern parking lot to his cabin on the east side of the ranch, to dream up a perfect date. This was the third time the couple would have a first date, and Wyatt wanted it to be the best one yet.
Officially, they had first gone out for a bit when he was 19 and she was 18. It was the same year Wyatt had been drafted to the NHL. Neither of them were nearly mature enough to handle the distance that resulted from that career move. Wyatt had gone to Toronto, 2nd overall, and Liz had gone to Nebraska on a full scholarship. They were the golden girl and boy of their little graduating class—Liz with the brains and Wyatt with the brawn. They had tried to make the long-distance thing work, and it did for a while, until tragedy struck.
When Wyatt’s parents died, he instinctively isolated himself from all things Watford. He poured his entire being into the ice; it was the only way he could distract himself from the pain. That meant no more trips home, no more talking to old friends and classmates, no more reminiscing about the old times. Liz and him suddenly had nothing to talk about, not that Wyatt was doing much talking at all.
The two fell apart and took their own separate paths in life.
They’d reconnect again some 5 years later—when they were 24 and 23 respectively—and now, like clockwork, they were back for another round, 6 years after that.
Wyatt was well versed in the importance of this moment. If things went well, the foundation of their new relationship would be strong; maybe even strong enough to finally last. He wanted to build something real with Liz—truth was, he always had, but they had never quite managed to make it the distance. Some storm would always arrive and blow down their door, sucking the two of them apart.
This time would be different, he convinced himself. His injury had made him second guess what was truly important in life, and his chance meeting with Liz had made him less afraid to revisit his past. Liz had been even more wonderful in person than he could have remembered. What else was he losing by remembering everything under the same dark cloud?
He was determined to find out. This was the best road to recovery; his mind was set. He was all in.
He texted her back, I say the three of us hang out for a bit, have lunch and then when it’s time for Bindi’s nap, we drop her off at the daycare and go for a walk down Painted Canyon way. Sound good?
Sounds wonderful, actually, she responded.
And thus, it was settled.
Third time’s a charm, Wyatt hoped as he fit into his Wranglers and cowboy boots. It felt good to dress like a cowboy again. He would occasionally flaunt his roots in Toronto, but his Stetson and spurs were such a novelty in the big Canadian city that he couldn’t help but feel like an attention seeker. At Gold River Ranch though, it was just another day at the office.
He made a mental note to go for a horseback ride in the near future. He liked his truck, but there was nothing quite like the freedom of riding a trusty steed. Speaking of his truck, a couple of ranch workers had been kind enough to go pick it up from Stony Brook. It was waiting in his driveway when he popped out into the warm summer sunshine.
He took the long scenic way to the kid’s park where he was to meet Liz and Bindi. Soft lush hills rose like waves to the west and infinite prairies lapped in the gentle morning breeze to the east. He found himself taking deep meaningful breaths of the fresh air and daydreaming about the natural splendour that surrounded him.
God, he had missed this place. It was so beautiful it almost hurt. Wyatt just wanted to pull over and start walking. He would have made a good mountain man, if he hadn’t had so many tethers to the real world.
He spotted Liz’s red minivan in the parking lot of the kid’s center and pulled up right beside her. He couldn’t help but chuckle at how much of a mom she had become. She never would have been caught dead in such a ride the last time they spoke, but he figured those were the small kinds of sacrifices people made for their children. Liz seemed like an amazing mom, and Bindi a wonderful little girl.
He could hardly wait to see them again.
Wyatt was practically speed walking by the time he got to the entrance. It was still early and the ranch wasn’t so busy yet, but before he could get inside, he heard a visitor screech his name. The unexpected noise made the usually stoic Wyatt flinch. A tinge of pain ran down the back of his neck. He closed his eyes and looked up. A young family waddled towards him with looks of awe on their faces.
“Are you Wyatt Sounder!?” asked the dad. His eyes were almost as wide as his kids’.
Wyatt smiled politely and nodded. He was used to interacting with fans. It was no problem. Still, he just wanted to get inside and see his girls.
“How are you fine folks enjoying the ranch?” he asked, putting on a little bit of a southern drawl for show.
He shook each and every hand, signed a few t-shirts and took a couple of pictures, then saw the star-struck family on their way. The commotion caused quite the little stir in the surrounding area though. Wyatt could see other families in the distance perking up like prairie dogs at the scene. Usually he would stick around and bask in the attention, but today there was only one thing on his mind.
He slipped inside and made a beeline for the backroom ball pit he had instructed Liz to meet him at. He was already fond of Bindi, but the plan for the day was to get her tired out as quickly as possible so he could spend some alone time with Liz. They had so much catching up to do.
Wyatt heard a crowd enter the center just as he rounded the first corner. He picked up his pace. Still, he made sure to greet each and every employee he came across. Most were new faces he didn’t recognize, but he trusted the Ranch Manager, Wendy, so he did his best to introduce himself to everyone in a uniform, even if only with just a head nod and a “Hey, I’m Wyatt.”
When he finally pushed through the brightly coloured doors of the ball pit, he was greeted by a familiar giggle. A smile instantly formed on his lips. The warmth of the happiness in that room comforted him like nothing else ever had. It was almost enough just to be there. He could have leaned against the wall and watched the two girls play forever and been completely content. In fact, that’s just what he did for a few moments, before Liz caught him staring.
Her eyes went wide at his outfit.
“Hey there, cowboy,” she smiled.
Wyatt tipped his Stetson at the pretty lady. “Liz.”
He turned to the giggling little girl. “Bindi.”
“Hello!” Bindi beamed, tossing a gaggle of plastic balls into the air. Wyatt quickly reached out and caught one, then he scooped up another two and began to juggle.
“Wow!” gasped Bindi. Liz laughed and clapped along as Wyatt put on a little show for the two of them.
They spent the next hour or so at the ball pit having a great time. They would have stayed longer, too, if word hadn’t clearly gotten out that it was where Wyatt Sounder was. It got crowded quick and when Wyatt realized he was spending more time taking pictures and signing autographs than he was playing with Liz and Bindi, he excused himself and called on a couple of employees for distraction. Luckily, he recognized one of the older workers there, Rick.
“Watch this,” he mouthed to Bindi as he held his hand up in the air. He snapped his fingers, giving the signal to good ol’ Rick. The lights suddenly turned off and a spotlight fell from the ceiling, directing everyone’s attention to a projector on the far side of the room. With everyone distracted, Wyatt made his escape.
He swept Bindi off her feet and took Liz by the hand and whisked them away out of the crowded ball room.
“You made the lights go off!” Bindi marvelled, when they were safely outside.
Wyatt winked. “An old understanding that I used to have with some of the employees here,” he smiled at Liz. “If I was ever feeling overwhelmed, I’d give them the codeword and snap my fingers when I was ready, then they’d cause a distraction that let me escape. Thank goodness Rick still works here. He always had my back before. I guess some things never change.”
“Why did all those people want to talk to you? Are you a superhero?” Bindi asked innocently.
That drew a laugh from both the adults.
“Just an old hockey player,” Wyatt smiled.
“Ugh, don’t say that!” Liz cheerfully chided. “We are not old!”
Wyatt knelt down and let Bindi go from his arms. “Old for a hockey player is different than old for a regular person,” he noted.
“Oh, so we’re ‘regular’ now are we?” Liz teased.
“I prefer the term ‘going steady’,” he joked back. “And don’t worry, you’ve never been anything close to ‘regular’.”
The three of them walked from the back of the kid’s center aimlessly. “You’re momma’s a smart cookie,” he told Bindi. “Always has been.”
“I know,” confirmed the little girl. Liz snuck onto the other side of her and took her hand. Bindi reached up her free hand for Wyatt to take. He complied.
Bindi began swinging back and forth between them.
“How about some lunch?” asked Wyatt. “I had planned for a meal at the kid’s center, but it’s a bit more of a madhouse right now than I had expecte
d...”
“I say we stick with that plan,” interrupted Liz. She side-eyed Wyatt and then checked her watch. “It’s still a little early for ‘regular’ lunch goers, so we probably won’t have to deal with the same kind of crowd.” She leaned in closer to Wyatt. “I think it’s important we don’t ‘avoid’ people,” she whispered.
Wyatt had an inkling about what she meant by that. He knew that one of Liz’s pet peeves with his ‘fame’ had always been Wyatt’s intrinsic reaction to isolate himself when things got too overwhelming. She was smart to try and break that bad habit before it could overtake him again. She was trying to make this thing work just as much as he was. The thought made him smile.
She’s giving me a real second third chance...
“You’re right,” he nodded. “Let’s do it.”
And so, they did.
They had a wonderful little lunch. The food at the kid’s center wasn’t exactly the most high-quality, but the company more than made up for it.
When they were done, Wyatt chaperoned Liz and Bindi to the daycare center. The little girl was more than ready for a nap, so it didn’t take much convincing to get her in.
Wyatt let Liz set her daughter up while he went to the bathroom.
He washed up and saw a happy man reflected in the mirror. He could hardly believe how quickly things were changing for him. Just a few days ago, he had been holed up in an isolated, decrepit little cabin, far from everything and everyone. He had been miserable and alone and unsure of what his future held. Now he had a goal again, and not just some selfish little personal goal like getting back in shape. He wanted to make Liz happy. He wanted to spoil Bindi.
His eyebrows tented as he realized what that really meant.
He wanted a family—but not just any family. He wanted Liz and Bindi.
The bathroom door opened and Wyatt saw Rick walk in. He immediately perked up.
“Hey old pal,” he bellowed, giving a big cowboy handshake to the long-time employee. “I owe you dinner. Thank you so much for your help back in the ball pit.”
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