The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 196
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The drive took us away from the suburban streets and into the sprawling
countryside. The road stretched endlessly before us, and my eyes kept flickering
to Timothy to see his expression. Every time I'd ask where he was taking us, my
questions would be met with evasive answers and a growing sense of
anticipation.
“It's about an hour-long drive,” Timothy said finally, though the mystery remained.
“You'll see when we get
there, Evie.”
I sighed, glancing out of the car window at the passing scenery. Any anxiety that
I'd been feeling previously had given way to an intense curiosity. “Can't you at
least give me a hint, Timothy?”
He smiled, a faint, enigmatic curve of his lips. “Not yet, Evie. You'll know when
we arrive.”
The anticipation gnawed at me, but I decided to enjoy the ride and let Timothy
maintain the shroud of secrecy. I spent the peaceful silence taking note of the
rolling hills, dotted with patches of wildflowers.
When the car finally came to a halt, I looked around, trying to decipher our
location. My heart skipped a beat when I realized we were parked near a pristine
beach. The golden sand stretched out as far as the eye could see, and the sound
of the waves crashing against the shore filled the air.
My surprise was evident in my voice. “Timothy, we're at a beach?”
He nodded, his eyes glistening with nostalgia. “This is where my mother and I
were supposed to go on a trip. She had so many memories of this place, and we
always talked about visiting together.”
The realization hit me like a tidal wave. Timothy had brought me here to honor
his mother’s memory.
As we stepped onto the beach, a sense of serenity washed over us. The sand
was cool beneath our feet, and the salty breeze carried the scent of the sea. I
followed Timothy, each step taking us closer to the water's edge, where the
waves crashed with a relentless, rhythmic fury.
He gazed out at the horizon. “This was my favorite beach. Still is, actually,” he
said. “She'd take me to it whenever I asked, and we'd just talk about anything.”
I glanced over at him. “She sounds like she was a lovely woman, Timothy.”
He turned to me, a warm smile on his face. “She was, Evie. She was my anchor,
the one who always believed in
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me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
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fib
I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for being here with Timothy, sharing in
his memories and his love for his mother. “I'm honored that you brought me here,
Timothy. Thank you for sharing this with me.”
He reached for my hand and I returned the gesture. “You've always been there
for me, Evie. It felt right to have you here today.”
The beach was bathed in the soft, golden hues of the setting sun as Timothy and
I strolled along the shoreline. The gentle lapping of the waves against the sand
served as a soothing backdrop to our conversation.
“I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion,” I remarked, glancing down at my dress
and sandals. The idea of getting wet and sandy seemed impractical in my current
attire.
Timothy, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. With a mischievous glint in his
eyes, he turned to me and said, “Who said you had to be dressed for the beach
to enjoy it?” Without further explanation, he sprinted toward the water and, with a
joyful whoop, jumped right in, fully clothed.
I watched in amazement as Timothy emerged from the waves, water dripping
from his soaked clothes. His laughter echoed through the salt-kissed air, and his
face was illuminated with a childlike exuberance.
“Come on, Evie!” he called, beckoning for me to join him. “The water's great!”
I hesitated, feeling the warm sand beneath my toes and the cool breeze on my
skin. The sight of Timothy splashing around in the waves, his sadness a distant
memory, was irresistibly inviting. With a tentative smile, I kicked off my shoes
and, taking a deep breath, I ran toward the water, jumping in with a splash.
The moment my feet touched the ocean, I felt an exhilarating rush of both cold
and warmth. The salty water enveloped me, and for the first time in a long while, I
allowed myself to let go. We raced each other, our limbs propelling us through
the water with an infectious enthusiasm.
After a while, Timothy had gotten slower, and unable to escape my grasp, I
pounced on him.
“Thought you could escape me, huh?” I teased.
He groaned in fake protest, spinning me around as I latched onto his front and
wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his hands slip around my thighs for
support, and suddenly I was every bit aware of how close we were. I stared into
his eyes, glimmering with salt and sea, and my jaw began to tremble.
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“I think I captured you instead,” he said in a whisper, his breath fanning across
my parted lips.
His hands began to trace the curves of my body, igniting a burning desire within
me. The feel of his skin against mine only heightened the intensity as his
muscles flexed beneath my fingers. He leaned forward, his forehead pressing
against my own, and for a moment, we seemed to share the same air.
“It's getting late,” I said quietly, my voice raspy with unquenched desire. I had to
peel myself away, and his hands. were reluctant as they left my hips. “They have
a curfew here.”
He briefly glanced, almost bitterly, at the sign that was propped up on the beach
with its listed hours,
With a shared urgency, we waded back to the shore, fingers interlocked, a trail of
wet footprints marking our path. The beach was deserted when we finally made
our way back to shore, our bodies glistening with saltwater and sand. Together,
we collapsed on the sand and stared up at the sky.
“I'm starving,” Timothy declared, and his stomach growled soon after. “How about
we find a place to eat?”
I couldn't help but smile wider, and the feeling of it was almost unfamiliar. “That
sounds like a great idea. I'm in.”
We settled on a cozy seafood restaurant near the harbor, the soft glow of
lanterns illuminating our path. The air was filled with the tantalizing scent of
grilled fish and spices, and the sound of clinking glasses and laughter emanated
from the bustling eatery.
We were seated by the window, the view of the harbor bathed in the soft,
romantic glow of the moonlight. Our conversation flowed effortlessly, as if this
were the only important aspect of our lives. Timothy's eyes held a light that had
been missing earlier, and he smiled gratefully.
“Evie, I'm really glad you came with me today,” he said. “I needed you there,
especially with everything that’s been happening.”
www
I smiled in return, my heart warmed by his words. “I wouldn't have missed it for
the world, Timothy. You mean at lot to me, and I wanted to be there for you.”
The waiter approached to take our orders, and as we perused the menu, I
couldn't help but wonder about the question that had been lingering in my mind.
“Timothy, are you really calling off your engagement to Stella?” I asked, recalling
his father’s words from earlier.
He met my gaze. “Yes, Evie. I know it's a big decision, but it's the right one.
There's a greater purpose in life for
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Chapter 196
me, one that goes beyond what my family wants for me.”
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His words held a profound weight,
and he reached across the table to
take my hand, 2 gestuEhet Sehth
sfrogk Arefectficity through my hand
: “ :

and down my spine. “l want to live my
life on my terms, without the weight

: ”
of anger and expectations.” The
content is on Novelxo.org! Read
the latest chapter there!
I squeezed his hand, my heart filled with a mixture of pride and affection. “I
admire that. I know it must've been difficult, going against your family like that.”
“It was actually easier than expected,” he said, and his thumb traced over mine.
I cleared my throat. “Oh, that's good.”
“Itis,” he continued, his fingers now fully interlacing with my own. “It means I can
focus on what's most important now.”
“Of course,” I ducked my head, avoiding his penetrative gaze as it bore into me.
He couldn't have been any clearer, but I played dumb anyway. “Now you can
grief in peace without your family bugging you.”
“Amongst other things,” he said, giving my hand a light squeeze.
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A warm blush reached my cheeks
and I turned my head. The deeper
undercurrents of our conversation

: ®
weren Hog Qn ma Khe talked, I
p

cbuldn & but wonder about the
potential progression of our
relationship. The events of the day
had brought us closer, but I was
unsure if I was ready for what might
lie ahead. The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter therel
I decided to lighten the mood by reaching for a biscuit and playfully shoving it into
Timothy's mouth. “Eat up, or I might start helping myself to your plate,” I teased.
Timothy laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He had to retract his hands
from mine to remove the biscuit. “Jeez, all right!” he replied, taking a bite out of it.
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As we enjoyed our meal, our
conversation flowed naturally, and
the barriers that had once divided\us
seemed to have crdrbidd Ut
beneath ke surface, there was an
unspoken question that hung in the
air, a question that had been there
since the beginning. With his family
and Stella temporarily out of the way,
it left room for something more. The
content is on Novelxo.org! Read
the latest chapter there!
Once our dinner came to a close, the idea lingered in the space between us,
unspoken yet undeniable.