The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 69

Timothy's jaw was set, his expression tense as he guided me through the bustling. streets towards a nearby café. The bell above the door jingled as we stepped inside, and the pleasant aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. The dimly lit interior offered a welcome respite from the chaos outside.

He pulled me into the family bathroom and locked the door before rushing to the sink. | stood to the side, peeling at the film of milk that had begun to crust on my wrist.

Moments later, Timothy turned to me with a handful of damp paper towels. He handed them to me, his gaze softening as he met my eyes. “I’m sorry about all of this, Evie.”

| dabbed at my face with the cloth, grateful for the gesture. “It’s not your fault, Timothy. People can be unpredictable.”

The café restroom offered, some comfort from the chaos outside. Timothy was desperate to help me, even offering to wash out my hair. Duke was determined to help as well, licking remnants of the shake from my fingertips

| turned off the faucet, and Timothy handed me a paper towel. | met his eyes in the mirror, fiercely embarrassed. “I’m sorry about all of this, Timothy.”

He smiled, his expression warm. “You don’t have anything to apologize for, Evie. It’s not your fault.”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, my clothes were relatively clean, and | let out a tired exhale. Timothy discarded the soiled paper towels in the trash and. turned to me, his gaze steady and understanding.

“Are you okay, Evie?” he asked softly.

| appreciated his sympathy, but the weight of another matter tugged at my conscience. It was time to come clean about my unintentional slip of information to Maria, the woman | had mistaken for a homeless stranger.

“Timothy, there’s something | need to tell you,” | began, my voice tinged with guilt.

He looked at me, his expression curious but open. “What is it?”

| took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “Earlier, when | was leaving the firm, |

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ran into a woman who appeared to be homeless and in need. | wanted to help her, so | offered to take her out for dinner.” Timothy's brow furrowed in concern. “That's kind of you, Evie.”

| nodded, my gaze dropping to the floor. “The thing is, during our conversation, | accidentally revealed some information about you about our working relationship, the case, and everything that’s been going on.”

There was a moment of silence, and | dared to look up at Timothy, expecting to see frustration or disappointment. Instead, | found understanding and even a touch of sympathy in his eyes.

“Evie, it’s okay,” he said gently. “You were trying to help someone in need. | can’t fault you for that.”

| was taken aback by his response. “You're not upset?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m not upset. You were doing what you thought was right.”

His words washed over me, relief flooding through my veins. | had feared that my unintentional slip would have dire consequences, but Timothy's understanding and forgiveness reassured me. “Thank you, Timothy,” | said sincerely. “I was worried you'd be disappointed in

me.

He chuckled softly. “Evie, you’re naturally sweet. | wouldn’t be disappointed in you for trying to help someone, even if they were tricking you.”

As his words settled in, | felt a warmth spreading within me. “I appreciate that.”

As we exited the restroom and returned to the café, the bustling ambiance seemed less overwhelming now. Timothy guided us to a table by the window, and | slid into the seat across

from him. The worn leather cushion was a welcome contrast to the earlier chaos, and | couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh.

Timothy signaled to one of the servers, and soon enough, we were sipping hot cups of coffee. The aroma was comforting, the steam rising from the cups like a soothing embrace. | watched as Timothy stirred in a bit of sugar, his movements deliberate and unhurried.

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Duke was splayed out beside the table, catching his breath after an exciting day in the sun. At least he didn’t get splashed with a milkshake, although I’m sure he would have enjoyed the taste.

Timothy looked up from his cup, meeting my gaze. “So, how are you holding up?” | nodded, my fingers tracing the rim of the coffee cup. “Better, now that I’m away from all of that.”

Timothy offered a look of sympathy. ‘It’s like they get crazier by the year. I’ve never seen them throw stuff at the other women I’ve been around.”

Just the mention of him having other women in his company made me choke on my drink. “Oh.” | said, my voice tinged with a hint of bitterness. “Glad I’m so special.”

He chuckled softly, his gaze never leaving mine. “Well, you are.”

My mouth fell open and | stared at him for a moment, trying to decipher how deep that statement was meant to go. However, he was already taking. “Is this what your life is like all the time?”

He nodded, a wistful smile on his lips. “More often than I'd like. but you get used to it. Thankfully, my experience is usually dairy— free.”

As he laughed at his own joke, | gave him a playful kick under the table. This made him laugh harder and Duke barked, sensing that we were getting rowdy.

We resumed sipping our coffee, the tension long gone in exchange for laughs. | watched as Timothy picked up a menu and glanced at the options, his brows furrowing in concentration.

“Feel like we should've gotten food. You hungry?” he asked, his voice casual. | hesitated for a moment before nodding, “Yeah, | could eat.”

Timothy placed the menu back down, his gaze meeting mine. “Let’s order something. Might as well make the most of our unexpected lunch.”

As we perused the menu and placed our orders, the conversation continued with ease. The warmth of the café and the gentle hum of conversation around us created a sense of intimacy, as if we were sharing secrets amidst the noise

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Once | got my order of cheddar broccoli soup, | scooped up a spoonful and

slurped it with delight. You know, this is nice, | admitted once I'd swallowed the thick liquid.

Timothy took a bite of his bread, then tore off a small piece that he offered to Duke. “What? Being accosted by fans and paparazzi?”

| chuckled, shaking my head. “No. | mean being able to sit down and just talk. He nodded, his expression thoughtful. Tagree. Glad | make good company

As we continued to talk, the topic shifted to Timothy’s love for hockey and he described his carly years on the ice. | shared stories of growing up in a small town, my aspirations of becoming a lawyer, and the challenges that had come with it.

When our plates were cleared. Timothy signaled for the bill. | reached for my. purse, but he waved me off. “My treat,” he said with a grin.

1 narrowed my eyes. “Is this another celebrity perk?” He chuckled, a hint of playfulness in his eyes. “Something like that.”

As we stepped out of the cafe, the afternoon sun greeted us with a warm embrace. Duke wagged his tail as he bounded ahead, eager to explore the city streets. Timothy gestured for me to follow, leading us away from the main thoroughfare and towards a quieter part of town.

The pace was leisurely, our steps falling into sync as we walked side by side. The buildings around us seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the easy conversation that flowed between us

Timothy listened intently, his gaze unwavering. “You've come a long way, Evie. lled, a warmth blooming within me. “Thank you, Timothy

We walked in comfortable silence for a moment, the sounds of the city providing a soothing backdrop to our conversation. As we reached the entrance of our apartment building. | turned to Timothy with a smile

“Thank you for today, Timothy It was exactly what | needles,” | said sincerely. He returned the smile, his eyes crinkling at the comers. “Anytime. | think Duke and | both enjoy the company Chapter 69

| leaned down and gave Duke one more chin scratch, then gave Timothy a side hug. | guess I’d grown comfortable with doing that now. Friends hugged all the. time, so it shouldn’t have been weird with us, right?

“See ya!” He waved as we parted at the elevator. | waved back, watching as he ducked into his apartment and shut the door. “Goodbye,” | whispered, my voice echoing solemnly through the empty hallway. And | couldn’t wait for the next ‘hello’.

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