James' POV--

"Heads up, Nealer!" Deryk Engellend called as a puck just barely missed me

"Engo, what the fuck?" I yelled shooting it back to him

He laughed and skated over to me "You were day dreaming. I was trying to wake you up. Are you hungover? Did you venture out onto the Strip?"

"No, I'm not hungover! And I was not day dreaming, I was thinking!" I replied shoving him

"Thinking about what?"

"None of your business."

"He was thinking about his girlfriend." Flower said as he skated over to us to exit the ice

"You got a girlfriend, Nealer? Holy shit, has the Real Deal found himself a girl?"

"She isn't my girlfriend...she's my ex-girlfriend."

"Ohhhh."

"He met up with her the other day." Flower said

"Did ya now? How did you date a girl from Vegas?"

"She isn't from Vegas...she's from Dallas. I dated her then we broke up when I was in Pittsburgh."

"How come I've never met her?"

"We broke up right after I was traded..."

"Oh. Why?" Deryk asked continuing on with his questions

"It's a long story, Engo and I'd rather not get into it." I sighed

"Ah...well I guess it's nice you bumped into her? Re-kindle the flame?"

I shrugged "I don't know...I screwed up and she seemed just to be agreeing to even talking with me cause we live in close quarters. I mean, we apparently use the same grocery store. She can't avoid me forever."

"She could've if she really wanted to. So maybe she wants to re-kindle too."

"Stop saying that word...and I doubt it. I cheated on her and she stopped speaking to me for almost six years."

"Why did you cheat on her?"

"I don't know. Stop asking questions..." I said stepping off the ice

"Okay okay. I'll stop." Engo said following me

We got back to the locker rooms and I jumped in the shower quick before chaning and then heading back to my place. I started unpacking some boxes when my phone rang "Hello?"

"Hey? Are you busy tonight?" Laura asked

"Laura? Hey...um I'm just unpacking so, no, I'm not really busy." I laughed

"Do you need a hand?" she asked, much to my surprise

"Uh sure! If you'd like to..."

"Okay. Text me your address. I'll be there in a few."

"Uh..okay." I said still in a daze that she actually called me to come over and that she actually wanted to help. I

texted her my address and grabbed a water from the fridge. I cut open another box and started pulling things from it and putting them where I wanted. My mind kept racing back to that first time we met...to me nervously asking for her number...to our first date...everything...

Including the part where she left. That part was the most clear... I had deserved it. I'm not happy with myself for what I did and to be honest, I'm still not sure why I did it. If I could turn back time, I'd go back to that night at Diesel's when that girl kissed me and I would walk away, instead of inviting her back to Paulie's. But time travel is impossible, so the only thing I can do is prove to her that I've changed...even if she doesn't believe that I have.

Laura's POV--

James only lived a few blocks away. I could've walked, but I didn't want him to know I was THAT close. I pulled my car into the driveway and walked up to the door pressing the buzzer. After a few minutes, James was at the door. He was wearing a black pair of athletic shorts and a white t-shirt. His hair was a floppy mess and he had his glasses on "Hey." he said with a small smile

"Hey. When did you get these?" I asked pointing to his tattoos

James looked down "I've gotten more and more added over the past four, five years."

"They look nice."

James laughed "Thanks. Would you like something to drink? I have water...probably some Gatorade...maybe some..."

"Dr. Pepper." I interrupted

James smiled "Yeah."

"I guess some things haven't changed." I smiled "I'll take a Dr. Pepper."

James nodded and motioned for me to follow him to the kitchen. He got in the fridge pulling out two cans of Dr. Pepper, handing me one "So, the boxes are this way."

"Okay." I replied following him. His house was nice. Empty, but nice. He had a couple of couches and of course a big TV. "Nice place."

"Thanks. It'll do, I guess. Laura, can I ask you something?"

I felt my heart start to race. Did he know something? "Yeah, James...what's up?"

"Why the sudden change of heart? I thought you hated me."

"James, I don't hate you...and I'm sorry if I made you feel that way...I just..." I sighed "All that stuff back then is the past. We're in the same city...we're probably going to see each other around...so I figured we might as well make amends."

"Oh..." he replied a hint of disappointment in his voice

"Is everything okay?" I asked him

James nodded "Yeah I'm fine. Um...I think I just have these three boxes left."

He still had feelings for me. I could just tell. By the way he looked at me...it was still the same as back then. I caught myself staring at him while he rambled on about how he didn't have a whole lot of stuff when he moved to Pittsburgh and then to Nashville. Time did him good...

"Laura?" James' voice broke me out of my thoughts

"Mmm?" I said looking over at him

"I asked you why you moved here alone? I know you said chnage of scenary...but there isn't much to look at in Nevada."

"James...I...I don't want to talk about that, okay?"

"Okay. Anyways, hows your family?"

"They're okay. Grace graduated nursing school last fall. Mom is good...so is dad. Your's?"

James nodded "They're good. My parents moved to a smaller house. Rebecca is in college, Nick and Pete are just kinda hanging out and Mike plays in Indiana."

"Rebecca is in college?!"

James laughed "Yeah. It's crazy."

"Time flies, I guess."

"Yeah it does." James replied "Can I ask you something kind of personal?"

"Yeah."

"Have you dated any one? Since we broke up?"

I nodded "His name was Jeff. I only dated him for a few month then we broke up...You?"

James shook his head "Not really...I mean..." he paused his face reddening "I messed around with a few girls, but nothing official..."

"Oh..."

"Well I guess I did try dating this one girl from the college...but she went back to her ex..." he said breaking down an empty box

"Oh. I'm sorry."

James shrugged "it wasn't going to go that far anyways..."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I love someone else..." he said looking over at me

"James...I..." before I could say another word James kissed me. His lips were as soft as I remembered and for a moment I slipped into the moment and kissed him back.

I snapped out of it and pulled away "I should go..." I said standing up

"Don't go..." James said grabbing my hand

I pulled my hand away "James...we're just not the same people any more...I just...I don't want to hurt you..."

"You don't feel the same way any more?" He asked

I sighed. Truth was, when I first saw him in Vegas, I had convinced myself I hated him. That I never wanted to see him again, but the real truth...I had never stopped loving him. "I have to go..." I said heading out the door. I didn't want to have this conversation with him. I did feel that way...I'd always felt that way...but so much happened and if he knew... he'd change his mind and I just couldn't be with him with a secret hanging over my head.

I got in my car and drove away.

Notes