Rewind It Back (Windy City, #5)

by Liz Tomforde

Rio DeLuca. Number thirty-eight glares down at his opponent as the crowd bangs their fists against the barrier, shaking the glass to celebrate the big hit. He moves to skate away, but as he shifts his weight on his blades, his eyes flit upward. To me.

“I pick a song when something cool or important happens so I can remember it. Then when I want to relive a moment, I rewind it back and start the song from the beginning.”

For a moment, I let myself remember how overwhelming it felt to be near her. She used to steal all my thoughts. She used to occupy my entire existence.

That thing I’ve been looking for since I moved to Chicago? That connection? That one person some search their entire lives to find? I had already found her when I was twelve years old.

Thankfully, she doesn’t seem fazed, which means she has no idea that I almost just referred to her as “baby” like I used to when we were younger.

“You used to be my best friend, and yeah, we haven’t seen each other since then, but I’d rather hold on to the memory of the sweet neighbor boy I loved than replace it with this version of you.”

We’re not friends. We’re just trying not to kill each other. And personally, I’m trying not to rip off his clothes.

And my best friend is kind of addicted to iced coffee. A few years ago, she was staying here for a couple of days, and her now husband gave me so much shit for not making her coffee correctly that I had to step up my game.

I’ve always had this innate need to protect him. Growing up, he was an easy target because he made himself the butt of the joke most of the time, but I didn’t play into that. He could be a joke to everyone else, but he was never a joke to me.

She lifts a brow. “And you think you still do?” “Yeah, Hal. I still know you. And you still know me. Better than anyone.”

“Yeah, well you’re not his, so tell him to keep his hands to himself too.” Her eyes drop to my mouth. “I’m not yours either.” We’ll see.

I wet my lips, leaning in awfully close. “You sure look good in my shirt for not being mine.” “Get fucked, DeLuca.” I smile as I open the door. “Would love to. You just let me know when and where, Hart.”

When I take our exit, I change my mind and get right back on the expressway. God knows I’m not going to get any sleep tonight anyway, so she may as well. I take note of the song that’s playing and keep on driving.

wearing a big smile and my away jersey over one of my stolen hoodies.

She smiles down at me softly. “It was the first time I realized that you may feel the same way about me as I’ve always felt about you.”

“Max, you’re the oldest. You’re in charge. Keep an eye on Uncle Rio for us.”

Outside, standing between our houses, we hold each other longer than friends should. We hold each other longer than two people who claim to still be hurt by each other should.

They have no idea that me saying I like her doesn’t exactly encompass how I actually feel about the girl.

“Because I’m going to kiss you and when we listen to next year’s playlist, I want this song to be on there so we can rewind it back however many times we want to and remember this.”

I just want to see her. Now that I’ve admitted to both of us how much I’ve missed her, there’s no use in pretending that I don’t.

“Nice game tonight, thirty-eight,”

“I already told you, Hal. I missed you.”

Rio pulls out of the parking lot, and I don’t waste time, reaching for the truck’s screen display and finding his music app. Because for the first time in God knows how many years, this is a moment I want to remember. I want to listen to music and allow it to give me hope. I want to associate a song with a memory.

“You single, Hal?” I finally give him the long-awaited answer, nodding to tell him yes. “Good.” He takes a slow predatorial step towards me, tone sharp and leaving no room for question. “Because we aren’t fucking friends.”

And all that confusion, all that second-guessing is thrown out the window because I do know what I’m doing. I have only ever loved one person in my entire life and she’s here and fuck it, I don’t care about the rest. I want to know if this could be something. If we could ever forgive each other. If we could ever try again.

I’ve been feeling more like myself again lately.” She looks up at me. “For the first time in a long time.” I slip my hand into hers again, letting our fingers lace. “Yeah. I completely get what you mean.”

“Would you…” I stumble. “Would you maybe want to come to my room and sleep here?” “Yeah,” he exhales quickly. “Yeah, I would. I’ll be right there.”

“I didn’t give you the entire answer then. But if I were to give you the whole truth, I’d tell you that even though I may have gone six years without seeing you, the thought of going two weeks now feels impossible. And no, I don’t have the answer for why that is, but I want a chance to figure it out.”

“I understand why you’re hesitant or uninterested,” he whispers. “I’m not going to push you to want me. But I am going to be here, waiting, if you ever decide you want to try again. I’m not going anywhere this time.”

But you and me, Hal? There’s nothing to be scared about when it comes to us.”

“I wish you could see inside my head, Hal. You’d see the picture I’ve got painted of our future, and every part of it revolves around you, okay?” With his knuckle, he urges my chin up so I look at him. “It’s you and me. I promise.”

“Hallie, do you know why I’m not scared?” He holds up the mix CD. “It’s because I know I’ve got a lifetime of getting these from you. We’ve got a lifetime of best moments ahead of us.”

Everything quiets when she’s around.

I never forgot him. I never forgot us. And apparently, neither did he.

“You have every right to hate me, Hal. You have every right to believe that I forgot about you, but I didn’t. Not one day went by that I didn’t think of you. You were everywhere. In the music I listened to. In the house I live in. I tried to compare every single person I met to you, but there was no comparison. And I will spend the rest of my life regretting leaving you behind all those years ago.”

Getting the opportunity to fall in love with you is my best memory, and all I can do is hope that one day you’ll let me do it again.”

“It’s always been you, Hallie.”

“Are you sure that’s not just a first-love thing?” “No, baby. It’s a last-love thing.”

“It’s always been you, Hallie, and I think we both know it.”

“Then you should probably kiss me now. We already lost six years. I don’t feel like wasting any more time.”

“Rio.” Her eyes bounce between mine. “You should know. It’s always been you too.”

“Because it’s always been us.” With his knuckle, he tilts my chin up so I look at him. “Even when I thought I didn’t want it to be, I knew it was us. I sat there getting this permanently inked onto my skin, trying to convince myself I was only getting it as a reminder that love existed when the whole fucking time, I knew it only existed with you.”

“I’ve only ever been with you.”

“But you’re not just a part of my life. You’re the center of it. So, if something isn’t fitting around us, that piece needs to change, not you.”

This man has no shame, acting like a love-sick idiot on the ice with twenty thousand fans watching him.

He’s been wearing my birthdate on his jersey for six years and I had no idea.

She stands, rounding the coffee table to meet me, practically slamming into my chest. It’s the best hit I’ve ever taken, and I instantly wrap her in a hug.

thought it was another one of those unspoken things.” Reaching up, she wraps her arms around my neck. “But it shouldn’t be. It should be said as much as possible. Because I love you, Rio. I have loved you since we were children, and I will love you until we’re old and gray. But if you didn’t already know that, then I’ve been doing something wrong.”

“I remember everything about us.”