Read Online Losing the Ice (Ice Series #2) by Jennifer Comeaux - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Comeaux
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asked.
I looked at the clock on the cable box. “It’s time for bed.”
He and Quinn whined and started a chorus of pleas.
“I let you stay up late last night when I shouldn’t have,” I said.
“Need some help getting them ready for bed?” Josh asked.
I was about to take him up on his offer, but Quinn and Alex would never go to sleep as long Josh was there. I had to sacrifice more time with him for less commotion with the twins.
“I think it’s best if I do it on my own. Your irresistible charm will keep the kids up.” I smiled.
He chuckled and stretched his arms as he stood. Quinn and Alex jumped down and latched on to his legs.
“Bye, Josh,” they said in eerily perfect twin tandem.
He ruffled their blond heads. “I’ll see you again very soon.”
When I finally pried them away from him, I walked him to the door. Before I could say anything, he wrapped me in a hug, holding me longer than he had in the past three weeks combined. I pressed my face to his neck and breathed in his familiar sweet scent.
“Can you come over tomorrow?” he asked as he pulled back.
Happy dancing ensued inside me. It felt so wonderful to be invited. To be wanted .
“Yeah, I’m not working, so I can come by in the evening.”
“Be ready to work up a sweat.”
I lifted one eyebrow. “You’re not going to crank up the heater on me, are you? You know my issues with hot yoga.”
He laughed. “I promise I won’t. But… I can’t guarantee it won’t get hot in there.”
He gave me the same delicious smile as earlier, and he lowered his head down to mine, placing the softest of kisses on my lips. My toes curled into the rug. More, more, more was all I could think.
“See you tomorrow,” he said.
I watched him walk to his car, and I reluctantly went back inside. Quinn and Alex were jumping on the sofa, but I was too happy to give them a good lecture. Could things finally be getting back to normal? For real?
****
Josh answered my knock on his door, and the first thing I noticed was the lack of a smile. He had his phone to his ear, and he paced into the living room as I shut the door behind me.
“I understand, Mrs. Bates, but I have a set plan for Charlie and—”
I put down my yoga mat and my duffel bag, and I leaned against the kitchen counter to watch Josh. Lines of tension marked his forehead. The relaxed version of him I’d seen the previous night was gone.
“I can’t give you a definite date, but I’m trying my best—”
The conversation with one of his students’ moms was obviously not going well. He couldn’t even finish a sentence without being interrupted.
“I’m sorry you feel you have to do that. Charlie was making great progress with me.”
The call lasted only a minute longer, and Josh tossed the phone onto the couch. “Just lost one of my students. Charlie’s mom doesn’t want to wait until I start teaching again. I guess I can’t blame her. Who knows how long it’ll be before I can freaking remember how to play.”
“Maybe you can talk to her once you’re giving lessons again. Try to get her to switch him back.”
“He probably won’t be the only one I lose. I’m surprised the others haven’t left yet.”
I stayed quiet as I knew nothing I said would help. We’d been doing this same song-and-dance for weeks.
Josh rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t ask you here to listen to my issues.”
“I don’t want you to feel like you can’t talk to me. I just want to help you get to a better place.”
He came over and stood in front of me. “You are. And I’m trying to get there. Some days are just better than others.”
I reached up and touched his cheek, and he tugged lightly on the strings of my hoodie.
“I did get some good news today,” he said. “Ronnie said I can bus tables until I can play again, so I won’t have to survive on cereal and ramen noodles.”
“That’s awesome. It’ll be great to have you back there.”
“I
I looked at the clock on the cable box. “It’s time for bed.”
He and Quinn whined and started a chorus of pleas.
“I let you stay up late last night when I shouldn’t have,” I said.
“Need some help getting them ready for bed?” Josh asked.
I was about to take him up on his offer, but Quinn and Alex would never go to sleep as long Josh was there. I had to sacrifice more time with him for less commotion with the twins.
“I think it’s best if I do it on my own. Your irresistible charm will keep the kids up.” I smiled.
He chuckled and stretched his arms as he stood. Quinn and Alex jumped down and latched on to his legs.
“Bye, Josh,” they said in eerily perfect twin tandem.
He ruffled their blond heads. “I’ll see you again very soon.”
When I finally pried them away from him, I walked him to the door. Before I could say anything, he wrapped me in a hug, holding me longer than he had in the past three weeks combined. I pressed my face to his neck and breathed in his familiar sweet scent.
“Can you come over tomorrow?” he asked as he pulled back.
Happy dancing ensued inside me. It felt so wonderful to be invited. To be wanted .
“Yeah, I’m not working, so I can come by in the evening.”
“Be ready to work up a sweat.”
I lifted one eyebrow. “You’re not going to crank up the heater on me, are you? You know my issues with hot yoga.”
He laughed. “I promise I won’t. But… I can’t guarantee it won’t get hot in there.”
He gave me the same delicious smile as earlier, and he lowered his head down to mine, placing the softest of kisses on my lips. My toes curled into the rug. More, more, more was all I could think.
“See you tomorrow,” he said.
I watched him walk to his car, and I reluctantly went back inside. Quinn and Alex were jumping on the sofa, but I was too happy to give them a good lecture. Could things finally be getting back to normal? For real?
****
Josh answered my knock on his door, and the first thing I noticed was the lack of a smile. He had his phone to his ear, and he paced into the living room as I shut the door behind me.
“I understand, Mrs. Bates, but I have a set plan for Charlie and—”
I put down my yoga mat and my duffel bag, and I leaned against the kitchen counter to watch Josh. Lines of tension marked his forehead. The relaxed version of him I’d seen the previous night was gone.
“I can’t give you a definite date, but I’m trying my best—”
The conversation with one of his students’ moms was obviously not going well. He couldn’t even finish a sentence without being interrupted.
“I’m sorry you feel you have to do that. Charlie was making great progress with me.”
The call lasted only a minute longer, and Josh tossed the phone onto the couch. “Just lost one of my students. Charlie’s mom doesn’t want to wait until I start teaching again. I guess I can’t blame her. Who knows how long it’ll be before I can freaking remember how to play.”
“Maybe you can talk to her once you’re giving lessons again. Try to get her to switch him back.”
“He probably won’t be the only one I lose. I’m surprised the others haven’t left yet.”
I stayed quiet as I knew nothing I said would help. We’d been doing this same song-and-dance for weeks.
Josh rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t ask you here to listen to my issues.”
“I don’t want you to feel like you can’t talk to me. I just want to help you get to a better place.”
He came over and stood in front of me. “You are. And I’m trying to get there. Some days are just better than others.”
I reached up and touched his cheek, and he tugged lightly on the strings of my hoodie.
“I did get some good news today,” he said. “Ronnie said I can bus tables until I can play again, so I won’t have to survive on cereal and ramen noodles.”
“That’s awesome. It’ll be great to have you back there.”
“I
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