the drama from way across the pond. “Whatthe hell?” Dad said.
“I’m okay,” I said yet again. “Just an accident.”
Andrew’s face still wore a frown. He was really annoyed. He stayed close to me the rest of the time we skated, like he was my personal bodyguard or something.
I loved it.
Chapter 6
Andrew
I was so fucking pissed when that kid plowed into Jenna and knocked her over. Jesus! She was such a little thing, she could’ve been hurt. But she was tough. I’d always admired that about her. She’d pushed herself hard in her skating, and although mental toughness might have been an issue for her, she’d come back from injuries more than once. I’d watched her practice those triplejumps, falling over and over and getting back up every goddamn time.
I stayed close, distracting her with jokes and playing around.
Her cheeks got red, her blue eyes sparkled, and her smile flashed like a beam of light. Her dark hair flowed out from under a dusty blue knit cap. A matching scarf circled her neck and big thick knit mittens kept her hands warm. In her puffy black jacket and leggings,she looked like a teenager.
I skated close and picked her up. She shrieked and grabbed me. “What are you doing?”
“Pairs skating.” I grinned. “I’m going to lift you over my head and spin around.”
“No, you’re not! Put me down!” But she was laughing. I did do a little spin, though not with her over my head, loving her laughter. “You’re crazy.”
“Maybe.” I lowered her feet to the ice, making sureshe had her balance before releasing her.
We went in soon after that, the cold starting to get to us. Daniel immediately walked over to Emily and kissed her. Christopher was sleeping in his car seat on the floor beside her. Jenna paused next to him and studied his little face. She really loved that little dude. Something got warm inside my chest.
She didn’t go to Jon first—she went to the baby.
The warmth in my chest turned to a burn.
“We’d better get home,” Brenda said. “I left some pork in the slow cooker, so we’ll have pulled pork sandwiches for dinner. Church is at seven.”
“That was so much fun.” Jenna walked out beside Jon. “You should have come skating.”
I walked behind them, unable to take my eyes off their linked arms and Jenna’s head leaning close to Jon, and the burn gotworse. I rubbed my chest. Maybe the roast beef sandwich I’d had for lunch hadn’t agreed with me.
I’d driven the SUV I’d rented at the Hartford airport, and Connor, Brenda, and Gary hopped in with me to go home.
“It was nice to see Jenna skating gain,” I said casually as I drove. “She really loves it.”
I sensed Brenda’s look at me but kept my eyes on the road.
“I’m glad she had fun,” Brendasaid.
“Till that stupid kid knocked her over,” Gary added.
My hands tightened on the wheel.
“What? What happened?” Brenda asked.
We told Brenda the story and assured her Jenna was fine.
I headed down to my room in the basement once we were home. A hot shower felt good. I’d played hockey outside many times growing up but now was more used to indoor arenas than frozen ponds. I changed intoblack dress pants and a black sweater to wear to church.
The MacFadden family’s attendance at church had slackened off in their kids’ teenage years, but I knew Brenda and Gary attended church more often now that it was just the two of them, and the Christmas Eve service at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church was a must.
My parents hadn’t been churchgoers and when I’d moved in there, Brenda and Garyhad assured me I didn’t have to attend any religious services I wasn’t comfortable with. But I’d wanted to make them happy, so I’d always gone to church with them. Sitting still for an hour or so was never easy for me, but I tried to take the sermons to heart, and when we prayed I’d always said a thank-you to God for the family who’d taken me in.
Dinner was loud and busy and informal,
“I’m okay,” I said yet again. “Just an accident.”
Andrew’s face still wore a frown. He was really annoyed. He stayed close to me the rest of the time we skated, like he was my personal bodyguard or something.
I loved it.
Chapter 6
Andrew
I was so fucking pissed when that kid plowed into Jenna and knocked her over. Jesus! She was such a little thing, she could’ve been hurt. But she was tough. I’d always admired that about her. She’d pushed herself hard in her skating, and although mental toughness might have been an issue for her, she’d come back from injuries more than once. I’d watched her practice those triplejumps, falling over and over and getting back up every goddamn time.
I stayed close, distracting her with jokes and playing around.
Her cheeks got red, her blue eyes sparkled, and her smile flashed like a beam of light. Her dark hair flowed out from under a dusty blue knit cap. A matching scarf circled her neck and big thick knit mittens kept her hands warm. In her puffy black jacket and leggings,she looked like a teenager.
I skated close and picked her up. She shrieked and grabbed me. “What are you doing?”
“Pairs skating.” I grinned. “I’m going to lift you over my head and spin around.”
“No, you’re not! Put me down!” But she was laughing. I did do a little spin, though not with her over my head, loving her laughter. “You’re crazy.”
“Maybe.” I lowered her feet to the ice, making sureshe had her balance before releasing her.
We went in soon after that, the cold starting to get to us. Daniel immediately walked over to Emily and kissed her. Christopher was sleeping in his car seat on the floor beside her. Jenna paused next to him and studied his little face. She really loved that little dude. Something got warm inside my chest.
She didn’t go to Jon first—she went to the baby.
The warmth in my chest turned to a burn.
“We’d better get home,” Brenda said. “I left some pork in the slow cooker, so we’ll have pulled pork sandwiches for dinner. Church is at seven.”
“That was so much fun.” Jenna walked out beside Jon. “You should have come skating.”
I walked behind them, unable to take my eyes off their linked arms and Jenna’s head leaning close to Jon, and the burn gotworse. I rubbed my chest. Maybe the roast beef sandwich I’d had for lunch hadn’t agreed with me.
I’d driven the SUV I’d rented at the Hartford airport, and Connor, Brenda, and Gary hopped in with me to go home.
“It was nice to see Jenna skating gain,” I said casually as I drove. “She really loves it.”
I sensed Brenda’s look at me but kept my eyes on the road.
“I’m glad she had fun,” Brendasaid.
“Till that stupid kid knocked her over,” Gary added.
My hands tightened on the wheel.
“What? What happened?” Brenda asked.
We told Brenda the story and assured her Jenna was fine.
I headed down to my room in the basement once we were home. A hot shower felt good. I’d played hockey outside many times growing up but now was more used to indoor arenas than frozen ponds. I changed intoblack dress pants and a black sweater to wear to church.
The MacFadden family’s attendance at church had slackened off in their kids’ teenage years, but I knew Brenda and Gary attended church more often now that it was just the two of them, and the Christmas Eve service at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church was a must.
My parents hadn’t been churchgoers and when I’d moved in there, Brenda and Garyhad assured me I didn’t have to attend any religious services I wasn’t comfortable with. But I’d wanted to make them happy, so I’d always gone to church with them. Sitting still for an hour or so was never easy for me, but I tried to take the sermons to heart, and when we prayed I’d always said a thank-you to God for the family who’d taken me in.
Dinner was loud and busy and informal,
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