Page 36 of Breaking the Ice

*You really should have climbed back into bed with me this morning. I miss you, almost forgot your taste. No idea how I'm going to make it through the day...'

Grinning, I reply:

*Maybe by looking forward to the evening already or...

I glance at the massage table behind me and write:

*...You come over and refresh your memory.

Caleb responds promptly:

*Fuck, Emma, you're driving me crazy!

This response makes me grin even wider. I can vividly imagine Caleb adjusting his pants because they're getting tight. Then I receive another text from him.

*I'll take you up on your offer. But first, Parker and I have something to deal with. See you later.

This disappoints me now. I was in the mood for a bit of sexting. The thought of driving him crazy with a few dirty messages is damn tempting.

“Hey, kiddo,” Dad stands in the doorway and looks at me. “I'm going to grab lunch. Do you want to join?” He looks better than he did this morning. That makes me happy.

“Sure, I'm in. How about Mexican?” I suggest, grabbing my handbag.

Lunch with Dad is great. We finally have some time to talk in peace. I tell him about my idea to get a bigger apartment. He's excited and wants to go through some listings with me later. Then I confess to him that he wasn't the only one who spent the night away. I believe we should be honest with each other. Surprisingly, he immediately figures out where I stayed. He noticed that Caleb has caught my eye; he knows me well. We don't mention Mom anymore. It's best not to poke at wounds that are in the process of healing. Before we head back to work, we agree to spend lunch together regularly. A bit of father-daughter time will be good for us.

Back at the ice rink, I finish my last massage for the day. Then I head home, freshen up, and pack some clothes because I assume I'll be staying with Caleb again tonight. This time, I want to savor the morning with him. While I tidy up the apartment a bit, I call Riley and tell her about Jessica and her threats. She's shocked and advises me not to take the situation lightly. She thinks someone crazy enough to bloody their own lips is capable of anything. Unfortunately, she can't think of a solution for our problem either. When I end the call, I'm just as clueless as before. Let's see, maybe Caleb has come up with something. I hope so!

I plan to head back to the ice rink at six to watch the guys' training. But just as I'm about to leave the apartment, Mom calls and wants to know where Dad is. Apparently, he's turned off his phone again. So, I sit down in the kitchen, make myself a tea, and talk to her. She's shocked when she finds out that I know about her affair. Of course, she immediately tries to explain her side of the story. She felt lonely because Dad was always working, and she longed for someone who loved her. A flimsy excuse, in my opinion. My father clearly loved her, or he wouldn't still be suffering like a dog today. In my eyes, Mom was simply bored with her housewife life and decided to have an affair. She's desperate because she lost him, but she brought this upon herself. I have to keep my composure and remind myself that she hasn't done anything to me. If the woman on the other end of the line wasn't my mother, I'd give her a piece of my mind without holding back. But in this situation, I force myself to stay calm. I advise her to leave Dad alone and explain that she will never have a chance with him again. She cries and tries over and over to convince me to talk to him on her behalf. But I stand firm. He's suffered enough, and I definitely won't put in a good word for her. When her tears finally stop, I encourage her, recommend meeting up with her girlfriends, and suggest finding a job to get back out in the world. That's all I can do for her at the moment – and all I want to do.

It's a quarter to eight when I finally manage to end the call. If it were up to Mom, we'd probably still be talking until tomorrow morning. But it's no use, I can't help her. She has to face this on her own."

On the way to the ice rink, I crank up my new favorite song, 'Call Out My Name' by The Weeknd, trying to shift my focus. My friend Mandy, who I've made plans with, is already waiting by the main entrance. Being the designated bet overseer's girlfriend, she has the privilege of joining in on this grand occasion. We hurry into the building and onto the ice, where most of the team has gathered. They are all in their Devils gear, complete with skates and the black training suits adorned with the red devil logo. As far as I know, it’s Toby who has established the tradition of wearing these suits for bet settlements. Caleb and I notice each other at the same time. I can see the tension around his mouth fade away, replaced by a smile that makes my heart flutter. Wow, it’s only now that I realize how much I'd missed him in those few hours.

“You were gone for quite a while,” he remarks as he passes through the heavy door to join me on the player's bench. Then he pulls me close and kisses me with a passion that sent shivers down to my core. I can't help but moan into his mouth, my hands finding their way into his locks. In an instant, all the desire that had been simmering within me throughout the day surges back.

“Hey, you two, either get a room or compose yourselves!” Toby interrupts us, arriving with Durand and Parker in tow. I turn to them and burst into laughter. Their penalty attire consists of nothing more than skates and black boxers. Well, at least that’s the case for Durand, because Parker is sporting an additional helmet and a comically looking protective cup over his shorts. With his slender frame, he looks like an oversized pin or a worm with a helmet. It is hilariously absurd. While the two of them skate past us onto the ice, Toby turns to his girlfriend. He greets her with a kiss and takes the golden hockey stick she has brought for him. Then he comes over to us, giving me a wink and patting Caleb on the shoulder.

“Come on, let's get this started,” he says, rushing out onto the ice.

“See you in a bit,” my forward murmurs, stealing one more kiss before following the Swiss player. As the team forms a half-circle around Toby, Durand, and Parker, I sit down next to Mandy on the bench. We watch with bated breath as the lights dim and a spotlight focuses on the goalie.

“Dear betting enthusiasts, we have gathered here today to witness Ethan Parker and Pascal Durand settle their debt!” Two more spotlights illuminate the two underwear-clad players.

“These two gentlemen believed they could conquer our resilient masseuse, Emma, and they failed miserably!” Toby dramatically points with the end of his golden stick at the losers. “And now...”

He raises a small, shiny object. “I shall determine who goes first using this coin.”

“Isn't he incredible?” gushes my friend beside me. I have to admit, Toby is doing an excellent job as the bet overseer. We watch as he negotiates with Parker and Durand to decide who calls heads and who calls tails. Then he flicks the coin, catches it, and claps it onto the back of his hand.

“Tails! Parker goes first!” The players cheer and Parker skates up to the upper half of the rink, positioning himself on a red X spray-painted onto the ice.

“I can't even watch,” Mandy whines. “Can you imagine how much a puck must hurt?”

“No, but I can only assume it's excruciatingly painful.”

“Parker is seriously stupid for participating in something like this. He's got no one to blame but himself if he ends up like Toby.”

“Why, what happened to Toby?”

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