Page 70 of Ice, Love, & Other Penalties

Indie: Fun. We’re currently making ice cream sandwiches with the cookies we baked earlier.

Ty: My kid will be bouncing off the walls with that much sugar, good luck.

Indie: Good luck to you tomorrow evening when you’re back on daddy-duty—and I’ll be gone.

Ty: Check your calendar, babe. I won’t be back until Tuesday.

Indie: Great. I was looking at the wrong week. In any case, I have to go back to the kitchen.

Ty: Miss you.

Chapter Forty-One

Tyberius

It’s one of those odd Sundays that Indie is skipping brunch with her parents and the whole Sunday gatherings with the Deckers to be with us. I still can’t believe I convinced her to spend the day with us. I want to think that it’s because next week we’re leaving for Cabo San Lucas for a couple of days and we won’t be spending Christmas with her. A stupid, hopeful part of me thinks she’ll miss us while we’re gone.

The reality might be that my child was able to convince her to finally join us for the brunch she owes us since . . . she came into our life.

Even though Indie’s house is smaller than ours, it’s cozier and sometimes feels more like a home. The couple of times I’ve mentioned it to her, she insists mine would feel the same if I finish furnishing it.

Is she right? Who knows? I don’t need a library or a media room, or . . . I should look for a house that feels more like mine and less like a prompt of a sitcom. Maybe that’s something I will do when the season is over and I get to take a break. Look for a place that will be good for my family. I glance up at Indie and grin like an idiot thinking—our family.

Indie’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “Whatever you’re thinking is a no,” she says flatly.

“You’re not part of my new plan,” I lie unconvincingly.

She chuckles, glancing at the sea of papers, markers, and two steaming mugs of coffee in front of Indie and me. Myra sits with her crayons scattered around, her tongue peeking out slightly as she deliberates over her masterpiece. She’s taking the after-school art classes very seriously and even wants us to take her to more museums so she can learn more styles—whatever that is.

“We’re not going on some expedition,” Indie says firmly, shaking her head. “It’s too cold outside.”

My eyes glance between Indie and Myra, the two centers of my universe. Do we need to go anywhere? Not as long as they’re here, but we definitely need a plan for us.

“What if before dinner we go on a drive to look at Christmas displays?” I suggest.

Myra’s face lights up. “Yes. I’d love that,” she exclaims. “Maybe next year we should go to a mountain for Christmas.”

“Let’s get through this holiday first,” I reply, thinking that in a few months I hope to convince Indie to date me. If we become serious, we’ll make those decisions together.

“Okay, how about a treasure hunt instead?” Myra suggests, her imagination running wild. “We can have a picnic afterwards,” she adds enthusiastically.

Indie taps her chin thoughtfully. “It’s too wet out for that, but we could organize an indoor hunt at your place. The picnic can be in your basement where there’s artificial turf.”

I look at her confused. “There’s artificial turf in my basement?”

“Have you been down there?”

I shrug sheepishly. “Maybe once or twice.”

Indie shakes her head in disbelief. “Seriously, why did you buy the place?”

“It was one of the only houses available at the time. You said it was discounted,” I explain with a shrug. She looks at me expectantly, waiting for the real reason. “Okay, the truth is that I was worried I’d have to live in my car if I didn’t choose something quickly.”

To my surprise, Indie stands up, kisses my cheek, and pulls me into a hug. “If I had known you back then, I would have handled it differently,” she says softly.

I slip my arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and leaning my forehead against her shoulder. “It’s not your fault. But maybe it isn’t the right house for me after all.”

“You could make it yours,” Indie insists. “When I first saw it, I thought it had potential. With two or three kids, they’d have a blast there.”

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