Page 18 of Breaking the Ice

As I walk towards the front door of my mom’s house, he calls out, “I’ll let you know about the ice cream!”

I wish he wouldn’t. While Zach and I had a nice enough day—considering I tried to pick a fight with him through most of it—I really don’t need to get to know him any better.

The last thing I want is to fall for a spoiled rich guy who has the world at his feet.

CHAPTER NINE

Zach

I’m not sure what lessons I’m supposed to have learned from the past few months, but it’s clear I’ve learned nothing about women. Seriously. I thought I’d broken the ice with Ellie—if not at the diner, then at the market. But now that we’re back to her place—boom! The ice princess is back.

Instead of carrying my groceries all the way back to the cottage, I decide to go over to Troy’s and spend time with the boys. Terry is the oldest at nine. Then there’s Trent who’s eight, Travis is six, and Tommy just turned two.

I don’t really get the whole naming everyone with the same initial craze, but that might have more to do with my name beginning with a Z. Even though my favorite Dr. Seuss name starts with a “Z”—Zanzibar Buck Buck McFate—the rest of my options would be limited.

Knocking on the door, I call out, “I have cookie dough ice cream!” I hear the shouts of excitement long before the door opens. When it finally does, Kelly is standing there holding the baby under one arm like the expert wrangler of boys that she is.

“Zach!” She puts Tommy down before wrapping her arms around me. “We’re so glad you’re here.”

I hug her tightly before lifting her up, so the top of her head meets my chin. “Even though I came early?”

“So long as you don’t mind pizza delivery for supper,” she says.

I look behind her to the four little bodies waiting for an invitation to say hello. “I bought salmon at the market. I didn’t want to come empty handed.”

After putting my sister-in-law back onto her feet, I bend onto one knee and open my arms to my nephews. Terry and Trent have known me the longest, so they’re the first to charge. Travis and Tommy aren’t far behind.

Terry jumps on me and knocks me to the ground. “Uncle Zach, where have you been?”

Trent is next. “Did you bring presents?”

Travis piles on. “I heard something about ice cream.”

I rough house with the older boys for a few minutes while answering their very important questions. “I’ve been working my butt off; I brought Kings sweatshirts; and most importantly, the ice cream is in the car. You all need to get your shoes on and go unload the groceries.”

As the big kids run away, Tommy steps forward and demands, “Who you?”

“This is your uncle Zach,” Kelly tells him. “You were just a baby the last time you saw him.”

Tommy tips his head to the side and studies me closely. “Unca Zach?”

“That’s me.” I reach out a hand to him.

Instead of taking it, he walks toward me and lifts his arms into the air to be picked up. My heart melts. While I have little exposure to children, I really do love my nephews. Picking up Tommy, I tell his mom, “I’ll cook tonight. Troy can clean up.”

“Whatever will I do with so much free time?” I can’t tell if she’s joking.

“You could take a bath or go to bed early.”

“You really don’t know anything about being a parent, do you?” She takes in my perplexed look and laughs before explaining, “Making supper is the easiest part of being a mom.” As her older sons come charging back into the house with grocery bags, she explains, “The hardest part is keeping all the toys picked up, the bedrooms cleaned, and endeavoring to keep these rascals semi-clean.”

“I’ll help,” I volunteer. I mean, how hard can little boys be? It seems I’ve forgotten the amount of chaos my brothers and I were capable of as kids.

Once the groceries are inside, I ask, “Who wants ice cream?” A barrage of enthusiasm ensues.

“After supper!” Kelly yells over the noise.

Terry tries to negotiate for the boys. “This is a special occasion, Mom.”

---