Page 76 of Game Changer
“Yeah.”I grin.“It takes a hardy soul to swim in Clear Lake.”
“I’m hardy.”
I raise an eyebrow.Luckily it’s a hot day, so we’ll warm up fast when we come out.She’s only in up to her knees.“I’ll help you…” I start toward her purposefully.
“Okay, fine.”She plunges in.
I laugh and follow her.Oh yeah, the cold water takes my breath away.“You get used to it,” I tell her when we both surface, reminding myself too.
“If you say so.”She sets out swimming in an attempt to stay warm, I think.“Are all Canadian lakes this cold?”
“No.This one is cold because it’s so deep.It’s also very rocky, which is why it’s so clear.”
Of course I have to dive deep and grab her foot to try to drag her down.I already know she’s a good swimmer.She fights me, laughing, and I end up with her in my arms, both of us wet and slippery and staring at each other.Suddenly the water doesn’t feel cold anymore.
We separate at the same time, forcing laughs, and head back to the beach to lay on our towels and warm up in the sun.
July 1 is Canada Day, so there are all kinds of activities going on to celebrate.We listen to music at the bandstand, dancing in the crowd, bare feet on the grass, then sit on a blanket near the beach to watch the fireworks set off on the end of the pier explode into color and light over the dark lake.I find Molly’s enthralled face almost more entertaining than the pyrotechnics, and she leans her shoulder into mine at one particularly breathtaking display.I slide my arm around her, holding her there.I know I shouldn’t.But she doesn’t move away.
Every nerve ending in my body is on alert with her next to me, her hand on my knee, her smile glowing as bright as the fireworks.I want to lower her to the grass and kiss the breath out of her beneath the sparkling sky.
And when they’re done, we gather up our stuff and as we trudge across the lawn in the dark I hold her hand so as not to lose her in the crowd.
Back at the cottage, we go to our separate rooms.It’s getting harder and harder to do that.
She told me she missed sleeping with me.
Christ, I miss it too, except I want so much more than just sleeping with her.It’s becoming torturous, and I almost regret inviting her to come here with me, except that if I hadn’t, she wouldn’t be here, and well, it’s tough to regret being with Molly.She’s like sunshine and glowing flames and starlight.I love how happy she is about everything I show her, full of questions and appreciation for the history and the beauty of this place that’s so special to me.It’s not new or fancy, but it’s comfortable and familiar.
Tomorrow I have something special planned, if the weather cooperates.
And it does.
“We’re going out later,” I tell her after dinner the next evening.“So don’t fall asleep.”
She tilts her head and gives me side-eye.“You told me no late-night parties.”
“Ha ha.It’s sort of a party.Dress warm and bring the bug spray.”
“Hmm.I’m curious.”
We’re watching TV, thanks to the satellite I installed on the roof a few years ago.I check a sports news channel, because as of yesterday, the free agency period began.
“Holy shit.”I stare at the TV and the news that two of my teammates, Olaf Pilkvist and Gabe Gandy, who are unrestricted free agents, have signed big contracts with other teams.
“What?”
Molly understands how it works and we discuss it.“We knew the team couldn’t keep all of us because of the cap.But they let Pilker and Gander go.”I shake my head.
“That’s good news for you, right?”
“Maybe?”I’d like to think so.“That definitely frees up cap space.”
Gander is one of my best buddies on the team.This sucks.But it’s a business.
I head into the bedroom to grab my phone so I can text my former teammates my congrats.These sound like great deals, especially for Gander, who’s a fourth-line winger.He played great for us last year, but I think it had more to do with his linemates than his own talents.Not being snarky, just realistic.Fans love him, though, because he’s gritty, so it’s kind of a loss for the team.
As we continue to watch TV, Molly dozes off.I let her sleep because it has to be really dark before we go.And I kind of like watching her sleep, admiring the smooth curve of one cheek, the shape of her lips, her bright silky hair spread on the dark cushion.
