Page 17 of Heat It Up (Off the Ice)
A small boy blocks the soccer ball and dribbles it to the other end, darting between the opposition. The other boys struggle to steal the ball from him. They don’t succeed.
“Have you ever been in love?” I reply.
His attention focused on the boy, Kyle’s expression changes, a cloud drifting over the sun. “I was in love once.”
Before I have a chance to ask him my next question, he stands and offers me his hand. “C’mon, let’s go.”
“Where’re we going?”
“Remember our deal? Let’s explore.”
Works for me. Anything to move away from this conversation. I remove my camera from my backpack.
“You’re a photographer?”
“Not professionally.” I focus on the small boy and press the shutter release button as he kicks the ball toward the goal. “I love exploring the world through the lens. Searching for the story no one else sees ’cause they’re too busy looking at the wrong things.”
I show Kyle the picture in the viewfinder.
“Wow, that’s really good.”
“Thanks.”
We wander around the pier. I take random shots of whatever grabs my attention. A mother carrying her baby in her arms. A discarded candy wrapper. A weathered old woman working alongside an equally weathered old man in a booth selling fish. After each shot, I tell a story about it. Some are kind of sappy (like with the elderly couple). Others leave Kyle laughing.
“You have quite the imagination,” he says, chuckling after my rather twisted version ofThe Little Mermaid. He grabs my hand and pulls me to him. His warm breath brushes against my ear and sets off a round small fireworks in my lower belly. “And you’re very talented.”
Just when I think he’s going to kiss me again, he pulls away. Leaving me both thankful he didn’t kiss me and disappointed.
Chapter Nine
Kyle
Like yesterday, I wait for Sofia outside the sports center. Despite the clouds, the breeze is warm. Perfect for what I have planned.
I didn’t have any accidents today while coaching. No dramatic saves that resulted in me hurting my leg like yesterday. Fortunately, by the time I met up with Sofia, the pain had dulled enough for me to walk around without limping.
I don’t have to wait long before she steps from the building, wearing shorts, sneakers, and a fitted white t-shirt, and bounces down the steps. Something inside me shifts. Just a small shift. Nothing that would register on the Richter scale.
“Hey,” she says, smiling. “Where do you want to go?”
“Linnanmäki Amusement Park.”
Her smile fades. “Are you sure? I mean your…”
“My leg will be fine. We can take a bus there. It’ll be fun.” I raised my eyebrow. “Where’s your sense of adventure?” Based on what we’ve both been through, fun is exactly what we need. A fresh start, even if it’s for only a short time.
She laughs, and the sound reminds me of aurora borealis. Rich, full of wonder and mystery, and so damn beautiful. “Is that a challenge?”
I wink at her. “It is. And maybe it’s just the start of my diabolical plans to see how far your sense of adventure goes.”
“Okay, you’re on. Challenge accepted.”
We catch the bus to Linnanmäki, then wait in line to buy tickets for the park.
“Just so we’ve got it straight, this isn’t a date,” Sofia says, putting her wallet back into her backpack after I refused to accept her money for the ticket.
I smirk. “Is that your way of getting out of kissing me?”
