Page 83 of Heat It Up (Off the Ice)
“It’s going great.” I toss the words at her with a side order of sarcasm. “Joni kissed me last night and I ran off and cut my foot. So we then spent several hours in the ER while I waited to get stitches.”
“You ran off? A hot guy kisses you and you ran off?” She’s not sure if she should laugh at a predicament that only I could get into, or be worried for me. The laugh wins. “I’m sorry,” she says through her giggles. “I’m having the most boring summer of my life with you gone, and you’ve got some sort of lopsided love triangle going on and I’m not there to witness it. So is it official yet? Are you and Kyle dating when you return here?”
I let out a long breath. It does nothing to extinguish the emotions battling inside me. “I haven’t decided if I’m returning yet.”
“But what about Kyle?”
“He accepted a great coaching job in Seattle. So there is no more Kyle and me. Not after the end of the summer.” We were nothing more than a summer fling in the end.
And even if he wasn’t moving away and we were willing to make our relationship work, I need to know Kyle won’t slip back to being the guy he was before he came here. I need him to be more honest. I have a feeling he’s holding something back from me. Until his walls are completely down, our relationship will never last.
“Have you not heard of long-distance relationships?” Claire asks. “I mean, we’re not talking about you having a long-distance relationship with Joni. A long-distance relationship with Kyle is still doable.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right.” Her words are barely heard over the loud chopping that just started. I glance around. A man is standing in a wide-legged stance at the end of the garden, next to a pile of firewood. He lifts the ax above his head and whacks the log with such force, I jump at the thunderous crack of splitting wood.
Unable to talk to Claire any longer because of the noise, we end the call, with her telling me she can’t wait to hear about the next exciting episode of my love life.
Joni is already awake, freshly showered, his hair damp, when I return to the room. I don’t mention how he was spooned up next to me this morning, and he avoids the topic, too. Or maybe it was just an innocent action and he didn’t know he had done that.
We arrive at the pavilion by the lake where the wedding is taking place and sit in the back row. Joni’s grandmother is ahead of us, but she turns around and waves. I wave back. The wedding ceremony takes place without any problems. Or I assume it does. Since I don’t understand a single word spoken, I spend the entire time trying to look thrilled for the bride and groom instead of bored. The end can’t come soon enough for me, and when it does my smile is genuine, even if the reasons for it aren’t what everyone thinks.
The wedding party leaves for photos. All of Joni’s relatives from last night keep coming over to me and asking about my foot. It’s not until forty minutes later that I can finally slip away to call Mom again.
“Aren’t you at the wedding?” she asks. A man speaks in the background and I cringe. Mom’s on a date? God, did I interrupt them making out? Ewwww.
“Who’s there?” I blurt even though I don’t really want to hear the answer. I should be happy for her, but this is my mom we’re talking about. I can’t picture her with another man who isn’t my dad. I know they’re never getting back together but still.
“It’s your father.”
Huh? I couldn’t have been more surprised if she had said in a breathy, Darth-Vader voice:It is your father, Sofia. “Why is Dad there?”
“We talked and realized we still care a lot for each other. So we went out on a date. And one thing led to another. We’ve been seeing a marriage counselor for the past month.” And that’s why he’d phoned to see how Muumu was doing after the heart attack. It was also because he wanted to talk to Mom.
I’m too stunned to speak. After everything she went through, the shame and humiliation, she’s willing to forgive him. Maybe even fully trust him again, one day. She’s willing to leave the past in the past. Maybe I should do the same. Maybe I can take the risk that things will work out for me and Kyle, and that he’ll never hurt me like Ian did.
Even if we aren’t living in the same state.
But this is all assuming he still wants to see me once he moves to Seattle. I guess it’s time we have that conversation. Right after I decide if I’m staying in Finland or not.
But first, before I can do that, I need to survive this wedding.
Aino gestures at me. “Come. Come.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Kyle
Kai stick-handles the puck to an open spot and takes a shot. When I first started working with the boys, it would’ve been an easy shot for him. He has the talent to go far in the game, but he’s lost the heart for it and it’s showing no signs of returning.
The puck flies past the open crease, straight to the skates of a player from the other team. I glance at my watch and blow my whistle. The shrill sound grabs their attention and they groan.
“Sorry, guys. That’s all we have time for. I’ll see you tomorrow.” As they skate toward the locker room, I call out, “Kai, can I talk to you for a second?” I haven’t pulled him aside since the last time I talked to him a few weeks ago.
He stops in front of me but doesn’t say anything. Eyes averted, he chips away at the cracked ice with the side of his blade. I indicate for him to follow me, and we enter the box and sit on the bench. Kai removes his helmet and since he can’t pretend to study the ice anymore, he studies his helmet instead.
“Kai, you’re a very talented player. I saw that when we first started camp. But something’s obviously bothering you, and I can’t help you if you won’t let me.”
