Page 18 of Christmas on Ice
“Hey, Kami, can Lauren and I get another round?” Jason sidled up next to Sutton and lifted his brows.
“Just a sec.” I didn’t break my gaze from Sutton.
“This guy giving you trouble?” Jason asked.Bless him.
“No more than usual,” I said tightly.
Brenna smirked. “He was just leaving.”
“Whatever.” Sutton shrugged and backed away from the bar. “Not cool, Kamryn. I’ll be checking that paperwork.”
I let out a long breath, grateful he hadn’t made a scene. The restaurant was busy, and I didn’t want another public confrontation.
“Hey, you okay?” Jason asked. “That was your ex, right?”
“Yeah.” My shoulders slumped as the tension eased out. “Sorry about that. I’ll get your drinks right after I deliver these.”
“Nah, we’re good. Lauren’s right at the snug window and sent me out here in case you needed help.” He grinned. “But I see you and Brenna had it covered.”
“It’s like second nature to me.” Brenna shrugged. “The first time I met him, he was visiting Kami at college, and he flipped out when he realized she and I had already had plans. We included him, of course, but he’d wanted to stay in all weekend with her, and made her feel guilty about it ruining his plans. I not so kindly reminded him that his last-minute dropping in ruinedourplans.”
“Maybe he missed you and wanted you all to himself?” Jason said to Kami before glancing toward the snug window and smiling at Lauren. She blew him a kiss.
“Don’t go try making him sound all romantic,” Brenna warned. “That guy only cares about himself. When I was helping her pack up to leave him, he freaked out because she wanted to take the microwave.”
I winced. I was convinced it hadn’t always been that way. It sure felt like it had, though. Sutton and I had started dating when I was a sophomore and he was a senior in high school. I still remembered our happier times. I hadn’t wanted to get married so young, but after college—and his sixth year in the Air Force—it made sense. His transfer to Colorado Springs had been approved, and a marriage certificate was needed for us to live together in base housing.
He’d been gone a lot, and I’d been working on my master’s degree. We’d wanted to wait until he had ten years in to have a baby, but Ryleigh had surprised us, in every good way. It had been hard when he was deployed, but I’d made it work. The base had day care, so I’d leave her there while I went to class. I didn’t have much time to make friends, but Brenna was local and she was enough. Sometimes I felt like Ryleigh and I were burdens, like the night I slid off the road, but Brenna reminded me I’d do the same if our situations were reversed.
A little after nine, I was cashing out at the register near the hostess stand when Trask and Ryleigh returned. He was dressed as a pirate, sans hat, with a heavy colonial-style burgundy coat and ruffled shirt peeking out under his neck. He held Ryleigh in his arms, and she wiggled to be put down when she saw me.
“Mommy! Look!” In her hands, she clutched her candy bag. “It got filled three times! Mr. Tiggerman said I got the mostest Honnoh-ween candy he’s ever saw!”
I put down my receipts and scooped her up into my arms. She was so fidgety I wondered how much of that candy she’d already consumed. “Wow! That’s amazing! Did you thank him for taking you?”
She placed her mittened hands on my cheeks and rolled her eyes. I quirked a brow. That was new.
“Of course, Mommy! I said thank you every time he said trick-or-treat to the scary people and every time he called me pretty.”
I snorted and snuck a peek at Trask. His sheepish grin did funny things to my insides.
He shook his head. “You wouldn’t believe how many people wear scary costumes to give out candy. Poor kids were terrified.”
“Thank you again for taking her. You saved Halloween.” Ryleigh yawned, and I hugged her closer. “Let Mommy go get her things and then I’ll take you home, okay?”
“Okay.” She twisted and reached for Trask. He caught her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. My heart melted when her thumb found its way into her mouth, a sign of contentment and trust. “Mistah Tiggahrshman?” she asked, her thumb still in her mouth.
“Yeah, Tinker Bell?” he whispered.
Be. Still. My. Heart.
“Can you read me a goodnight story?”
I sucked in a breath. Trask looked at me, and I nodded.
Whoa.
Just whoa.I mentally ticked off all the ways he’d already impressed me today. And now Ryleigh was requesting a bedtime story … that was huge. Trask seemed too good to be true, albeit genuine.
