Page 37 of Christmas on Ice
She shook her head, frowning. “It’s not. He has a new one.”
“How about a star?” Trask suggested.Bless him. “A big yellow one. I could help you make it.”
“Oooh, I know!” Ryleigh shook her head and scrambled down from his shoulder. She ran from the room and was back in seconds with a glittery yellow princess wand. The star at the tip lit up when the user slid a switch.
“Perfect.” Trask lifted her to the top of the tree, and she slid it into place.
Yes. Perfect.
After dinner, I thanked Trask again for a wonderful day. “You were a good sport, letting her boss you around,” I joked as we sat on the couch with hot chocolate, watching Ryleigh set up a collection of plastic character figurines under the tree in her own version of the Nativity scene.
“She’s so smart, knows what she wants, and isn’t afraid to buck tradition. I admire that.”
“Same. I never thought there was so much to learn from a three-year-old.”
“My sister says Mylee teaches her more about life than the other way around. It must be amazing to be a parent. I mean, look at her.” At the tree, Ryleigh was now acting out the birth of baby Jesus with Ariel, Erik, and a baby version of Moana. “You made her, Kami. You grew a human being inside you, and now she’s her own person. It’s pretty incredible.”
Itwaspretty incredible. And for him to notice and articulate it and not be afraid to say it out loud …hewas pretty incredible.
19
Trask
Thursday night, I pulled up in front of Kami’s house five minutes early. Even though it wasn’t an official date, I was nervous. I hadn’t been on many official-type dates, having had long-term girlfriends in high school and college. Both had broken up with me when I left, and after the big college breakup, I made a promise to myself not to get into a relationship until I had a standard contract with the NHL.
I wasn’t going to get my heart broken again. It took a toll on my playing and my mental health. But Kami…
I didn’t think Kami was the sort to use a guy for his status and dump him when his popularity could no longer serve her, like my exes did, but she had a little girl. If I got attached—or worse, if Ryleigh got too attached to me—and I had to leave, I’d feel awful. Better to nurture the friendship, and then maybe someday when we were both back in South Carolina, if it was meant to be, it would happen.
Before I could reach the house, the door opened and Kami appeared. I stopped halfway up the walk and just stared. Even bundled up, she was beautiful. Under her knit hat, her brown hair fell in waves down the front of her short jacket. Fitted jeans hugged her hips and disappeared into brown boots just below her knee.
She was perfect.
“Hey.” Her breath puffed in the air as she hurried toward me.
“Hi.” My hands fidgeted in my pockets.
Kami slid her arm under mine and turned me toward the street. “I still can’t believe you haven’t been to Papa Raffino’s. It’s the best pizza in town!”
“I keep meaning to. But it’s hard not to keep going back to Brewski’s. The service there is the best.”
Kami chuckled, and we chatted lightly as we walked around the block toward Main Street. She’d made a reservation, so we were seated right away. The traditional Italian eatery had low lighting, wooden booths, and murals of vineyards painted on the side walls.
“So, what’s your favorite pizza?” I asked, scanning the extensive menu. “I’ll eat anything except anchovies.”
She made a face. “No worries there. I like the South Shore bar pizza, though.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a pan-style pizza with a biscuity kind of crust and mostly cheddar cheese. The sauce and cheese go all the way to edge of the pan, making it a greasy, crispy, buttery mess. And it’sespeciallydelicious with pineapple and ham.”
I stared at her, trying to process what I’d heard. “Pineapple on a pizza? With ham? How did they even come up with that?”
“The best!” She laughed. “The owners’ daughter-in-law is from the Boston area. It’s a staple there. When she moved here last year, she missed it so much, they added it to the menu.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll try it. You want to share a large pizza then?”
“No can do. Bar pizza is personal-size only. You up for taking a risk?”
