Page 88 of Ice Ice Maybe
“Did he threaten to feed you to the Zamboni?” I asked.
“Surprisingly, no,” Nolan said.
“What did you tell him?” I was burning with curiosity, crossing my arms with a grin. “What are your intentions with me?”
Nolan smirked. “That’s on a need-to-know basis, and right now, you don’t need to know.”
I shook my head in amusement. “You’re a cruel man.”
“I’m a certified monster,” he said. “But this is the craziest part of all. He invited me to join you on your family vacation at the end of the season.”
My eyes widened. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same Everett Dalton?”
“Nobody is more shocked than me,” Nolan said. “He said he wants to get to know the guy who has stolen his daughter’s sanity.”
“He did not say that!” I playfully swatted his arm. “And hey, my sanity was questionable long before you came along.”
“That explains so much,” he teased, dodging another swat.
Mom chimed in, “This is wonderful! Nolan, you’ve clearly made quite an impression.”
“It’s a gift or a curse, depending on the day,” Nolan winked. “Mr. Dalton wants me to head back to San Diego for now. He said he really needs to spend the next couple of days with you both, which I think is a great idea. I’m going to grab my things from the hotel and catch the next flight back.”
Mom gave him a hug. “Safe travels, Nolan. We’ll start planning the surprise vow renewal when I get back.”
“Sounds good,” he said.
“I’ll give you two some privacy to say goodbye.” Mom entered Dad’s room and closed the door behind her.
“So,” I began, “I guess this means I’ll have to find someone else to annoy for a few days.”
“Good luck finding someone as tolerant as me,” Nolan quipped.
We shared a laugh, then stood there in silence, hands intertwined, the weight of the impending separation settling over us. Neither of us wanted to be the first to say goodbye.
Finally, he pulled me into a hug and kissed me gently. As he pulled back, he looked into my eyes and said, “Zena, I …”
My heart skipped a beat. “Yes?”
Was he going to say it?
Nolan hesitated, not finishing the sentence.
“You what?” I asked.
It felt like he was going to say it, but changed his mind. Was a hospital really such a bad place to say “I love you” for the first time? Sure, it wasn’t the most romantic place in the world, but deep down, I was hoping he would say it anyway. I almost wanted to say it myself, so I could hear him reciprocate. Thethree words danced on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back. There would be time for that later, I told myself.
Nolan blew out a breath. “I guess I’ll see you in San Diego when you get home. Oh …” He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out Dad’s ring, handing it to me. “Keep this safe. Guard it with your life.”
“I will,” I said.
“How about we do a video chat tomorrow?” he asked.
I nodded. “I’d like that very much.”
“Good—I’ll let you get back to your dad. Until we meet again … I’ll miss you.” He kissed the top of my hand this time and then walked toward the elevator.
As I watched him disappear, I whispered, “I love you too, Nolan.”
