Page 158 of Unravel Me

“You wouldn’t be bothering them.”

“It’s okay. I’ll just stay here.”

I frown. “You’re not gonna skate?”

“I don’t know how.”

“Well, I’ll teach you.” I hold my hand out to her. “C’mon. Let’s go find a pair of skates that fit those teensy feet of yours.”

“Will you promise not to let go of my hand? I’m afraid of falling.”

I hold up two fingers in a promise. “I will not let go of your hand unless you ask me to.” You can trust me, Lily.”

Her nose wrinkles, and slowly, she slides her tiny hand into mine. “I trust you, Adam.”

I’m not sure what I’ve done in this life to deserve her trust, but I know I’m never going to do anything to break it.

With a pair of skates on her feet, a helmet on her head, and her hand in mine, we walk through the tunnel and out to the rink.

“Adam!” Rosie screams, the biggest smile I’ve ever seen splitting her cheeks as she clings to Olivia and Garrett, gliding along with them. “Look! I’m doing it! I’m skating!”

“Dada!” Connor waves from the ice, where he holds onto the little red skating aid, Emmett holding onto it from the other side as Connor takes tiny, quick steps. “Dada, hi! Conn’a pay hockey!”

“Look at you, little trouble! You’re doing it! And Mama too!”

“They’re just learning too?” Lily asks, tugging on my hand. “Like me?”

“Just like you, sweetheart.”

Her chest puffs. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

“That’s my girl,” I whoop, stepping onto the ice.

Lily freezes at the last second, dropping my hand and hugging the boards. “No. Wait. I’m scared.”

I crouch down in front of her. “That’s okay. Sometimes the best things in life are a little scary. We can do them at our own pace. There’s no rush.”

She peeks around me, watching all the kids zipping around the ice, having fun, and then those ginormous brown eyes come to mine. “I think maybe if you held me, that might be okay. Can you do that?”

As if I’d ever be able to say no to her.

I scoop her into my arms, sitting her on my hip, and she clings to my neck as I glide onto the ice.

“Don’t go too fast,” she whispers, and when I do a little spin, she giggles. “This is kinda fun.”

Carter skates up beside us, Ireland in his arms, her outfit complete with her tiny helmet,Daddyjersey, and the teensiest skates I’ve ever seen while she chomps on a silicone hockey skate teether. “Hey, Lil. Wanna go for a spin with me? I’m way faster than Adam.”

She shakes her head, hugging me tighter. “I want to stay with him. You talk too much.”

“Wow,” Carter mutters as I bark a laugh. “A dagger right through the heart. I don’t talk too much, Ireland, baby, do I?”

“You absolutely do,” Olivia answers as she joins us, holding Rosie’s hand.

“Look at you,” I murmur, pulling Rosie into my free side. “Managed to ditch Garrett, huh?”

“AndOlivia said it didn’t feel like I was crushing the bones in her hand anymore!”

Olivia laughs. “You’re a much better student than Cara. It took me weeks to teach her.”

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