Page 64 of Second Chance Player

“I’m sure he will,” I agree. Crew loves anything about planes and cars.

I head to my room to get ready. It’s much easier getting dressed with a cast that can come off. This way I can wear a pair of leggings and slip the cast over my pants as long as I don’t move my ankle much while dressing. I put on an oversized sweater and take a knitted hat since it’s freezing at the arena. I match the outfit with my fake sheepskin boots.

On the way out, Patty helps me with Crew’s oversized hockey bag, which contains all his gear and skates. I notice my own skates sitting in the closet, and I think of Liam. I wonder if he and I will ever go ice-skating again together. That’s when I get the image of him, me, and Crew skating around Central Park together, smiling and stopping to drink some cocoa.A girl can dream.For some reason, I always feel like I’m waiting for something to go wrong. Maybe because it always has in the past.

When we reach the parking garage, Patty and Crew are playing a guessing game where she is asking Crew to guess which car is hers. Only I already figure it out when I see the red Audi Q4 with a huge pink bow across the front. It makes perfect sense because Patty loves putting red and pink together, and of course her dad is the kind of guy to make that happen for her.

“Is it this one?” Crew asks next of a white Jetta.

“Nope,” Patty says with a pop of her mouth.

“I give up.” Crew sighs.

“Oh no, you don’t,” I cut in. “What is Patty’s favorite color?”

“Red,” he answers right away.

I look to the right, and Crew follows my vision, and then his blue eyes pop. “I see it.”

He runs up to the car with the pink bow.

“This is so cool,” he exclaims.

“Thank you,” Patty gushes. “I knew you would like it.”

I place the booster in the back of the car and Patty puts the big hockey bag in the trunk. She never did want a car, and I wonder if she got one with me in mind. I know it’s selfish of me to think the world revolves around me, but that isn’t the case at all. It’s just my friend has a heart of gold, and as my fairy godmother, she’s always tried to help make my life easier. My gut tells me this is one of those times. I will never be able to repay this woman for all her kindnesses toward us.

We get to the arena, and I slowly make my way inside. When Crew sees Wolfe’s son Liam, he runs toward him. The guys are out of town, and Rebel is here on her own with a nanny beside her.

“Hey,” she says.

“Hi,” I greet back. She already knows Patty, and she reaches up to hug her and then Patty gushes over her little baby girl.

Little Liam and Crew start talkingRobloxsince they have been playing with each other on the online game some evenings. I follow the boys to the change room, and Crew begins to unpack his bag.

“I can get myself dressed,” he says. “You can sit down.”

Then he goes off explaining to little Liam that I broke my leg, and I need a special brace.

They are so cute together.

Rebel’s nanny comes in to the change room to help little Liam get dressed.

I help Crew along too since some of the gear is a little complicated for him. Rebel’s nanny helps me get the skates on Crew, and I’m grateful. With the boys all suited up, we head toward the arena. Patty and Rebel are off to the side chatting it up. Crew heads on to the ice like a pro, and some of the boys give him a high five. I’m happy he’s involved with a sport and experiencing the comradery. It’s something I didn’t realize was missing from his life.

I take a seat down below by the ice. Patty brought three chairs from the cafeteria into the arena since I can’t take steps very well.

We all sit, and I watch the boys play as Patty and Rebel discuss physical therapy since Rebel is a physical therapist and has her own place.

“I thought about working for a team at first, but then I worried about the travel and not being home,” she explains. “That’s why I opened my own place. I was fortunate Wolfe could help me that way, and now that my kids are small, I have other therapists who work, so it’s been great.”

“That sounds ideal,” I cut in. “Having that kind of flexibility as a parent.”

“Trust me,” Rebel says. “For a girl like me, it’s a dream come true.”

Her comment confuses me. “Not sure what you mean.”

“Oh, nothing. Just that I was dirt poor growing up. It’s a whole sordid story with my family. I had an accident when I was in high school that left me with a prosthetic.” She lifts her leg in the air. “I just came from nothing. If it wasn’t for Wolfe’s generosity, I wouldn’t be in the position of owning my own business.”

---