Page 32 of Mine For The Winter

They had made an appointment for her to meet with the loan officer the week after next. Attached to the email was a list of documents she needed to bring, including the deeds to the tavern.

“What’s that, honey?” She looked up from her phone.

“Kris wants to watch my hockey game tomorrow but he said I had to ask you. I kind of forgot.” Cole lifted the bowl to his mouth.

“Don’t do that.” She pulled it away from him. He had a terrible habit of drinking the leftover milk. “If you want some milk pour it in a glass.”

“This tastes better. It’s sugary.” Cole shrugged. “So can he?”

“When did you ask Kris?” she asked. She’d managed to avoid him all week, thanks to busy nights – and days – at the tavern.

“On Sunday. At the Inn.”

“You didn’t tell me.”

“You didn’t ask.” Cole carried his bowl to the sink and emptied the milk down the drain, then pulled open the dishwasher and loaded it up. “I gotta go.”

“Wait a minute,” Kelly said, her email forgotten. “Did he ask you if he could come?”

“I asked him.” Cole’s jaw jutted out. “Now can I go to school or what?”

The clock ticked over, he had two minutes. “Yes.”

“And can Kris come watch me tomorrow?”

“I’ll think about it.” She felt like she was back at square one now.

“Mom!”

“Go.” She gave him the look. The one she knew would have the desired effect of sending him running with his bag slung around his shoulder. When she heard the door slam, she put her coffee cup into the dishwasher and sighed.

There used to be a time when Cole told her everything. Hell, there was a time when she’d been with him constantly so he wouldn’t have to say a thing, she just knew it all. She was so happy he was growing up to be such a lovely, kind young man, but she missed those days, dammit.

His bedroom door was open, and the clean clothes she’d left outside after doing the laundry yesterday were still piled on the carpet. Sighing, she walked inside to put them on his chair.

And that’s when she saw the jersey.

It was like being slapped in the face by a thousand memories. She knew before she even lifted it that it would have Kris’ name on the back.

She turned it over and there it was. Winter. Number eight.

How many times had she watched him as he glided across the ice wearing that damn jersey? How many times had she screamed his name? She could remember the way he’d grin up at her and her heart would clench.

It was easy to be secretly in love with Kris Winter. Half the girls at school suffered from that particular affliction.

It was harder to be his friend. His circle was tight, he didn’t let many people get close to him.

But she and Lyle had been allowed in. They were the three musketeers. Just friends – back then, at least.

She exhaled heavily. Because she was supposed to be heading to the Tavern early to find those damn deeds she’d need for Monday’s meeting.

But instead, she needed to see Kris, because he was stirring things up she’d rather keep forgotten.

And she needed to protect Cole from the fallout.

10

Kris was in the shower when he heard the rap of knuckles against the cabin door. He rinsed the suds from his hair and put his head around the shower door.

---