Page 29 of Where It Begins

He nods to Skye and then turns his attention back to me. “I’ll see you at practice tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there.”

He taps the side of the truck. “Have a good night, drive safe.”

“Thanks, you too!”

Officer Thomas ambles back to his car and Skye’s head drops back against the seat. “I can’t believe that just happened. And I can’t believe you know him. You sons play hockey together, don’t they?”

“They do. Don’t worry, though, he won’t make a big deal of it.” I open the passenger door and climb down, holding out a hand to Skye.

“I’m sorry I left you hanging. I wish I could fix that.”

“Don’t worry, I can take care of my situation when I get home.”

She bites her lip, and her eyes move over me on a hot sweep. “I wish I could be there to help. Next time, I’ll take care of you first.”

“Next time, hopefully we’ll have hours of alone time to take care of each other.” I bend and give her a chaste kiss, then hold open the door of her sedan and wait until she’s backed out of her spot before I climb back into my truck and head home.

* * *

The following evening, I’m sitting in the arena, watching my son’s practice, when Clyde Thomas drops into the seat beside me. I don’t take my eyes off the ice when I say, “Go ahead, get it out of your system so we can move on.”

“Hotel rooms have privacy.” He props his elbows on his knees and laces his fingers together.

“It was just supposed to be a coffee date, but yeah, we might need to do something like that if we can’t find a night when both our kids are out with friends.”

He chuckles. “The teen years are tough. They go to bed after you and they’re always around. I didn’t even know you were dating.”

“It’s pretty new, but I like her.”

“The whole making out in the backseat of your truck gave that away. Where’d you meet her?”

“At a coffee shop. I figured it was better than the apps Miller keeps trying to get me to use.” I tap my thigh. “Speaking of my son, what’s this about you catching him getting it on with girls in the backseat of my truck?”

Clyde and I know each other enough to make small talk, but getting into my dating situation with him is another level of personal.

“It was a few weeks ago. I caught him with one girl who comes to a lot of the games and practices. They were in the back of the lot.”

“Here? At the arena?”

“Yeah.” He chuckles.

“It was just that one time?”

“That I caught him? Yeah.” He nods once.

I run my hand through my hair. “You’d think with all the energy they’re expending on the ice, they wouldn’t have any left for things like making out after practice.”

“Eh, they’re full of hormones.”

“Seems like they’re not the only ones these days,” I mutter.

CHAPTERNINE

THE MOOPS RUINED IT

Skye

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