“Nah, it’s just water. It’s a nice day and I’ll dry. You still want to go to the rink, Gavin?”
“Yes!” he squeals.
“Okay well, you’re not going to the rink like that.” I point to his wet pants. “Your clothes will freeze on you.”
“You’re probably right. Gavin, do you mind if we stop at my place for a change of clothes first, and I have a surprise for you.”
“I like surprises.”
I finish with Charlie, wrap him in a big towel and dry him.
“So, this is Charlie, huh?” He rubs Charlie’s head and when he leans in too close, he gets a big tongue across the face. “Nice to meet you too, boy.”
I like that he’s not angry or disgusted. My ex hated—wait, no I am not going to think about him. It’s a lovely Sunday afternoon, and after Liam takes Gavin to the rink, I plan to do…nothing. That almost makes me laugh. I have a whole afternoon to myself, and you’d think I’d be looking forward to that. I mean, I have a million things I could do, mainly clean the house, prep meals, laundry. Seriously though, none of that sounds like a great way to spend a Sunday. Sundays are supposed to be fun days.
“What are you doing after this?” Liam asks. Jeez, did he just read my mind or something?
“I think there is a book with my name on it.”
His eyes light. “You like to read?”
“Yeah, why, do you?” I ask, and he frowns. It’s an easy question. I’m not sure why it’s stumping him.
“I don’t get to read as much as I used to. What kind of books do you like?” he asks.
“Charlie, my boy. Look at you,” Mr. Lancaster says as he walks to the back of the pet store, his cane banging on the tile. “How’s my handsome boy?” He glances at me. “He didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”
“He was the perfect gentleman as always,” I tell him. His smile lights up his face, and the lines around his eyes crinkle. He lost his wife a couple years back and Charlie is his pride and joy. “I wanted to talk to you about his diet, though.”
“My boy’s not fat, he’s just big boned.”
Liam and I both laugh at that, and Mr. Lancaster turns, and his hand goes to his chest when he recognizes Liam.
“My Lord, you’re Liam Dalton.”
“Nice to meet you,” Liam says, and Gavin jumps from one foot to the other, anxious to go.
“Liam is going to play hockey with me.”
“You are a lucky young man,” Mr. Lancaster says, and I leash up Charlie and hand him over. “You keep up the good work out there, Liam. Bring us the cup this year.” With that he saunters off, and Liam smiles at me.
“No pressure, huh?”
I wipe myself with a dry towel, and drop to my knees to talk to Gavin. “You remember. Be good today and listen to Liam.”
“I will,” he says with an eye roll.
“If you’re not busy, why don’t you join us.”
“I…I haven’t been on skates in forever, Liam, and I know nothing about hockey.”
“You don’t need to know anything about hockey. A bunch of the guys and I rented the rink for the afternoon, and their wives and kids will be there.” He leans in and whispers, “Gavin is going to meet Cole. I think you might want to see the look on his face for that one.”
“Seriously? He’s going to go crazy.” My heart tightens. “This is so nice of you, Liam.”
“Every now and then I can do nice,” he says with a laugh that reminds me of his on and off ice handle.
“I can’t. I don’t have skates.”
He glances at my feet. “No pressure, if you don’t want to, but I have ladies’ skates in the car. Size seven, eight and nine. Any of those fit you?”
A weird, almost jealous sensation grips me, and I have no idea why. “All your girlfriends’ skates?” I ask.
“Sisters. Mom doesn’t throw out anything. I have a couple of my old pairs for Gavin to try on, and like I said, no pressure, but if you’d like to come along, we’d love to have you. Isn’t that right, Gavin?”
“Come, Mommy.”
I throw my hands up. “Okay then. Give me two seconds to change and I’ll be right back.” I hurry to the staff room, pull a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt from my locker and quickly hurry into them. A commotion at the front of the store easily lets me know where Liam and Gavin are and that my son’s big brother is a superstar. I stand back and let him do his thing and once the crowd clears, and no one is looking, I note the way he takes a big breath and lets it out slowly. Did that just drain him? I’m pretty introverted myself, so I know what giving of myself can cost me, but Liam isn’t anything like me. He’s a rebel, a rule breaker, a guy who loves all the attention, right?
“All set?” I ask, and a huge smile materializes, giving me the impression that he’s really excited that I’m tagging along, and that maybe…just maybe…he doesn’t have to try to put on a show in front of me. Truthfully, I’m impressed with the way he is with Gavin, but he clearly doesn’t feel the need to impress me, because there isn’t, and can never be, an us. I’m totally okay with that. Yeah, last night I did not lay in bed and think about him as I drifted off. Nope, totally did not work through a fantasy or two of him being on top of me, beneath me, inside me.
“Harper?” I blink as he waves his hand in front of me. “You with me?”
I laugh to hide the color that is no doubt crawling into my cheeks. “Sorry, just thinking about
