“Outside?” Her gaze flew to the window. “For…what?”
“Let’s just say, I’d like you to experience the magic of this place. The conditions are perfect, with last night’s freezing rain…” He gave her a warm smile. “Trust me, it’ll be a lot of fun…” At her look of suspicion, he chuckled. “If you don’t enjoy yourself, I’ll give you your money back.”
Ronnie gave him a measured glance. “I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, but I hope you have good insurance.”
He burst out laughing. “Come on, Ronnie,” he cajoled, “grab your coat and mitts. You won’t regret this.”
Moments later, carrying her boots in one hand, Ronnie followed Red past a series of rooms to a hallway that led to the back porch. The sun was streaming through the decorative leaded windows, dotting the wall with prisms of light. Ronnie sat on the long upholstered bench and, still mystified, began to put on a boot.
“You won’t actually need those,” Red said. “Because—” he opened the doors to an antique armoire and gestured to the contents “—we’re going skating!” He grinned. “I invited Justine and Casson over last week. I suggested they leave their skates here for the next time.”
Ronnie’s jaw dropped. She told Red that she had babysat A.J. with Andy last week. Casson had told her they would be out skating, but A.J. had started to fuss and he and Justine had been too busy trying to settle the baby down to give any further details. As soon as she had settled, they had hurried out the door, reassuring Ronnie that they’d be home in a couple of hours. And when they did return, Ronnie didn’t linger, as Andy had complained of a headache, and she wanted to get back to the cottage so he could rest in his own bed.
She looked at Red and at the skates and then back at Red. “But I… I haven’t skated in years. Besides, I doubt Justine’s skates will fit…”
“Justine has small feet. Try them out.” He handed her the pair of white skates that were comfortably broken in. His pulse skipped a beat as her hand brushed his. The fact that Ronnie had agreed to go outside instead of reading, as she had originally intended, pleased him. A lot.
He took out his own pair and sat down next to Ronnie to put them on. As he was lacing up his right skate, he glanced up at her. “Well, Cinderella? Does the shoe—I mean skate—fit?”
“Wow; I can’t believe it,” she said. “We actually take the same size.”
“Fabulous. Lace ’em up, and in the meantime, I’ll go check the surface of the ice.” He finished lacing up his left skate and then gave her an appraising glance. “When you’re ready, just come on out.” His lips twitched. “You can’t miss the quasi-Olympic-size pond.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she retorted, “when I face-plant.”
“I’ll be on standby,” he assured her. “I’ll scoop you up before you do…” And with a wide smile, he went out.
CHAPTER SIX
SHE WATCHED HIM through the windows. He was impossibly tall, and he strode toward the pond. Her gaze went from the blue-and-white Toronto Maple Leafs toque on his head to his wool-lined denim jacket and jeans, and finally to his black skates. When he had sat next to her, leaning over to tie them up, she had almost laughed at the sight of her diminutive pair next to his. But when his thigh had momentarily pressed against hers, the amusement she had felt changed to a pulse-quickening sensation that left her immobile. And then he had made the Cinderella comment, and she had responded casually, although inside she had felt a tingle go through her…
Satisfied that her laces were tied snugly, Ronnie stood up, testing her balance on the plank flooring. She proceeded cautiously to the door. She had been a decent skater in her youth and teenage years, and even in the early years of her marriage to Peter, but after Andy was born, skating had not been a priority. And when she had contemplated introducing Andy to the national sport, he had been diagnosed with leukemia.
She sighed. It had been heartbreaking, seeing how restricted Andy’s life had been for the last couple of years. While other children were enjoying all the traditional activities of childhood, Andy was undergoing his chemotherapy. She had spent countless hours at his bedside at SickKids, reading to him, singing, and dreaming of the day when he would be able to go home and be a kid again.
Those dreams had come true. She was filled with gratitude every day for the success of his treatment, and she prayed that he would continue to get stronger. And eventually catch up with his friends.
And now that they were settling into Winter’s Haven for the next few months, she could even contemplate getting Andy a pair of skates and taking him to the arena…
She smiled, mentally conceding that it was a good thing that Red had gently pressured her to do this. If she was going to take Andy out on a skating rink, then she’d better brush up on her skating skills.
Knowing that the property included a pond and actually seeing it were two different things. Ronnie paused in the doorway, momentarily stunned. Who had a pond this size in their backyard? The previous night’s freezing rain had turned it into a giant, polished mirror. Squinting from the glare of the sun’s reflection on the ice, she diverted her gaze to the current owner of the place. Redmond Brannigan II.
He was skating around the perimeter of the pond, and when he caught sight of her, he sped toward her in long, confident strides, coming to a dramatic sideways stop, the edge of his skates skimming off the top layer of ice.
“Don’t expect any Ice Capades maneuvers from me,” she declared, stepping gingerly
