King, p.10
King, page 10
I take a moment to catch my breath, feeling a little emotional. “This year has had its challenges, but it’s also brought new opportunities and wonderful people into my life. I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
Lifting my glass a little higher, I conclude, “So, here’s to family, friends and new beginnings. May this Thanksgiving be filled with joy, laughter and love. Cheers!”
“Cheers!” everyone echoes, clinking their glasses together.
I settle back into my chair and I’m about to give the order to dig in when Izzy stands up on her chair, her little face glowing with excitement as she holds up her glass of apple cider. “Um, excuse me, everyone! I wanna say something too!” she announces, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
We all turn our attention to her, King and I exchanging a smirk. Brittany gives her an encouraging nod, and Izzy clears her throat. “I just wanna say I’m really thankful for my mommy and Aunt Willa,” Izzy begins, her words tumbling out quickly. “Mommy, you’re the bestest mommy ever, even though you make me eat broccoli. And Aunt Willa, you always make me laugh and you give the best hugs.”
Everyone chuckles softly and I note that these three big hockey players look absolutely enchanted by my niece.
“And I wanna thank Aunt Willa and Coach King for teaching me and my friends how to play hockey,” Izzy continues, her eyes bright. “Even though I keep falling down a lot, it’s still really fun. And Coach King, you’re really good at tying skates!”
Laughter erupts around the table, and King gives Izzy a playful salute.
Izzy takes a deep breath, clearly proud of herself. “So, um, yeah, thank you, everyone! And let’s eat lots of turkey and pie and maybe not too much broccoli. Cheers!”
“Cheers!” we all echo, again tapping our glasses and laughing.
As Izzy sits down, King leans across the table and presents his fist for her to bump. He taught the kids that at the last practice. “That was perfect, Izzy. Very mature. Maybe we should make you team captain.”
“Really?” she asks, eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Sure. But captains have to eat broccoli to be strong and fast.”
Izzy wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “Never mind. I don’t want to be captain.”
The guys roar with laughter and King bumps his knee against mine under the table. My gaze cuts to him and he leans over to me, whispering. “Thank you for inviting us. It’s hardly started but this will be one of the best Thanksgivings ever.”
I blush from the compliment and nod toward the food. “Dig in, everyone.”
Once our plates are loaded, I look to North on my right. “So, what’s your story? Where are you from and how did you land in Pittsburgh?”
North smiles. “I grew up in Laval, just north of Montreal. It’s a beautiful place, especially in the winter. Lots of snow and, of course, plenty of opportunities for hockey.”
“Sounds lovely,” Brittany chimes in, serving herself some mashed potatoes. “Did you always know you wanted to play hockey professionally?”
“Pretty much,” North replies. “My dad played in local leagues, and my mom was a huge hockey fan. They encouraged me from a young age. I started playing on the frozen ponds around our town and then moved on to more organized leagues as I got older.”
“How did you end up in the NHL?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“I played in the Canadian juniors with the Laval Lynx,” North explains. “That’s where I really developed my skills. I was drafted by the Seattle Storm and spent several seasons there. That’s actually where I met Gage Heyward, who’s now a coach with the Titans. It’s great to be reunited with him here in Pittsburgh.”
“That’s quite a journey,” I say, impressed. “And what about you, Rafferty? How did you find your way to professional hockey?”
Rafferty grins, taking a sip of his wine. “I grew up in Calgary, Alberta. Hockey is a big deal there too. My dad coached youth teams, and I played for the Calgary Cougars in the Alberta Youth Hockey League. From there, I was drafted into the juniors by the Calgary Thunder. After a few good seasons, I got picked up by the Edmonton Grizzlies.”
“And now you’re with the Titans,” I add on with a smile.
“And very glad to be at your table today. Thank you again for taking in us poor souls.” Rafferty cuts a piece of turkey and waves it at me. “What’s the deal with you and King?”
I almost choke on the green beans in my mouth but manage to chew while shooting a quick glance at King who just smiles in amusement. I swallow, look back to Rafferty. “We’re coaching the Ice Pups together. He graciously volunteered to help me since I didn’t know what I was doing.”
“Right,” Rafferty says, still waving the fork. I tense for the inevitable question about how we’re going out on a date. “But how did you meet? He was low on details.”
“Oh,” I say with a laugh that I hope doesn’t sound too relieved. “I believe he saw my ineptitude during a game and felt sorry for me.”
“Wrong,” King says with a shake of his head. “I saw her take a father to task for being too tough on his kid. The guy was a total”—his eyes cut to Izzy, then back to Rafferty—“jerk, and I knew she’d run into that again. Besides… it’s fun to coach kids.”
“Kids give me the willies,” North says and then looks to Izzy who is following the conversation. “Except for you, of course.”
Not sure Izzy really gets what he was saying but she grins at him. “My mom says I’m precocious.”
Everyone at the table laughs and the conversation continues to flow. Talk turns to the two away games that the Titans had this week against the Edmonton Grizzlies and the Calgary Wild. Brittany, Izzy and I watched the games, although Izzy fell asleep before they were over.
“I saw you on TV, Coach King,” she says. “It was cool. I want to play for the Titans one day.”
King doesn’t try to dissuade her since it’s predominantly a man’s sport at the professional level but instead says, “You keep hustling like you do, you’ll be a great hockey player.”
As the conversation continues with Brittany peppering the guys with questions, I lean over to King. Whispering, I ask, “Did you tell your friends we’re going out on a date?”
His smile is mischievous and I brace, but then he shakes his head. “No. Figured you wouldn’t want that known and besides that, I don’t feel like them hounding me for details.”
I’m not sure if I want it known or not. I suppose we’ll have to get through the date to see how I feel. But for now, King’s teammates seem to think this is nothing more than a new friendship born out of co-coaching little kids.
“But,” King says, leaning in even closer and lowering his voice, “I have to say I cannot wait to see you tomorrow and have you to myself.”
A shiver runs up my spine, his words uttered in a rumbling timbre that bears the hint of some intangible promise, one I am dying to see fulfilled, whatever it may be.
“I’m excited too,” I admit and then turn my focus back to the conversation at the table.
CHAPTER 9
King
As we drive through the city, Willa looks over at me, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. “So, where are we going?” she asks.
I chuckle. “It’s a surprise.”
I’d only told her to dress warm and casual for our date tonight, and she’d hit the mark while looking very stylish. Her long legs look fabulous in a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans that she paired with a cream-colored turtleneck and a navy, quilted vest. Over that she’s wearing a navy peacoat and her only deviation from casual are the camel-colored boots with a pegged heel. No worries… she won’t be wearing them long.
Narrowing her eyes at me playfully, she says, “Here’s some Willa 101. I’m not a fan of surprises.”
I grin, eyes back on the road. “Trust me, you’ll like this one.”
The drive doesn’t take long and we reminisce about the prior evening’s festivities at her house. Dinner was amazing and the company even better. After we ate, I dragged Rafferty and North into the kitchen to clean up. It was a move that Willa protested, but Brittany happily sat on one of the island stools and gave orders and pointed where things went. After the kitchen was tidied and take-home plates were tucked away in the fridge for each of us guys, Izzy insisted on playing Heads Up. I guess in deference to the men, Willa put football on the TV, but for the most part, we were all in on the game—fast-paced group charades that had us acting like fools and laughing our asses off.
When it was time to leave, I’ll admit I didn’t want to go. But I kept that to myself, instead giving Willa the same friendly hug I gave Brittany and Izzy.
I’d thought things were cool until the guys started bantering in the car. Neither guessed that I had a romantic interest in Willa and Rafferty was the first to burst the bubble. “Is it just me or is Willa smoking hot?”
“Totally hot,” North agreed with a nod. “You going to ask her out?”
“Maybe,” Rafferty mused. “I mean… she’s in a different class of women than I normally date.”
“You mean the type you bang and sneak out of their beds before the sun rises?” I asked.
“Exactly,” he replied with a smirk. “I’m not sure Willa’s that type of woman.”
“She’s not,” I said, and the snappish tone had Rafferty turning narrowed eyes on me. I hadn’t told either of them that I’d already asked her out and she’d accepted. As far as they knew, I was only helping her coach the Ice Pups.
“That sounded like you have insider knowledge,” he mused.
“Of course I do,” I replied nonchalantly. “We coach a team together. I’ve gotten to know her.”
“It sounded jealous,” North pointed out from the driver’s seat.
“I’m not jealous,” I scoffed.
“Sounded jealous,” Rafferty agreed. “You got something for her?”
“No.” My denial was swift and sure.
“Good,” Rafferty said with a laugh. “Then I’m going for it.”
“The fuck you are,” I snarled, and both men guffawed.
“I knew it.” Rafferty chuckled as his gaze flicked between me and the road. “You really like her. I said you were smitten when you first mentioned her to me, didn’t I?”
I could have denied it, taken more of their shit, and basically told them to mind their own business, but I wasn’t about to let Rafferty call Willa and ask her for a date. She might just say yes, and since he’s twenty-seven, it puts him closer to her age. She might find that more amenable.
So I ended up telling them the truth… that we were going out on a date. I still had to listen to their shit, but it was more of them being awestruck than anything since I’ve never really shown an interest in women when we’ve all hung out.
It was a lot of good-natured ribbing after that and neither one of them said anything about the age difference. Not that they know Willa’s exact age, but they learned enough about her to know she’s an established doctor and would be a bit older than me. The fact that they didn’t give me shit about it means it’s not a big deal, just the way I told Willa it wouldn’t be.
When I pull into the parking lot of our destination, Willa frowns as she sees the sign, reading it aloud. “Steel City Ice Arena. Are we… going skating?” she asks, a hint of bewilderment in her tone.
I park the car and turn off the engine, then look at her with a mischievous smile. “Something like that.”
“Is this place even open?” she asks as she grabs her door handle.
I can see why she’d ask. There’s only one other car in the lot besides mine. “It’s open.”
“Not a very popular place,” she murmurs as we exit the car. I walk to the back hatch and Willa meets me there. When I pop it open, she gasps when she sees her skates beside a picnic basket. My skates are in a dark duffel bag and I unzip it to grab them.
Eyes wide with surprise, she asks, “How did you get my skates?”
I chuckle as I pick them up and hand them to her before nabbing the picnic basket. “I made arrangements with your sister before I left your house yesterday. She snuck them into my car last night so it would be a surprise.” I grab my own skates with my other hand and hit the button for the hatch to close.
Willa’s expression is slightly bewildered. “This might be the sweetest, most original idea for a date I’ve ever heard of. And so sweet you got Brittany to grab my skates.”
“I know I’ve only got this one shot to convince you to go on another date. I remember you said at dinner on Monday that you still get out on the ice sometimes. I want to see what you’ve got.”
She laughs, shaking her head as we walk to the building. “I haven’t skated seriously in years.”
“But you still have it in you,” I say confidently, using my hand holding the skates to open the glass door for her to enter. “Come on, let’s go.”
We walk inside, and everything is dark except for spinning colored lights above the ice. Willa’s eyes widen again as she takes in the sight. “Where is everyone?” She looks around, awestruck, and then pieces it together. “Did you rent out this entire place for us?”
I grin, feeling a bit proud. “Being a Titan has its perks. We have the rink to ourselves for two hours. There’s a manager lurking around somewhere, controlling the lights and music.”
A romantic song starts in the background, a little cheesy but I’m going with it. “Let’s skate first.”
We sit on the bench by the ice and lace up our skates. Willa looks at me, her eyes sparkling. “This is beyond charming, King. I’m not sure I believe that story you told me that you don’t have experience dating.”
Chuckling, I nudge her shoulder with mine. “I’m a creative guy. And anything worth doing is worth doing well. Now, let’s see what you can do out there.”
Willa laughs, shaking her head, and that long brown hair pours over her shoulders. “All right, but no judging.”
I grin. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
As we step onto the ice, the smooth surface reflects the colored lights spinning around us, creating an enchanting atmosphere. The lilting melody of “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran fills the air, setting a romantic backdrop for our evening. I don’t know if it’s over the top because again… not a lot of experience. But Willa’s smile as she takes it all in makes me think it was the right call.
I watch as she glides effortlessly across the ice, her movements fluid and light. Her long hair flows behind her, her arms held out gracefully, and she looks like she was born to be out here.
“Let me see something cool,” I call out, eager to witness her skills.
She grins at me. “All right… I’m going to start easy with a single axel. This is the foundation of many figure skating skills.”
Willa builds up speed, her blades crisply slicing the ice. Her eyes are focused ahead, and I can see the determination in her expression. She approaches the jump with a smooth, forward glide on one foot, her body perfectly balanced. As she reaches the takeoff point, she pushes off from the outside edge of her left skate, launching herself into the air. My breath catches as I watch her leap, her body twisting in midair. It’s so fast I can’t tell how many times she goes around, but I’m thinking one and a half because she lands facing me on the back outside edge of her right skate.
She says she doesn’t skate that often, but she looks like she never left the ice. The single axel might be a foundational jump, but in Willa’s execution, it’s nothing short of breathtaking. She makes it look so effortless, her movements smooth and precise. As she skates back toward me, a smile lighting up her face, I find myself in awe of her talent and beauty.
Breezing by me, Willa does a few elegant spins and another small jump near where I stand. As she lands, her skate catches in a groove in the ice, and she stumbles forward. I react quickly, catching her in my arms, the force of her nearly knocking us both over.
I hold her for a long moment, her body pressed against me. Those pretty blue-gray eyes meet mine, and for a moment I wonder if I should kiss her. The thought lingers, making my heart race, but instead, I smile and ask, “Can you show me how to skate with you?”
She grins, pulling back slightly but still holding my hand. “Sure. Let’s start with some basics. I’ll show you how we can dance together on the ice.”
Willa positions herself in front of me. “Hold my hands like this,” she instructs, and I grip onto her. “Now, follow my lead. We’ll start slow.”
We begin to move, her guiding me through simple steps, our skates gliding in unison. Despite being a hockey player, this is different, more intricate. She leads me into a basic hold, her hands directing me to place one hand on her waist and the other holding her free hand.
“Keep your knees slightly bent,” she says, her voice low and encouraging. “And match my rhythm.”
We skate around the rink, our movements syncing, and I start to get the hang of it. We pick up speed, laughing and joking as we go. Willa’s laughter is infectious, and I find myself grinning from ear to ear.
“You’re doing great,” she says, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Now, watch this.”
She turns around gracefully, skating backward while still holding my hands. “Just keep your eyes on me,” she says, guiding us around the rink. We continue to glide, our movements becoming more fluid and confident.
“This is amazing,” I say, marveling at how effortlessly she leads me. “You’re amazing.”
She blushes, her cheeks rosy from the cold and the compliment. “You’re not too bad yourself. Maybe if you want to ditch your hockey gig, we could try couples figure skating.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “I think I’ll keep my day job.”
We continue to skate and it feels like we’re the only two people in the world, lost in this perfect moment together. Because we’re both athletes and are at home on the ice, we become more adventurous with our movements. Willa spins around to face me again, joy shining across her face. But just as we’re about to make another turn, I lose my balance and immediately loosen my hold on her hands. She doesn’t let go though and as I start to fall, she comes with me. Instinctively, I twist to take the brunt and we crash down onto the ice.
