He didn’t necessarily like thinking about whoever Katie’s father had been, not least of which because the man had broken Imogen’s heart and left her a single mother. But Katie was so perfect that he couldn’t begrudge whoever had swept in and picked up the pieces of Imogen’s heart after he himself had left, if only briefly.
Things worked out the way they were supposed to, he thought. They were all happy now, and he had a good, strong friendship with Imogen, something he was lucky to have.
“Mom, look how fast I can go!” Katie’s voice broke through Lincoln’s reminiscing. She was already on the ice, wobbling but determined, her light-up nose glowing red as she gained confidence.
“Be careful, sweetheart,” Imogen called, but Lincoln could see the smile on her face as she watched Katie get her balance and glide out toward the others.
“Those skating lessons are really paying off,” Lincoln said with a grin. “She’s going to be a professional one of these days.”
They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching Katie and Emma attempt to skate together while wearing their reindeer noses. The other children had fully embraced the theme, and the rink was filled with bobbing red lights and giggles. The scent of the concession-stand food wafted over to them, and Lincoln’s stomach rumbled. He’d skipped lunch, getting everything ready for tonight.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. “I’m going to grab some pizza. Want anything?”
Imogen shook her head, leaning on the railing as she watched Katie, and Lincoln headed over to the stand. He got a slice of pepperoni pizza for himself, and he couldn’t resist getting an elephant ear for Imogen, even though she’d said she was fine. He thought she could use a treat. It wasn’t like she had anyone to do little things for her or surprise her with something thoughtful, and she worked so hard.
Someoneshould do that for her, so why not him? What were friends for, anyway? He returned to her side a few minutes later balancing two plates and a soda cup tucked into the crook of his arm—one plate with greasy pizza on it, and the other with a warm elephant ear dusted with cinnamon sugar. “Peace offering for subjecting you to ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ on repeat.”
“Accepted,” Imogen said with a laugh, taking it from him. She tore off a piece and popped it into her mouth. “This is better than it should be.”
“As is the pizza.” Lincoln took a bite, letting out an appreciative hum. “Tastes like football games during high school and Christmas parties here at the rink.”
He thought he saw something flicker across Imogen’s face at the mention of high school, but it was only there for a second. “Actually,” he began, “I’ve been meaning to ask you something. I’ve been thinking about expanding the concession offerings here, and I was wondering if you might be interested in supplying some of your peppermint chocolates? I could buy in bulk. I know you already provide the hot chocolate mix, and that’s been incredibly popular.”
Imogen turned to look at him, and in the rink’s softer lighting, he could see just how tired she looked. There were shadows under her eyes that hadn’t been there before, he thought, and an expression of overwhelm passed over her face for a moment before she shook it off. She hadn’t meant for him to see it, he thought, but it had been there all the same.
“That’s a really sweet offer,” she said, but her voice lacked its usual enthusiasm. “I’d have to think about timing and quantities… the shop has been so busy lately that keeping it stocked has been an effort. But if you can give me an estimate of how many you think you’d need per order, I can see what I can do…”
“Hey,” Lincoln said gently, forgetting about business entirely. “Are you okay? You seem a little overwhelmed.”
For a moment, Imogen’s carefully maintained composure wavered. She glanced at Katie, who was now attempting to spin with Emma, both girls dissolving into giggles when they nearly collided.
“I’m fine,” she said automatically, then caught herself. “Actually, no, that’s not true. I’m exhausted.” A tired smile flickered on her lips for a minute before disappearing. “The holiday rush has been incredible for business, which is wonderful, but I feel like I haven’t stopped moving in weeks. And I keep worrying that I’m not doing enough for Katie, that she’s missing out on things because I’m always working. I always want her to have the best Christmas possible, and I worry I’m not doing enough.”
Lincoln felt a flicker of protectiveness that surprised him. But then again, maybe it shouldn’t have. He’d always felt this way toward her in high school, when she’d overdo it studying or tried to do too many extracurriculars. Imogen had always been an overachiever, and while he’d loved that about her, he’d worried about her at the same time.
He supposed he still did.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked. “I mean that seriously. I know you’re managing a lot on your own.”
Imogen’s expression softened, and she smiled at him. Right at him, and it oddly made his heart feel a little lighter in his chest.
“You’re always so helpful already,” she said softly. “I still can’t thank you enough for helping with Katie’s bike last year for Christmas, I would never have gotten it home and under the tree on my own. And you selling my hot chocolate here adds so much to my sales every month. Honestly, it makes a big difference. I couldn’t possibly ask you for anything else.”
Lincoln shook his head. “Imogen, the hot chocolate thing is a net gain for me, honestly. I swear I get twice as many customers when people know they can get your hot chocolate here as a treat while they skate or watch their kids. As for the rest of it—that’s what friends do.”
Imogen smiled. “You are definitely a good friend.”
He felt a strange pang in his chest at that, and shrugged it off. “Look,” he said quickly, “Since things are so busy at the shop—and that’s great honestly, congratulations—don’t even worry about the chocolates. The last thing I want to do is make you more stressed out. It sounds like you don’t need another order to think about. I thought it might be a good addition to the rink, but if it’s too much pressure on you, absolutely not.”
“No, wait,” Imogen said quickly. “Actually, I’d love to do that. The extra income would be really helpful right now. The holiday season is profitable, but there are so many upfront costs—special ingredients, seasonal packaging, increased inventory. It comes with a lot of expenses, keeping the shop stocked for the holiday season. And I’m so grateful for your business already. We help each other—you say my chocolate brings in more visitors here, but I think it works the other way too. Customers try it out here and come to my shop for more.” She took a breath, smiling at him. “Another partnership would be super helpful. I’d love to.”
Lincoln studied her face, making sure she wasn’t just saying what she thought he wanted to hear. “Are you sure? I don’t want to add to your stress.”
“I’m sure,” Imogen said, and this time her smile reached her eyes. “I think selling them here is a great idea.”
“I could come pick them up myself at the store,” Lincoln offered. “It’s great that you drop off the hot chocolate powder here, but that would save you a trip. I could even get both orders at once. Save you some time?”
“Thatwouldbe helpful,” Imogen admitted, and he could see the grateful look on her face. “I feel like I spend half my time running deliveries when I should be in the shop.”
