Page 98 of Home Ice

“It sounds like we’re both on the same page, then. We don’t want this to be messy, and neither of us wants to lose him.”

“We live in two different states,” she points out. “There is no easy answer.”

“There isn’t. But all I’m asking for right now is the weekend. That’s it.”

Her hands ball into fists and release again. “He wants to go?”

“Yeah.”

“And you promise you’ll bring him back?”

I understand her fear more than she knows. “I’ll send you our flight details.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

TAI

I’m quiet for most of the flight and drive to Hawke’s place. Part of it is that the anxiousness of leaving Dad won’t shift, even though he was thrilled I was going, and the other part of it is that watching Hawke and Kasen together is so damn interesting.

They sit next to each other on the flight, mining for some kind of connection and stealing looks at each other when the other one isn’t looking. It’s cute and frustrating how they are together. It’s obvious from the outside how much they both want this to work, but they’re scared, and I get it, even if sometimes I wish I could smoosh them together and tell them to get over it.

I’ve interfered enough.

“So what do you want to do first?” Hawke asks from the front seat of our ride. “We have all afternoon after we drop off our stuff.”

I wait to see if Kasen answers, and when he doesn’t, I point out the obvious. “I have absolutely no clue what there is to do in St. Louis.”

“Good point.” He turns back to face the front as we pull into a very fancy neighborhood. “I didn’t know anything about the city until I was drafted here. We’ll figure it out.”

I’m too distracted to care, though, because we pass one enormous house after another, and shock sets in. I know Hawke has money. I know he likely has a nice place. But we’re driving by actual mansions, and when the car slows and turns into the long drive of an enormous brick house, it finally hits me exactly how different our lives are.

Hawke tips the driver and climbs out, but Kasen and I stay put. As soon as he’s out of earshot, Kasen tilts his head my way. “I didn’t think we were staying in a hotel.”

“I’m pretty sure … this is Hawke’s house.”

“That’s not a house.” His eyes are as wide as mine are. “It’s a damn castle.”

A castle might be pushing things, but it is enormous.

Hawke opens the car door, our luggage already slung over his shoulders. “Coming?”

Kasen climbs out while I thank the driver and do the same. The car leaves, and then it’s the three of us hovering there, Kasen and I still in shock, while Hawke has absolutely no clue what’s going on.

“You know what,” Kasen finally says. “I think I know what I’m spending the afternoon doing.”

“What’s that?”

“Embarking on an expedition.”

I bite back my laugh while Hawke shoots a confused look my way.

“Ah … what?”

Kasen gestures at the house. “I think I have a real shot at finding Excalibur.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“It means your house is fucking ridiculous. You really live here? Alone?”