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The next day, I’d barely gotten home from a session with Anthony and was still in my grungy, sweaty workout gear when Levi and Cam had come in together. Levi claimed to be bored, and that he thought some time hanging out with the kids would help with that. Even if Connor and Cassidy hadn’t seen through the lie, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Cam, Sara, and I all had. Still, Levi had spent the entire afternoon with us, letting Connor jump all over him and cuss at him like Anthony had done in the ball pit, while Cassidy plucked out his leg hairs one at a time, all without a single word of complaint despite hissing in pain more than a few times. He ended up sticking around long enough that Sara invited him to stay for dinner, ignoring the funny look that Cam gave her and the uneasiness she must have sensed in my eyes. So he’d stayed. And despite myself, I’d been glad.
But today was the real kicker. Tomorrow, the guys were due to leave for a week-long road trip, and today was one of their mandated days off. No practice. No video sessions. No meetings or children’s hospital visits. Nothing they had to do for the team at all. Cam and Sara had taken the kids to a bouncy house so Connor could burn off all his energy and would hopefully nap this afternoon, leaving me with all sorts of time to myself. I adored my brother and his family, but sometimes I needed a break from toddler time. This came as a very welcome reprieve.
Anthony had to work today, and I thought that was the perfect excuse for me to go out on the ice all by myself. I could have spent my time applying for jobs—which, now that I was 99.99% certain I’d be staying here in Portland, I ought to do—or I could have spent the day filling out the dozens of forms I needed to file in order to see if they could expedite my citizenship stuff due to my status as an elite athlete, but all I wanted to do was skate. There was no better way for me to be alone with my thoughts. To try to settle my mind and wash away all the insanity my life had become in the last few weeks.
So that was exactly what I did.
I took my iPod and speakers with me to the ice house. I paid for two hours at the rink Anthony and I had been using so I’d have it all to myself. I was still lacing up my skates when the door opened and I shot my head up, only to see Levi Babcock coming in with his hockey skates draped over his shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. “Why did they let you in? I’m supposed to have the ice all to myself.”
“That’s what Jonny told me. He texted me after you left. I let Steve up front know you were expecting me.”
“I wasn’t.” I tried hard not to grumble it, but I don’t think I was very successful.
“You weren’t,” he said, slowing his pace. “Why would Jonny tell me that?”
“No idea.” This time, I definitely grumbled.
What had brought on this change in my brother? I didn’t know, and I didn’t like it. Why couldn’t he be a growly papa bear, warning Levi away from me like he’d been at first?
“So does that mean you want me to go?”
I scowled, deep in thought as I debated my options. I’d told him we could be friends, but he was coming around an awful lot for someone who only wanted to be my friend. I honestly shouldn’t encourage him, and letting him stay would definitely do that. Granted, it seemed like everyone in both of our lives was bent on giving the guy hope. Jamie had practically thrown his brother at me that night. And why else would Cam have let him come home with him the other day? He wouldn’t have. Plain and simple. Sara should know better, after what I’d confided in her, but that hadn’t stopped her from giving us a bit of a nudge. And Cam texting Levi to tell him I was here and expecting him? It was as if the whole world were conspiring against me and trying to persuade me to date again before I was ready.
“I guess I should go, then,” Levi said, turning to leave.
“No, stay.” The words were out of my mouth without my full permission. I’d almost settled on telling him to leave. If I changed my mind now, though, I’d look like a crazy girl. And maybe I was. It was hard to know sometimes. “Did you bring the rest of your gear?” Cam almost never hit the ice without at least his stick, and usually a heck of a lot more than that—pads and tape and all sorts of other paraphernalia.
“You mean it?” Levi hitched a hip against the boards, crossed his arms in front of him, and grinned at me—a cocky move if ever I saw one, but on him it came across as sweetly flirtatious. “I thought I should get some work in, even if we don’t have practice today. Bergy’s been kicking my ass lately about needing to improve my stride so I can be on the puck faster. I’m only skating today. If it’s okay with you.”
“It’s okay as long as you don’t gripe and moan about the holes in the ice from my toe pick.”
“That’s Koz, not me.”
“That’s every hockey player I’ve ever met who’s had to share the ice with figure skaters.”
“And every figure skater I’ve ever met who’s had to share the ice with hockey players complains about how bad our pads smell, so we’re even.”
“If you say so.” I had to fight off a grin, though. It was true. Hockey pads stunk as bad as Cassidy’s diapers, only in a uniquely foul sort of way.
He winked. “Fair enough. My complaining lips are sealed.”
I finished tying off my laces and got up, stripping off the sweatshirt I’d worn to the rink. I tossed it on the bench and grabbed my iPod and speakers to set on the boards. “My music won’t bother you, will it?”
“Please tell me you’re not playing Bieber.”
“Nah. Michael Bolton,” I said to torment him.
His eyes went wide.
“It’s a mix of stuff. I won’t swear there’s no Justin Bieber, but I can promise a lot of variety. Rock, pop, rap, maybe even some country.”
“You listen to country?” Levi climbed over the boards instead of bothering with the door. Typical hockey player move, and one that only emphasized how long his legs were compared to mine.
“Tell me how I was supposed to grow up in a house with Cam and not be exposed to some Carrie Underwood and Florida Georgia Line.” I hit Play and headed out to the ice—using the door, like a civilized person.
The mix started with “Lose Yourself” by Eminem, and Levi nodded appreciatively.
I raised a brow and took off to skate.
“I learn something new about you every day,” he called after me, heading toward the other end of the ice.
“Only seven thousand four hundred and twenty-seven days to go before I even think about revealing anything you want to know,” I muttered to myself.
