AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shrugged, not quite sure how to answer. "A lot of it is you guys, you know. I can’t build a family without willing members."
Jensen looked like he was mulling that over, his face caught in a flicker of streetlamp light. And that's when I saw a single tear slipping down his cheek.
"Hey, you alright?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
He hastily wiped the tear away with the back of his hand. "Damn, this is embarrassing."
"Don't worry. It’s an emotional time of the season. Sometimes, the weight of a moment can hit you all at once.”
Jensen chuckled, his eyes meeting mine. "Thanks, Coach."
I clinked my bottle against his. "Anytime. Let's get back in there before Hoss starts another conga line without us."
When we returned, another cheer arose.
"Looks like we missed some action," Jensen quipped.
"Or dodged a bullet, depending on how you look at it," I chuckled.
Chapter17
Hoss
Hannah stuck around, staying an extra week in Cold Pines after the team celebration. "I want to make sure you're doing well, Hoss," she said. I could hear the underlying concern in her voice. Fortunately, she'd hit it off with Pete right away, and man, that eased a ton of my worries.
The sun was out, not a cloud in the sky, as Hannah and I wandered through the charming streets of Cold Pines. I'd already shown her the essentials: the rink that felt like a second home, Dave's where we celebrated our highs and drowned our lows, and the oceanfront boardwalk that everybody loved.
She probably thought she’d seen everything, but I had something extra special planned for one of the mornings.
"You ready for a little adventure?" I asked as I playfully nudged her with my elbow.
"Do you even have to ask? Lead the way, little brother."
We headed down to the dock, where a small boat awaited. "A boat ride? This town just keeps getting better,” Hannah exclaimed.
"We're going to Greenstick Island, just a few miles off the shore,” I revealed. "It's a great place for coffee and, believe it or not, antique shopping."
"Antiques? You’ve evolved into quite the cultured man, Hoss," she teased as we climbed aboard.
The boat ride was short but invigorating, the wind tousling our hair as the water sparkled around us. When we reached the island, Hannah looked like a kid in a candy store dashing around. "This place is magical," she gushed.
"Wait until you see the pastries at the coffee shop,” I said, leading her to a quaint little place by the shore. The pastry counter was full of delicious treats, and we settled on cinnamon rolls.
While we sipped our coffee and peeled the rolls apart, Hannah gazed at the antique store across the street. "How did you even discover this place?" she asked.
"Tagged along with Pete on a day off. It turned out to be a little treasure trove."
After finishing up our morning snack, we crossed the street to the antique store, where Hannah marveled at the vintage trinkets and old furniture. I'd never considered myself much of an antique guy, but watching Hannah’s eyes light up as she explored made the whole trip worthwhile.
"Oh, Hoss, look at this!" She held up an old, hand-carved jewelry box. "Isn't it beautiful?"
"Thinking of buying it?" I asked.
"Maybe," she said, placing it back on the shelf. "Or maybe I'm just soaking in the moment. Either way, it's a day I won't forget."
We returned to Cold Pines just in time for me to walk Hannah to her B&B and catch a ride to the arena for afternoon practice.
As we docked and climbed out of the boat, Hannah turned to me. "Today was wonderful. You're really building a life for yourself here, aren't you?"
