Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
SUTTON
“ C an we get hot chocolate?” Lydia asks.
“As soon as we find Derek and Troy.”
The Christmas market is jam-packed with people. Seeing how a Saturday afternoon was the only time I could get off—thanks to Jameson covering my shift—it was our only option.
Wooden stalls line both sides of the walkway. Christmas lights, wrapped around garland, hang over the sidewalk. A hockey rink takes up the middle of the park space. A train makes a loop around the market, filled with children squealing in delight. The smells of hot chocolate and warm nuts perfume the air.
There’s a bite to the air today, making us dig out our winter coats. Even though it’s not as cold as it could be, this Southern Cal girl doesn’t like anything below sixty.
“There they are!” Lydia spots them ahead at the entrance to the train ride. She tugs on my hand, pulling us through the crowd. As soon as we’re close enough, I let go and she takes off running.
Lydia and Troy give each other a hug as Derek watches me walk toward them .
“Hi.” The smile on Derek’s lips is sweet. It has butterflies exploding in my stomach. All these months together and it still feels like that first day seeing him.
“Hey.” Pushing up onto my toes, I press a quick kiss to his lips.
“Mommy said we can get hot chocolate,” Lydia pipes up, pulling on Derek’s coat to get his attention.
“Do you want to ride the train before we get some?” Derek asks her.
“Yes, please!” Troy tells us. “Can Lydia and I ride together?”
“Yes,” I reply, smiling down at the pair of them.
Derek heads to the ticket counter to grab tickets for all of us as I wait with the kids in line.
Families and couples fill the park space where the market is being held. Kids run around and play while parents hold hands.
It has a warmth blooming in my chest as Derek walks back to us with a smile on his face. I have fallen head over heels for this man.
Dare I say it, I’ve fallen in love with him. It’s that thought that consumes me as we take our turn on the train and I listen to the happy squeals of the two excited kids in front of us.
Derek’s happy smile next to me has me leaning into his side. Everything with Derek is easy. Sure, our schedules are hard to line up, but after Derek’s team won the state championship, it got easier. But we’ve made time for each other. Because that’s what you do—you make time for the things that matter.
And Derek matters. Troy and Lydia and this little family unit we’ve somehow created together.
“You okay?” Derek whispers as he helps me out of the train car. Troy is on one side and Lydia on my right.
“Just happy.” I nod, leaning up to him. “Very happy. ”
“Good.” Derek answers with a smile. “Let’s get some hot chocolates and something sweet.”
Derek orders us hot chocolates and an apple strudel to split as the kids race ahead to the ice rink that takes up the majority of the park.
Mixed in with the skaters are a group of hockey players taking up one end of the rink.
“What are they playing?” Lydia asks, grabbing part of the sticky apple strudel I hand her.
“It’s hockey.”
“What’s hockey?” she asks, mouth now stuffed full.
Derek bends down to her, getting on her level, and explains the game to her. He points things out to her over the boards as she stands on her tiptoes to see. Troy is hanging on his every word from his spot next to Lydia.
“They’re so cool,” Troy chirps. A ring of chocolate lines his mouth.
One of the players comes whipping around the boards, sending a gush of cold air in our direction.
“They are so fast!” Lydia’s voice is full of awe.
“Daddy. I want to play hockey. Can I? Can I?” Troy asks, jumping up and down.
“I want to play too!” Lydia pipes up.
“Can girls play hockey, Daddy?”
“Of course, buddy.” I ruffle Troy’s hair. “You know who might be able to teach you? Ace.”
“Yes!” Troy pumps his fist as they go back to the boards to watch the hockey team practice on the ice.
“Ace coaches hockey too?” I ask Derek as he wraps an arm around my shoulders to pull me close.
“He does. His son wanted to play, so he decided to coach him.”
“Just like that?” I laugh.
“Just like that,” Derek parrots back to me. The kids are cheering on the players that keep skating by. They are happy with their drinks and watching the guys skate in front of them.
“Is it even safe?” I ask Derek. The extent of my sports knowledge lies in what Derek has taught me about football.
Hockey?
All I know is they slam each other into the boards a lot. The thought of that happening to Lydia makes me want to kill this idea before it really takes hold.
“Sports have gotten a lot safer, you know.” Derek cuts off a piece of apple strudel and takes a bite. “I wouldn’t think twice about letting Troy play, if that makes you feel better.”
“And Ace can teach Lydia too?”
Derek smiles and nods at me. “Yes. I promise, they’ll be in good hands.”
“You know,” I start, “it’s really hard to say no to you.”
“So that means they’ll play hockey together?” Derek’s face is now cocky, knowing he’s won me over.
“I guess.” I drop down onto my knees between the kids. “If you two really want to play hockey, you can play.”
“Yes!” they both chant, jumping up and down.
“See?” Derek rubs my back as I stand up next to him. “Think of how happy you’ve made them.”
“It’s all I want.”
The rest of the market goes by in a blur of hockey talk, more hot chocolate, and brats for dinner.
Grabbing a picture before we leave, I smile at the memory now saved in my phone. I want to cherish this night. Revisit it whenever I want. Seeing how happy everyone is has my heart close to bursting.
When I said all I want is for Lydia to be happy, it’s the truth. Now, that happiness extends to these two people who have etched themselves into our lives.
It feels like the two of us are starting to build the foundation to something bigger .
As Troy and Lydia say goodbye to one another now that bedtimes are fast approaching, Derek leans in close to me.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night for our pre-Christmas celebration?” Derek whispers in my ear. His warm breath sends ripples through my veins. The barest hint of a touch and my body is reacting to this man in ways I’ve never felt before.
“Yes.”
“Good.” Derek moves away from me, lifting Troy into his arms. “I’ll see you then.”
“Okay.” I bite down on my bottom lip to try and hide the enormous smile from splitting my face wide open.
“Bye, Miss Sutton!” Troy waves at me.
“Bye, Troy.”
“Bye, Mr. Derek! Bye, Troy!” Lydia chirps from beside me.
Derek gives us one last look before disappearing into the crowds. Linking my hand with Lydia’s, I steer us toward the parking lot down the road.
“Mommy, I really like Derek.” Lydia swings my arm back and forth.
“You do?” I ask.
“Yeah. He’s really nice. Troy is too. He’s fun to play with. I like all of his toys.”
I pull Lydia closer to me to let a passing family walk by. “Do you like him for more than his toys?”
She nods vigorously, almost as if her answer will determine if they get to keep playing together. “Yes!”
Finding my car in the parking lot, I unlock the door and start buckling Lydia into her car seat. “I’m glad you think so.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Do you want to keep playing with Troy?”
She nods, her hair bouncing up and down. “Yes! He’s so much fun. And I want to beat him at hockey.”
I laugh at the excitement in her words. “Let’s learn to skate first and then we can talk about beating Troy later.”
“I’m going to be the best ice skater ever! ”
Closing her door, I walk around the car to get into the driver’s seat and head toward home. Lydia’s excited chatter about skating carries us the whole way.
It’s infectious. Her excitement and happiness. With the Christmas season upon us, I’m ready for everything to come.