Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
DEREK
“ A re you sure this is safe?” Sutton whispers.
“How does that feel?” I ask Lydia, adjusting the strap of her helmet.
She wiggles her head. “Good.”
I tap her helmet. “Okay. Ace is going to help you on the ice, okay?”
“Okay.”
Lydia waddles over to the open gate of the ice where Troy is standing with Ace.
“See? They’ll be safe,” I answer Sutton’s question. “It’s only skating.”
“Sue me if I’m nervous.”
Grabbing Sutton’s hand, I lead her over to the bench so we can watch the two of them. Orange cones line one end of the ice. Contraptions to help them skate are sitting in front of each of them. A few of the students that play on the school’s club team are helping Ace out today.
“Ace is about the only person I’d trust to help teach them to skate.”
Sutton rolls her eyes at me. “Fine. I guess I’m being overly cautious. ”
I peck her cold cheek. “It’s okay.”
Ace and one of the other players starts to instruct both kids. Their moves are wobbly at first, but it’s easy to see when they start to adjust.
“See? Look. They’re doing good.”
“I mean, I guess even I can see the smile on Lydia’s face from here.”
Troy falls right on his butt, but before I can react, Sutton is standing up, ready to run onto the ice.
“He’s okay.” I grab her hand and pull her back down.
“Are you sure?” Sutton worries her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Listen.” From here, I can hear Troy laughing as Ace helps him back up onto his skates. “See? He’s good.”
Sutton shakes her head. “I don’t know how your parents watched you play football.”
Reaching out, I clasp her hands in mine. “I think it was easy for them because they knew how much I enjoyed playing.”
“Do you ever miss it?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No. Maybe if I was a different kind of player in the league, I would, but not now. High school? I loved playing under the lights, but I never regret giving it up.”
Being here with Troy is the easiest thing ever. I wouldn’t want to be in Missy’s shoes, trying to get to know him now when she’s been gone for so long.
The rink is cold as Ace continues showing the kids different things. For just starting out, both Lydia and Troy seem to have taken to the ice. Neither one of them were scared when they were strapping on their skates.
Me? If I had to learn to skate or play hockey at my age, I don’t know if I’d have the nerves to do it.
Ace skates Lydia and Troy over to the gate for a water break and Sutton pops over to see Lydia. I walk over to the gate with Troy’s water bottle .
Lifting his helmet, I hold out a hand for him to give him a high five. “Are you having fun?”
He nods, taking a drink.
“This is so fun, Daddy.” Troy’s smile takes up his entire face. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him so happy. And this coming from the kid who is always happy.
“You think you want to play?” I ask him.
He nods, the helmet strap coming loose. “Yes. Can Lydia play with me?”
“She can, as long as Sutton agrees.” Something I’m going to have to work on. I’m hoping this will be something fun the two of them can do together for a long time.
“He’s playing hockey?” a high-pitched voice interrupts us. “Is this safe?”
“Go back on the ice, okay?” I encourage Troy to walk back to the ice, not before tightening the strap of his helmet.
His happy head bobs as Ace holds the gate open for him to step back onto the ice. Lydia is skating in circles with the cone as Troy follows suit.
“Is it really a good idea for him to play hockey?”
I spin toward the voice, trying not to let the anger take over. Missy is standing there, big gold hoops hanging from her earlobes. Her hair is tied back in a high ponytail and she’s wearing a pair of jeans, a tight T-shirt, and heels.
After her first night with Troy went well, we made arrangements for her to start spending more time with him. Which is why she’s here now to spend the afternoon with him.
“Would you mind keeping your voice down?” I shush her.
“Why? He shouldn’t be playing a game that is so unsafe.”
“You’re deciding now you want to be a mother to him?” I scoff.
Missy rolls her eyes at me. “Someone has to be a parent to him.”
Don’t react, Derek. Don’t fucking react .
“Hockey is perfectly safe,” Sutton interjects. “They have helmets on and are being supervised by an adult. ”
I don’t miss the way she says adult—like Missy isn’t qualified to be giving advice to us parents.
Missy sneers at Sutton and it takes everything in me not to yell. It wouldn’t do anyone any good.
“You’re early, Missy. Troy is going to be skating for a bit longer. You can take him with you then.”
“I can’t believe you’re letting him do this. Do you know how many players get concussions a year?”
“Do you?” Sutton fires back. “Because I do. And it’s fewer than you’d think.”
The love I have for Sutton grows tenfold. The way she’s defending my son like he’s her own? Yeah, I fucking love it.
Even more so because I know I’m about to hear just how safe hockey is. Because she would never have let Lydia skate today if she didn’t know.
“Whatever.” Missy rolls her eyes. “I’m going to go wait over there. Bring Troy over when he’s done.”
“Will do,” I bite out.
The minute she’s out of earshot, Sutton rounds on me. “What the hell is her problem? I mean, she’s acting like his mother and she’s seen him, what, three times?”
“I—”
“Just because she shows up doesn’t mean she gets to judge how you parent. And she’s worried hockey isn’t safe? And…what? Why are you smiling at me?”
I can’t help the grin that slides across my face. “I love how protective you are over Troy.”
She looks taken aback. “What, because I love him?”
I shrug a shoulder. “I mean, I knew you loved me, but it’s nice to see how much you love him too.”
“Of course I do.”
I steal a quick kiss because the last thing I want is to have Missy see this. “I love you. ”
Her face softens. “I love you too.”
“Then let’s finish watching them skate and then the three of us can have dinner.”
I don’t know what will happen next with Missy, but I know as long as I have Sutton by my side, things will be okay.