Chapter 12 Roan #2
Mauve and Jason returned to the table about the same time.
“Who wants to go ice skating?” Roan asked.
“I’m in,” Jason said. “Although I’m probably a little rusty.”
“Maybe I could just watch from the side?” Mauve asked.
“No way. You’re skating,” Jason said.
“Are you always this bossy?” Mauve asked.
“He is,” Roan said.
“C’mon, Mauve. It’ll be fun,” Reese said. “We can go for drinks at The Moose afterward.”
“Fine. If you’re all going to gang up on me, I’ll go.” Mauve made a face. “But no one gets to make fun of the southern girl who can’t skate.”
“You do have the cutest accent.” Jason offered her his arm, juggling the pizza box with the other.
“Does that mean you won’t tease me?” Mauve asked, looking his way.
“No promises,” Jason said.
Mauve took his arm and the two of them walked toward the exit, chatting and laughing together.
“Should I be worried?” Reese asked as Roan helped her into her jacket.
“Probably. But, for now, let’s just have fun.”
“Deal.”
Roan took her hand and she smiled up at him, making his stomach flutter as they headed outside to the cold evening.
The skating rink was only two blocks from Sugarville Slice, an easy walk, despite the chill.
The pop-up rink had appeared that morning in the town square park, a temporary structure with white boards forming the walls and Christmas lights strung overhead.
Music played over speakers as folks glided around the ice, their laughter carrying through the night air.
Roan spotted Marcus and Cody standing outside the fence, watching people skate.
Marcus had his hands shoved in his pockets, an expression of longing on his wan face.
Cody stood a few feet back, arms crossed, clearly trying to look like he didn’t care.
Both boys wore thin jackets and no gloves or hats.
And Marcus’s jacket was too small, his wrists sticking out. Cody’s had a rip in the sleeve.
Roan stopped walking, tugging on Reese’s sleeve. “Do you see the boys?”
Reese followed his gaze. “Oh, they look so sad. And we’ve got to get them better jackets.”
“What’s up?” Mauve asked when she and Jason caught up with them.
Reese nodded toward the boys. “It’s two of our Bridge kids.”
“I’m assuming they didn’t have money to rent skates,” Roan said.
“Oh, I hate that,” Mauve said. “Can we rent some for them?”
“Yeah, this is no good,” Jason said. “I’ll take care of it. Mauve, come with me? We’ll rent some skates for them and for us.”
“Sure. What size?” Mauve asked.
“An eight for Marcus and a ten for Cody” Roan said. “I just ordered them some tennis shoes for our workouts.”
Jason handed Roan the pizza box. “I have a feeling they might like the leftovers.”
“Good idea,” Reese said. “Even if they won’t admit they’re hungry.”
“Rent some for us too, please,” Roan said to his brother. “Size seven for Reese. Ten for me.”
“We’re on it,” Jason said.
After Mauve and Jason headed toward the rental booth, Roan glanced down at Reese. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
“I can’t stand it,” Reese said softly. “It’s too cruel to have to stand outside the rink while everyone else is having fun.”
“Let’s go talk to them,” Roan said.
“Yes, okay.”
“Hey, guys,” Roan called out as they walked toward them.
Both boys turned, their expressions shifting from wistful to stoic in an instant.
“Hey, Reese. Hey, Roan,” Marcus said.
“What are you two up to?” Reese asked.
Cody shrugged. “Nothing.”
“Are you here with anyone?” Roan asked.
“No, we walked into town,” Marcus said.
“My foster parents were fighting,” Cody said. “So I got out of there. Ran into Marcus on the way here.”
“I worry about you two walking along the road,” Reese said. “There’s a ton of black ice this time of year. Stay as far to the right of the road as you can, okay?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Cody said gruffly. “We’re careful.”
“You guys want to skate with us?” Roan asked. “Our treat?”
“Nah, we’re just watching,” Marcus said.
“We don’t like to skate,” Cody said. “It’s for little kids.”
That was a lie. Roan could see it in the way Cody wouldn’t meet his eyes and Marcus shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
“We have leftover pizza,” Roan said, holding up the box. “You guys hungry?”
The way both boys’ eyes lit up broke his heart.
“No, I’m okay,” Cody said.
“Yeah, thanks though,” Marcus said.
“We’ve got half a Lumberjack and some Veggie Delight in here,” Reese said. “It’s just going to go to waste if someone doesn’t eat it.”
Marcus looked at Cody, some silent communication passing between them. Finally, Cody nodded.
“Yeah, okay,” Marcus said. “If you don’t want it.”
Roan handed him the box and watched the boys open it. The way they grabbed the slices—too fast, too eager—told him everything he needed to know about when they’d last eaten. They devoured the pizza in huge bites, barely chewing.
Reese’s hand found Roan’s, squeezing tight.
Jason and Mauve arrived with six pairs of skates.
“I’m ready to skate,” Reese said. “And we got some for you guys, just in case you were interested. I didn’t realize you two were too cool for it.”
Marcus was already nodding, hope written all over his face. Cody took longer, his jaw tight, that defensive pride warring with want.
“I mean, if you got the skates already,” Marcus said. “It would be rude not to use them.”
“Yeah, sure. If you guys are that into it, then we’ll do it,” Cody said.
“Great, let’s get them on,” Reese said. “I can’t wait to show off how good I am.”
That made everyone laugh.
They all headed to the temporary bleachers to put on their skates. The boys laced up quickly.
“Have you guys skated before?” Roan asked.
“When I was little,” Marcus said. “Before my mom …got hooked. She used to take me.”
“Yeah, my mom too. Before she died. We used to skate a lot.” Cody stood on his skates. “C’mon, Marcus. Let’s go show them how it’s done.”
The boys took off, considerably more light-hearted now that they’d had something to eat and had skates on their feet. Soon they were racing around the rink, shouting to each other.
Mauve and Jason entered the rink together, holding hands. Mauve slipped almost immediately, but Jason held her up, giving her instructions.
“You ready?” Roan asked Reese.
She looked up at him, smiling. “Hold my hand?”
“I’d like nothing more.”
The two of them skated onto the ice, gliding easily over the surface. Overhead, Run Rudolph Run came on.
“Oh, I love this one,” Reese said, tugging his hand. “Let’s go faster.”
Marcus and Cody joined them, and the four of them skated together—sometimes racing, sometimes just gliding in easy circles. Jason and Mauve drifted over, and soon all six of them were skating as a group. Mauve stayed close to the side, but the rest of them wove between the other skaters.
They were on the ice for forty-five minutes until, breathless, Mauve suggested it was time for hot chocolate. “I’ve been tortured long enough.”
“Thank you for the skates,” Marcus said to Jason.
“Yeah, thanks,” Cody mumbled.
“My pleasure,” Jason said.
Jason and Mauve took everyone’s skates and promised to return with hot chocolates.
Roan and Reese sat together on the bleachers, knees touching. The boys on either side of them. Marcus’s cheeks were flushed with cold and he couldn’t stop smiling. Even Cody looked lighter somehow, like some of the weight had lifted.
“That was fun,” Reese said.
“It was. Thanks for hanging with us,” Cody said.
“Anytime,” Roan said. “You guys need a ride home?”
“Yeah, sure,” Cody said.
Marcus gazed down at his feet and didn’t answer.
“What’s up, Marcus?” Roan asked. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t have any place to go tonight.”
“What do you mean?” Reese asked sharply. “I thought you were staying at a friend’s house?”
The boys exchanged a glance, evasive.
“I was staying with a friend, but his mom told me I had to go,” Marcus said. “They have company coming. Or something.”
“What were you planning on doing tonight?” Roan asked. “It’s not safe for you to be out here all night.”
Tears welled in Marcus’s eyes. “I know. But I don’t know what to do.” Roan’s chest hurt, thinking about this sweet kid wandering around Sugarville Grove in the middle of a December night.
“Come home with me,” Roan said impulsively. “We have an extra room.”
Marcus opened his mouth, clearly about to decline the invitation, but Roan stopped him. “You’re coming with me. Period.”
“Yeah, okay,” Marcus mumbled.
“Could I come too?” Cody blurted out. “I won’t cause any trouble or anything.”
“What about your foster parents?” Roan asked. “Will they expect you home?”
“I can tell them I’m staying with a friend,” Cody said. The quiver in his voice broke Roan’s heart all over again. “They won’t care, trust me. They might not even notice I’m gone.”
“Sure, you’re both welcome,” Roan said.
What if he just took both boys home and kept them there?
He put that thought aside. For now.
Jason and Mauve arrived with hot chocolates for everyone.
The six of them sat together, sipping their hot drinks while the boys asked Jason a bunch of questions about his show.
Before long, Jason had them all enthralled, sharing details about what it was like on set and stories about the other actors.
It was getting late by the time Roan suggested they all head for home. Jason and Mauve said they were going to head over to The Moose instead. Roan tried to catch his brother’s eye, but he was too enthralled with Mauve to notice.
So they were a merry group of only four, laughing and joking as they made their way down the busy sidewalks toward their cars. Almost like a family.
They said goodnight to Reese in the parking lot. Roan kissed her, quick and sweet, and promised to call her tomorrow.
“Text me when you get the boys settled,” she said. “Let me know they’re okay.”
“I will.”
Roan climbed in the driver’s seat with Marcus in the passenger seat and Cody in the back. The drive to the house took less than ten minutes.