Chapter 19
Follow My Lead
Collins
I’m sitting on my back porch as the sun goes down, my finger hovering over the green call button of my phone screen. I take one final deep breath before letting my thumb press into my screen.
It rings and rings until a voice I’ve yearned to hear for years fills my phone, “Collins?”
“Hi, Mom.” I respond, clearing my throat. Harley steps onto the porch, sitting beside me and letting her hand rest on my thigh. Silent support without being actively involved in the conversation.
“It’s been a while. Is everything okay?” For the first time in a long time, I can hear concern for me from the person who should’ve been worried about me this whole time.
“Yes,” I pause and Harley taps my thigh, encouraging me to tell the truth, “No acutally. I mean, physically I’m fine.”
“Okay…”
“Mom, I called because I’ve missed you and Dad.” I have to pause again, my eyes begin to water, “I know it’s hard. I know that all you see when you look at me is Jordan, but I miss having parents. I miss you guys cheering me on at games. I miss spending the holidays with you both.”
The line remains silent for a moment before a choked sob comes through the phone, and the fissure in my heart cracks open a little further.
“I-I’m sorry Mom. I didn’t mean to make you upset.” I add on through my own tears.
“Collins, my sweet boy. I feel terrible about the way that your father and I handled the passing of your brother. I regret every day not trying harder to make you feel seen and loved, for not reminding myself that I had two sons and one of them was feeling just as much, if not more, pain than we were. We miss you so much and we’d love a chance to get to know this version of you. ”
“It’s okay, it wasn’t easy for any of us, but I’d like that too. Would you guys want to come to a game, maybe?” Apprehension laces my tone because I don’t know where they’d like to start, where we’d all be comfortable reacquainting ourselves with each other.
My mom clears her throat before speaking, “I think a hockey game may be too much, but if you’re free in a few weeks, I’d love to cook for you.”
“I understand, just know that invitation always stands.”
“I’ll remember that. We’ll see you in a few weeks, okay. We love you.”
“Love you too.” I hang up the phone and heave a deep breath out, trying to process every emotion and words that were traded between my mom and I.
“You handled that really well, from the parts I heard at least.” Harley mentions from beside me.
“Thank you. That was tough, but I’m glad that I did it.”
“Me too.”
“You’ll come to dinner with me?” I question, hoping the answer isn’t no, because I don’t know if I can handle this without her.
“Absolutely.”
It’s family skate night. Honestly, one of my favorite nights of the year, I have my friends, the kids, and Harley but I can’t help but feel like people are missing.
Jordan and I would’ve been racing back and forth across the rink much like Dom and Conrad do now.
My parents would’ve been cuddled up by the hot cocoa stand watching us act like fools, but I gave up inviting them to stuff like this a long time ago.
“Hey, can you help me tie these up?” Harley asks where she’s sitting down in front of me. My Manta Rays hoodie covers her and dark skinny jeans mold to her thighs perfectly. A picture of perfection with two loose braids and light makeup sitting on her face. All mine.
“Always.” I drop to one knee in front of her, lifting her foot over my leg so that I can lace her up properly.
I work quickly, ready to get her out onto the ice with me.
When Kodi and Mav showed up to the first family skate night two years ago, I couldn’t help but stare at her as she and Sin attempted to skate around the rink, being too stubborn to ask for help.
“You feel like your skating skills have improved at all?” I ask, helping her stand, she wobbles for a moment before righting herself.
“Definitely, I’ve been to three of these now and I have a pro to help keep me balanced.” A cheeky grin spreads across her face as she begins to walk toward the ice.
“Oh my God! Look at Bella go!” she squeals excitedly, pointing to where Mav and Bella skate side by side. Bella’s cheeks puff out air as she pushes her little legs to keep herself moving.
“She’s doing so well! I can’t believe she’s already moving so easily on her own.” I respond happily.
“Go, Bella, go!” Kodi claps excitedly as she watches them skate. Bella turns her head to her Mama, which causes her to lose her balance, but Mav’s there to catch her before she hits the ground, and they’re off to the races again.
“Alright, let’s skate Peppermint.” I step out onto the ice first, with Harley following, her hand in mine.
I move a little faster than Harley at first before she huffs, “Some of us don’t skate five days a week. Slow down!”
“Sorry.” I slow my pace to match hers, forgetting that for some people skating isn’t like walking and that I’m not in a conditioning or a game. I’m enjoying a casual skate with my friends, my girl, and my teammates.
We skate a few laps as Harley finds her footing before I turn on my heel, skating backward so I can watch her move toward me. A light smile graces her face, the occasional laugh slipping out as she loosens up, enjoying herself more and more with each lap.
Eventually, Tate rolls up beside me, Hayden in his arms, “take him for a few laps so I can skate with Darcy?
“You got it. Hey, Hayden! Want to go so fast?” I ask my nephew, who claps his chubby hands, a small, toothy smile across his reddened cheeks.
“I’m going to tap out, but I can take him when you’re done, so that Dom can and I quote ‘run circles around you before the night ends.’ Plus, the girls and I have to have a gossip session.” Harley smiles at me as she steps out of the rink. I give her a salute as she waves us off.
Hayden and I skate two laps before I hand him off to Harley.
“Montez!” I holler across the rink, Dom turns toward my voice, a shit eating grin on his face.
“Ready for our annual family skate night race?” He waggles his eyebrows at me as he approaches.
“You’re going down.”
“You wish.”
“Alright, fellas. You know the rules. Three laps. No shoving, pushing, tripping. First one back to me gets bragging rights and loser buys everybody hot chocolate.” Nik announces formally as Dom and I take our spots on either side of him.
Mav stands on the other side of the rink at the same position as Nik.
Nik begins his countdown, and then we are off to the races.
“Don’t be a sore loser, babe.” Harley teases from my side as we follow everyone out of the arena. Dom destroyed me out there, but I was a little distracted by an idea that hit me as I watched Harley cheer me on from outside the glass.
“I’m not a sore loser.”
“Anything I can do to help cheer you up?” She pinches my arm.
“Actually… There is. Follow my lead.” I whisper for only her, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
“Damn it! I left my wallet back there.” I curse aloud, patting my pockets dramatically as our friends all turn toward us. “You all go ahead, we’ll see you at Hayden’s party next weekend.”
Everyone says their goodbyes, although Nik chuckles in my ears, “Have fun, dude.”
I turn on my heel, Harley following closely behind me. Rather than taking her back into the arena, I take a sharp left, guiding her up to the box that Maverick typically rents out for our big games.
“Where are you taking me?” She whisper-shouts at me, “are we even supposed to be here?”
“Nope, and you’ll see.” I continue up the stairs and push open the door to the box before pulling her inside and locking the door behind us, trapping her between myself and the door. Leaning down, I nip gently at her neck.
“You’re right, I am a sore loser, and I wanted to show you something.” I breathe into her neck before turning and guiding her over to the front row of seats.
“Do you recognize this view?” I ask, pushing my hips forward into hers, pressing them into the railing.
“I do. We sit here for games.”
“Did you know that if I squint hard enough, I can see you watching me?” I let my hand move to the front of her pants, toying with the button.
“No.” She breathes.
“So I thought, I’d come up here and see what the view is like.” I pop the button on her jeans, yanking them down quickly before pushing her upper half forward so she’s forced to lean on the railing, jutting her ass toward me.
“We’re going to have to be quick, and I need you to be quiet for me. Can you do that, Baby?” I ask, unbuckling and pushing down my own jeans then stroking my cock lightly.
“Yes.” She whispers, swaying her hips slightly.
Reaching between us, I let two fingers find her entrance, pushing in and out to find her soaking wet already.
“What’s got you so worked up, Harley?” I continue to toy with her and myself.
“Fuck, Collins. Watching you on the ice, knowing you could see me watching, you holding a baby, just you in general.” She keens softly.
I remove my fingers, placing one hand on her hip and gently pushing her legs further apart. Reaching into my wallet, I quickly slide on a condom before notching my cock at her entrance and filling her in one thrust. Her gasp fills the space around us, echoing slightly.
“Quiet, Baby. You don’t want us to get caught, do you?” I gently move my free hand to cover her mouth as I continue to thrust in and out of her. She bites my palm, causing me to remove my hand, “Feisty.”
A giggle leaves her mouth that quickly turns into a gasp when that hand begins rubbing tight circles around her clit. Her moans begin to crescendo, her body meeting mine with every thrust–until she suddenly goes still.
“What happened?” I ask, concerned.
“There’s someone down there,” she whispers, looking toward the rink where the zamboni runs over the ice.
“It’s okay. He wears headphones and never looks up.” I slowly begin moving again.
When she doesn’t push back, I reel her back into focusing on me. My hands toying with her clit and nipples, her body slowly beginning to relax for me, “Just focus on me, Baby. I can feel how close you are.”
“Your body was made for me.” I continue to encourage as those telltale tingles begin at the base of my spine, and her pussy begins to tighten.
“Give it to me, Harls.” Her body seizes and she begins to scream my name, but I quiet her again with my palm, taking me over the edge with her.
She whimpers as I pull myself from her, heading to the bar to grab some napkins to clean us up.
“That was fun,” she says as we redress.
“It was, we could do it again sometime.”
“Sounds like you want to get caught.” She smirks as I unlock the door and guide her toward the parking garage to my Tacoma.
“Not that I want to get caught, but it’s the thrill of potentially getting caught.”
“Like New Years?”
“Yes, like New Years.” I open the door of the truck, helping her inside and buckling her seatbelt.
“I can do that myself, you know?” she goads.
“I know, but I like to do it for you.” I peck her lips before taking my seat behind the wheel and driving us back to my place.