13. Markus
THIRTEEN
MARKUS
Choosing the location for a first date was harder than I thought it would be.
It had been years since I’d been on one—an actual, non-Daddy-related date—and I felt like I was wading into unfamiliar waters.
Most of my adult life, relationships had been neatly defined by the dynamic I craved, but this?
This felt entirely different. I had no script to fall back on, no clear rules to guide me.
My sister, Leah, had tried to talk some sense into me earlier.
“Markus, just relax and have fun,” she’d said over the phone, her voice warm and encouraging. “You’re overthinking it.”
She wasn’t wrong. I was overthinking it.
Of course, I hadn’t told her why I was overthinking it.
How could I explain to her that my biggest fear wasn’t just messing up the date, but crossing some invisible boundary with Nicky that I didn’t even realize existed?
Or worse, letting my dominant instincts slip too far and scaring him off entirely.
Still, her words had helped. She reminded me that it was okay to try, to put myself out there. And maybe she was right. Maybe I could have something that wasn’t wrapped up in titles and dynamics. Something real and simple.
That thought was both terrifying and exhilarating.
Juniper Hollow might have been small, but it had its charm, especially during the holidays.
I’d considered taking Nicholas to one of the cozy cafés downtown or even suggesting a drive to see the neighborhood light displays.
But none of those options felt quite right.
I wanted to do something festive, something fun.
Something that would let us both loosen up a little.
That’s how I landed on the Juniper Hollow Skating Rink.
It was one of the first places I noticed when I moved to town—a charming outdoor rink, nestled against a larger, year-round indoor rink.
I’d passed by it a few times while running errands and always saw families and couples enjoying themselves, skating under the open sky.
The whole place had a cozy, welcoming vibe.
Nicky had insisted on meeting me here instead of letting me pick him up, a choice that didn’t surprise me.
It made perfect sense the more I thought about it.
Independence radiated off of him, like a badge he wore proudly, and I couldn’t help but admire it.
But it also made me want to take care of him even more, to find ways to make his life a little easier, even if he’d never ask for it.
I stood in front of the rink, hands shoved deep into my coat pockets, my breath clouding the frosty air.
The lights strung across the rink sparkled like tiny stars, reflecting off the ice below.
A towering Christmas tree at the rink’s edge was adorned with ornaments that glinted in the soft glow of the fairy lights.
Everything about this place screamed holiday magic, and yet I couldn’t shake the knot of nerves in my stomach.
I spotted the Wilson family near the tree. I’d met them during one of my first weeks in town. Sam and Lila Wilson ran a laundromat downtown, and their middle-schoolers, Emma and Max, were on the ice, racing each other and dodging the occasional wobbly skater.
“Doc Webber!” Sam called, waving at me from the bench where he was tying one of Emma’s skates. His wife, Lila, gave me a warm smile and waved as well.
“Evening, Sam, Lila,” I said, walking over to them. “Looks like the kids are having fun.”
“They’re having a blast,” Lila replied, her voice brimming with that proud-parent tone. “It’s their favorite time of year.”
Sam leaned in, dropping his voice to a playful whisper. “So, I hear you’re here on a date tonight.”
I chuckled, scratching the back of my neck. “Word travels fast in the Hollow, huh?”
“Faster than you think,” he teased. “Well, good luck. Whoever she is, she’s lucky.”
“He, actually,” I corrected gently, feeling a small knot of nerves unwind when Sam just smiled.
“Well then,” he said with a grin, “he’s lucky.”
Before I could reply, I spotted Nicholas making his way toward me. His cheeks were flushed pink from the cold, and his scarf was bundled so snugly around his neck that he looked like he’d stepped out of a Christmas card.
“Speak of the devil,” I said, nodding in his direction.
“Good luck, Doc,” Lila whispered as I stepped away.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said, his breath visible in the chill. “Aiden called to check in, and I lost track of time.”
“No problem,” I said, gesturing toward the nearby entrance to the indoor rink. “Ready to head inside? I figured it might be warmer and, you know, less ice to scrape off the ground when we inevitably fall.”
He laughed, a sound that always tugged at something deep in me. “Warm sounds good.”
We stepped into the indoor rink, greeted by a soft hum of holiday music and the inviting scent of hot cocoa from the concession stand.
The ice glowed under twinkling lights strung across the rafters, giving the space a cozy, magical feel.
At a bench near the edge, we laced up our skates, the muted chatter of other skaters filling the air.
I watched him fumble a little with his laces and had to bite back the urge to kneel down and do it for him. Not because he couldn’t, but because every fiber of me wanted to take care of him.
The ice was just as much of a disaster as I expected it to be. Neither of us was particularly skilled, which quickly turned into a comedy of errors. Within the first few minutes, Nicky had stumbled twice, and I wasn’t far behind.
“Careful there,” I said as he wobbled, reaching out instinctively to steady him. My hands landed lightly on his waist, and for a second, I felt the heat of him even through the layers of clothing.
“Don’t think I need a lifeguard, Doc,” he teased, his eyes glinting with mischief.
“Maybe not, but someone has to keep you upright,” I shot back, though the softness in my tone betrayed me.
He smirked, brushing my hands away gently but with purpose, and I could see the pride in his eyes. That independent streak again. I let my hands drop, but not before I gave him a look that said, If you fall, I’m catching you anyway.
The playful banter only grew as we skated—or rather, as we both tried not to fall. Every time my protective instincts surfaced, Nicky had a quick, teasing remark.
“You know,” he said after I reached out to steady him for the third time, “you don’t have to hold my hand every time I slip.”
I raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “I’m just making sure you don’t take me down with you.”
“Sure, Markus,” he replied, his grin widening. “Let me guess—you’ve got a liability waiver in your coat pocket, too?”
I chuckled, shaking my head. His teasing was relentless, but it was laced with warmth, and it only made me like him more. He had this way of making me feel like he was letting me into his world one joke at a time, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
As I reached out again to steady him after a particularly shaky glide, Nicholas huffed in mock exasperation, straightening on his own before I could touch him. He wobbled slightly but managed to stay upright.
“See?” he said, shooting me a triumphant grin. “I’ve got this.”
I held up my hands in surrender, the corners of my mouth twitching with amusement. “Alright, alright. Just trying to be helpful.”
He gave me a look—half playful, half challenging—before swatting my hand away as I instinctively reached out once more.
“I’m fine,” he replied with a grin, his voice tinged with that familiar stubbornness. “Don’t baby me, Doc.”
His teasing tone made me laugh, but it also had my mind wandering to other things—things I probably shouldn’t have been thinking about on a first date.
“Nicholas!”
The voice drew our attention. A tall, wiry man was leaning against the rink’s railing, his arm draped casually over the shoulder of another man who looked a little shy but friendly.
Nicky’s face lit up in a way that told me these weren’t strangers. “Kyle!” he called, skating toward them with a surprising amount of balance, leaving me to follow at a more cautious pace.
Kyle grinned, all sharp smirks and playful energy. “Well, well, look at you two,” he teased, eyes sparkling. “Is this a date or the casting call for the next Hallmark Christmas special?”
Nicky rolled his eyes, but his tone was light. “Jealous?”
Kyle scoffed dramatically. “Me? Please.” Then he nudged the guy beside him. “Anyway, this is Jordan. He just moved to town, and I’m showing him the ropes.”
Nicholas nodded, then turned toward me with a faint smirk. “Markus, this is Kyle—one of my oldest friends. And Kyle, this is Markus.”
Kyle’s grin widened, his gaze sliding toward me with unhidden curiosity. “So this is the famous Doc I’ve been hearing about.” He stuck out his hand, and I shook it firmly.
“Nice to meet you,” I said, keeping my tone easy.
“And you,” Kyle said, his smirk never wavering. Then, with a flick of his head toward Jordan, he added, “Jordan, this is Nicholas and Markus.”
Jordan stepped forward, offering a warm handshake to each of us. “Nice to meet you both,” he said, his voice smooth and polite.
“You too,” Nicholas replied, his tone friendly but casual. “Welcome to Juniper Hollow.”
Kyle tilted his head, clearly enjoying himself. “Well, we won’t keep you. I’m sure you’ve got all kinds of romantic shenanigans planned, right, Nicky?”
Nicholas shot him a withering look, but his voice stayed light. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
With a laugh, Kyle clapped Jordan on the back and started leading him away toward the benches. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” he called over his shoulder.
Nicky exhaled, his shoulders relaxing as he turned back to me. “Sorry about Kyle,” he said, though the fondness in his voice betrayed him. “He can’t help himself.”
“No need to apologize,” I said with a small chuckle. “He’s... spirited.”
Nicky laughed softly. “That’s one word for it.”