CHAPTER FIVE
Jordan
Jordan paced the restaurant floor, waiting for a call from her sister. Donna and her family were coming into town today. She checked her watch for the twentieth time, as she helped bus a table.
“No word from your sister yet?” Talia asked.
Jordan shook her head. They should’ve been here by now. “Donna said they were staying in town, not far from here.” Today was the big day. Her nephew was not only getting the chance to meet Harrison Dash, but little did he know, Talia had convinced Harrison to bring a group of the guys. Levi was going to be so surprised!
“Did I tell you that Noah was over at our house again yesterday? He only asked about you a dozen times.” Talia chuckled.
“Why? He stops here at least once a day.” Jordan sounded as if she was complaining, but deep down she kind of liked it. He could get food anywhere, even eat lunch at the arena after morning skates, or at the practice facility after practice. She knew the team had a chef there. But he chose to eat at The Sin Bin. As annoying at it was, any girl would find it a little cute.
“And we all know why he stops by.”
“Because he has to eat?” Jordan teased. But she wasn’t oblivious to the fact that he came in here to flirt with her, and that every time she looked his way, he had eyes on her. “Not all guys are talented in the kitchen.”
Talia shrugged with a grin. Harrison was big on meal prepping and didn’t do too badly in the kitchen. Talia was the one who wasn’t a fan of cooking, which was possibly ironic since she owned a fabulous restaurant.
“Anyway, you should’ve seen Noah with Dakota. She just adores him. D will just stare and smile at him for hours.”
“Isn’t that what most of the females do around him?” Jordan teased.
Talia continued, as if she were ignoring Jordan’s remark. “When he’s around no one else exists. D has no interest in me or Harrison. Noah should’ve been a manny.”
“Yeah?” Jordan laughed. “Noah as a manny?”
It was an amusing thought, Noah covered in diapers and a baby bag instead of adoring female fans.
“You have to admit that he’s cute,” Talia pressed.
“I guess he’s alright.” Of course she thought he was cute, but she didn’t have the time to walk around stroking someone’s ego all day. Plus, the second he knew she thought he was nice looking, he was sure to put his flirting game into overdrive.
Jordan busied herself at another table. She was excited. She couldn’t wait to see her sister and nephew again, and it had been a long time since she’d been in an ice rink.
“Excuse me, waitress,” a voice said from behind her.
Jordan never liked being mistaken for a waitress. There was nothing wrong with the occupation, but she had paid her dues and had spent many years waitressing to get to where she was now. Turning on her heel, she smiled and gently corrected their mistake. “I’m actually the manager, but how can I help you?” But instead of just a random patron standing there, it was her sister, trying not to laugh. “Donna! I thought I recognized that voice!”
Donna hugged her tight. “I tried to disguise my voice.”
“You were supposed to call me once you’d checked in. I was going to come get you.” She turned to her brother-in-law, Bill, and then to her nephew, Levi. She bear hugged the little boy. “I owe you one kiss for every day since I saw you last!”
Jorden got only two kisses in before his cheeks turned dark pink, and she decided to hug him relentlessly instead. “You’ve gotten so big! What are your parents feeding you?”
Levi shrugged. “You know, the usual. But Grammy feeds me a lot of pasta and cookies.”
“I bet that’s it! The miracle pasta and cookie diet!”
Levi just giggled. He was nine years old, but much taller than she remembered. His big blue eyes were full of spunk. She noticed a hockey bag was on his shoulder.
“Where is your hotel? I still need to change real quick, but we could get you checked in before we—”
“Sis, take a breath. Turns out our hotel is right next door.”
“Don’t ever ask your sister to read a street map,” Bill mocked, “because apparently you’ll end up in Canada.”
Donna shook her head playfully. “That’s what GPS is for. And you would know you were headed to Canada long before we ended up in Canada. I mean, you can’t miss customs at the border. And there are probably signs long before that,” she added nonchalantly.
“Anyway, we’re already settled in,” Bill continued.
“Levi has been anxious to get to the rink,” Donna said. “He brought his stuff, hoping he could get a picture holding his stick with Harrison Dash.”
“Oh, I’m sure that will be possible,” Talia interrupted with a smile. “My husband loves the camera.”
“You must be Talia,” Donna said. “It’s so nice to meet you. And thanks for making this little dude’s year.”
“I didn’t do much. My husband jumped at the chance to meet a young fan.” She looked towards an empty table. “You guys can have a seat over here. Chef Tony is bringing out some of his famous snickerdoodle cookies on the house, and Sally will grab you whatever you want to drink, and anything else you’d like. And you,” Talia said, turning to Jordan. “Go get changed! I’m sure Harrison is as anxious as your nephew is.”
Jordan thanked Talia and gave her nephew a double thumbs up before hurrying to the office to change. She didn’t know if Harrison was just letting Levi hang out in the locker room or what his plans were, so she figured leggings and a long sweater with tall dress boots seemed more comfy to tour the arena than a pencil skirt and heels. She dressed quickly and hurried back to the dining room.
After cramming one last cookie into his mouth, Levi grabbed his dad’s hand and pulled him towards the elevators. “Can we go now?”
Jordan waved to Talia, as she and Donna followed the boys to the elevator.
Bill had to hold Levi back when the doors opened on the lobby floor. “This isn’t like our street. There’s a city out there, boy.”
“I know, Dad,” Levi complained.
“Your dad is right,” Jordan said. “We need to be cautious as we cross the street.” Jordan walked beside Levi as he held his dad’s hand, and they crossed the street.
“You are so lucky, Aunt Jordan! You can come here any time you want!” Levi said, as they walked towards the building.
“Honestly, I haven’t been to a game yet.”
“Really?” Levi gasped.
She shrugged. “I work a lot. But I catch a game on television when I can.”
As they walked closer to the front gate, a door opened, and there was Harrison. “Hey there, Jordan.”
The closer they got to Harrison, the quieter Levi became.
“Hello.” Harrison smiled. “You must be Levi. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Donna nudged her son, who was gawking in silence.
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you, too.” Levi put his hand out to shake Harrison’s.
“I hear you play hockey,” Harrison spoke, returning the boy’s handshake.
Levi nodded.
“And I see you brought your gear.”
Levi nodded again.
“In that case, I think you’re going to like what I have planned. Follow me.” Harrison led them inside and through the halls of the arena to the elevators, and then they were behind the scenes until they were in the Renegades locker room.
“Woah!” Levi exhaled, his eyes wide as he took it all in. “This is so cool! Mom, take my picture by the lockers!” Levi posed with Harrison by the players’ lockers.
“Harrison, this is really nice of you. Thank you,” Jordan said.
“Levi, did you bring your skates?”
“Yep!”
“Good! Lace ’em up and grab your stick. I’ve set up a little surprise for you,” Harrison said.
“Mom!” Levi turned to Donna, his eyes bright. “I’m going to get to skate on the Rivers Arena ice!”
“Wow!” Donna turned to Jordan, as she helped Levi tighten and tie his skates. “Was this your idea?”
Jordan shook her head as they headed towards the ice. “Nope.”
Harrison looked over to Jordan and smirked. He was up to something, she could tell.
“Donna, Bill, I’m sure we can sit here on the team bench and watch whatever Harrison has planned. It’ll be nice and close if you want to take pictures.”
“Sorry, but no you won’t.” Paige appeared.
“Sis, this is Paige, Tyler Kidd’s wife and PR rep for the Renegades,” Jordan said.
“Nice to meet you, Paige. I’m Donna, Jordan’s sister. This is my husband, Bill, and my son, Levi.”
“Oh, I’ve heard all about Levi and his big day. That’s why I’m here.” Paige opened her tablet. “What size ice skates do you all wear?”
Jordan wasn’t prepared to put on ice skates today. This was news to her, and she wasn’t thrilled. “What? Why?”
Bill let out a little whoop. “I’m standing at ice level of the Rivers Arena, right by the Renegades bench. Given the chance to skate on the same ice the Renegades do—I’m in! Size twelve,” Bill said, geeking out like a kid in a candy store.
“And Donna?”
“Seven and a half.”
“Jordan?”
“Oh, no thanks. I’m content just watching. Today is for them.”
Levi finished tying his skates and turned to Jordan. “C’mon Aunt Jordan, you know you want to.” He smiled before hopping onto the ice after Harrison.
Her nephew knew her well. The chill in the air and the smell of the ice made her eager to get out there.
Donna turned to Paige. “She’s a seven.”
Paige wiggled her eyebrows at Jordan. “I’ll be right back!” And she hurried away.
“How long has it been since you put on a pair of skates?” Donna asked.
“Too long. I think the last time I skated, Levi was little.”
“No, I mean really skated, not pulling around a toddler.”
She thought about it. The last time she really skated, feeling the icy wind on her face and gliding freely around the rink, she was still living in Ohio.
Why did Paige want her on the ice? Today wasn’t about her; it was about Levi. All attention should’ve been on him, and she could’ve done that just fine from the bench.
“Here we are!” Paige sang, and she handed each of them a pair of skates.
“Hurry guys!” Levi called from the ice.
Jordan sat motionless, as Donna and Bill put on their skates. Bill was on the ice first, joining his son and acting just as excited as him.
“You’d better not leave me out there on my own, sis,” Donna pressed.
Jordan really wanted to. But she also knew that the moment she stepped out onto that ice, she’d have to make time in her busy schedule to skate. She’d suppressed her long-time passion since coming to Pittsburgh. This little taste was not going to be enough. “Fine.”
Pulling on the skates, all the memories came rushing back. She quickly laced up and paused one final time to inhale the smell of the rink. Stepping out onto the ice, she immediately felt at home. The cool on her face and the sound of the blades cutting into the ice was everything she had been missing.
This was her happy place.
“Aunt Jordan, you still got it!” Levi called, with a big grin.
She glided around the ice as though she did this every day. In reality, it had been three or four years.
Effortlessly drifting backwards around the ice, she almost forgot where she was. She closed her eyes as her muscle memory took over. It was as if she had never stopped skating, as she glided and turned on the ice. That was, until she bumped into a hard body. She opened her eyes to Noah wrapping his strong arms around her, as they both spun around and she slowly came to a stop.
Where had he even come from? And why was he here?
“You good?” he asked.
“Yeah, uh, sorry about that.” Jordan looked around, avoiding his stare, and moved out of his hold.
Noah smirked. “You have some impressive moves.”
Jordan shrugged, even though his grin had caused butterflies to dance in her stomach. “Until I almost took you out.”
Her sister had locked arms with her husband and was doing her best to stay upright. Donna had never been a great skater.
Ignoring her comment, Noah asked, “How long have you been skating?”
“Um…” She met his gaze for a second. She was used to standing while he was seated. But now Noah was a large, muscular presence standing very close to her. She had to fight her knees from shaking under the weight of his dark smolder. She gulped in a breath of air. “I’ve been skating since I was little. My mom enjoyed ice skating, so she’d always take us. I was a natural, whereas Donna, not so much.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “You skate like a professional.”
“Noah Rodgers?” Levi asked excitedly, as he skated by.
Noah was caught up with Levi for the moment, so Jordan took off around the ice. Watching Levi interact with Harrison and Noah was heartwarming.
Suddenly, Tyler Kidd, Sam Morris, and Kaden O’Conner were there on the ice with them.
Jordan watched her nephew light up, as Harrison, Tyler, Sam, Noah, and Kaden fawned over him, giving him high fives and talking hockey. Harrison had really outdone himself with this meet and greet.
The guys ran through some skating drills with Levi, and he held his own.
“Donna, where did he get his skating skills from? It surely wasn’t you,” Jordan teased.
“No kidding! From Mom, apparently.” Donna laughed. “I mean, look at him, Jordan. The kid is skating almost as well as the guys. That little boy will never stop amazing me.”
“Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?” Bill complained. “I have some pretty sweet skating skills.”
“You’re right, honey,” Donna grabbed on to her husband and said to satisfy him.
Jordan watched her nephew in wonder. Watching him interact with the men made her realize just how much he’d grown. He’d gotten big so fast, and she felt guilty that she’d missed so much.
For the first time, she envied her sister. Donna had a husband and a son. Jordan had long since stopped giving any thought to those things being in her future, and this wistful sadness was unfamiliar and uncomfortable. She just had to shake off the feeling and enjoy the rest of the day with her friends and family.