Chapter 38
~Hudson~
“Ryder.” The next day, I skate over to the other guy in my session who shares my coaching staff and give him my most charming smile. “How’d you like to have Sunday off?”
His off-day this week is the next day, Friday, and if I want to be able to go shopping with Riley and Hannah, I need him to switch with me. He’d already left for the day yesterday before I got a chance to ask him.
Not being an idiot, Ryder immediately figures out what I want. “I can’t trade with you, Hudson. I have to work tomorrow.”
Shit. Ryder is one of the few skaters at the club who works during the season to help cover his training costs.
I’m lucky that my family can afford the club’s training fees, supplemented by the few small sponsorship opportunities I can find and my job at the golf course during the off-season.
Ryder, on the other hand, pays for most of his costs himself, everything that’s not covered by a scholarship he receives from the club for skaters from lower-income families.
Honestly, I don’t know how he does it. I’m beat at the end of a training day, and somehow, he leaves and works an evening shift at a restaurant in South Edmonton Common.
On his days off, he sometimes picks up extra shifts.
He’s a machine, and I wish I could say that the results he gets on the ice are worth it, but he’s barely in the top 10 at national level.
Not even a blip on the world stage. His love for the sport keeps him going but no one truly believes he’s going to make it big, except for him.
For his sake, I hope he’s right.
I accept defeat as graciously as I can. “Got it. I know you would if you could, and I appreciate it.”
He returns my smile, grateful that I’m not pushing it like some of the others do. “I would. What’s happening tomorrow?”
“Just hoping to avoid weekend crowds at the mall,” I explain. That’s partly true, if I leave out the Riley part.
His eyes widen in horror. “You’re going shopping at the mall a week before Christmas? You’ve heard of online shopping, right?”
I spread my hands in a sheepish shrug. “What can I say? I’m a world-class procrastinator.”
He shudders as if I’ve suggested spending my day off in hell. “Express shipping. Look into it.”
Our coach yells at us to get back to work, and I clap him on the shoulder before skating off.
At the end of the day, I hang out in the club lobby, casually checking my phone as I pretend not to be waiting for Riley. She’s on her own when she appears, but she still glances over her shoulder before coming over to me, like merely talking to me is doing something wrong.
“People know we’re friends,” I remind her. “You’re allowed to talk to me.”
“Right. I know.” She sighs before looking up at me with those big brown eyes. “I just don’t feel very ‘friendly’ around you and I’m worried people can tell.”
Her words heat me instantly, but I force myself to stay on topic. “I’m afraid I have bad news: I can’t get the day off tomorrow.”
“Oh.” Her face falls in such genuine disappointment that I’m tempted to call in sick and take the day off anyway. “That’s too bad.”
“It is, but there’s a silver lining. I’m going to drag my brothers out shopping with me on Sunday and spend the afternoon wrapping presents at my parents’ house.
I’ll be able to make sure everyone is on their best behaviour before you arrive.
You can come over for dinner as soon as you’re finished here. ”
“You really want me to come to your family dinner?”
“I insist on it, actually. I’ll pretend to be your friend here, but Sunday night, you’re my girlfriend. And even better, I can tell Lewis that I’m going to spend the night at my parents’ house.”
Understanding lights a spark in her eyes. “All night?”
I lean a little closer and repeat the words in a whisper. “All night.”
It takes every ounce of willpower I possess not to lean in a little more and kiss her right now.
“Okay,” she agrees, her voice much more breathless than it was a moment ago. Her eyes dart to my lips, the same thoughts seeming to run through her head that have taken over mine. “I guess I’ll see you here on Saturday, then.”
Steeling her jaw, she steps away from me.
“Buy me something good at the mall, Pip,” I call out after her, resisting the urge to follow.
“What?” she sputters, spinning back to face me.
“A Christmas present,” I clarify, grinning at her confusion. “You can leave it under the tree at my parent’s house when you come over. I’ll be getting one for you too.”
She stares at me a moment longer before shaking her head and walking away.
After two more days of not nearly enough Riley, Sunday finally arrives. My brothers grumble as I herd them into my car before noon to go out shopping, but between the three of us, we get presents for our parents, for Sutton, and joke gifts for each other.
“Would you decide already?” Zac gripes as I debate over the final gift on my list, the one for Riley.
Tyler stands up for me for a change. “Give him a break. Picking a gift for a girl you like is hard.”
“Oh, yeah?” I raise a curious eyebrow in his direction. “You’ve got experience with this?”
“Maybe,” he mumbles, ducking his head as Zac and I both pounce on that piece of news.
“Who is she?”
“Is she your girlfriend?”
“How long have you been dating?”
“Is she coming for Christmas?”
“You guys are worse than Mom,” he grumbles, but I can see him fighting a smile. Looks like I’m not the only Baker man with a new woman in his life.
With a bit more prodding, we find out that her name is Kaela, she plays the flute in the high school band, and they’ve been on a handful of ‘group dates’ but nothing one-on-one yet.
We manage to find some flute-shaped earrings that he thinks she’ll like; personal, but not too intimate since they’re still getting to know each other.
I’m still stuck without something for Riley, until a random glance across the aisle gives me a sudden flash of inspiration.
Perfect.
The warm scent of cinnamon and dough hits my nose as we walk into my parent’s living room half an hour later.
The lights on the tree twinkle in time to the Christmas music that’s playing; I got my dad an app that linked them up last year and he loves it.
Stockings hang over the fireplace and if you could bottle Christmas up, it would feel just like this room.
And yet, it feels like something’s missing. It takes me a few minutes to realize that ‘something’ is Riley. Things won’t feel complete until she’s here.
After greeting my parents, I sit down at the dining table and wrap the presents I just bought while Tyler and Zac do theirs.
None of us are wrapping gurus but I think mine come out better than theirs, at least. When all the wrapping supplies have been put away, I set the table, adding an extra spot for Riley that makes me smile.
We haven’t had seven people around this table for Sunday dinner since…
No. Don’t go there today, I admonish myself. Today’s about Riley, nothing else.
She’ll finish at the rink at five, and in my head, I count down the minutes it’ll take her to drive home, shower and change, and make her way over here. Sutton arrives at six, and only five minutes later, the doorbell rings. Everyone stands back to let me answer.
Riley stands on the doorstep with her cheeks rosy despite the scarf and hat that cover 90% of her face, and an absolutely enormous wrapped present in her arms.
My grin couldn’t get any wider. “Hey. Come on in.”