Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Ian couldn’t believe they were heading out for an outing at the park.
Not for him and the kids, of course. They went out quite a bit, but they’d never had an outing with JP.
It blew his mind.
Still, they were outside, it was a lovely day, and they were heading to the park.
JP was learning the electric scooter’s foibles.
It needed good speed to go up a sidewalk ramp to get on the sidewalk, but it was also very clunky going the other way.
If he went too fast going off the sidewalk into the road, it looked like the scooter was going to tip over.
He had it now, though, and he was trucking along beside Ian.
Tori was bouncing, so excited to be out with her dad, and Peter was singing a silly song about swinging.
Ian thought they could spend an hour and a half or so, then grab a burger and fries, eat, and head home for naps.
He just hoped that wasn’t too long for JP. He was counting on being on the scooter to keep it from being too much for JP.
“It’s a beautiful day,” JP said, face raised up to the sky.
“Isn’t it? I bet it feels great to be out of the house for something not medical.”
“Absolutely. Between sleeping upstairs in a real bed and coming out just to come out, I’m feeling like I’ve been released from prison or something.”
“Good. I’m glad. Vitamin D is good for you.” He winked over as they entered the park.
“Can we run, Daddy? Please?”
“To the playground. Straight there.” He could see the whole way. “Together.”
They took off at a run, holding hands, both of them focused, their legs pumping.
“Look at them go.” JP chuckled. “So full of life.”
“They’re healthy and happy. They love this so much.” Ian was tickled for them.
“It’s good to be almost four, eh?”
“It is. It is good to be together and running in the sunshine.” Ian rested one hand on his shoulder.
JP smiled up at him. “It’s good to be with you in the sunshine too, Chou.”
“It is. I’m glad you’re starting to feel like you can come out for a while, breathe the air.”
“I’m starting to feel human again. Real.” JP rolled forward, moving with him toward the playground.
They found a place to settle in the sunshine, close enough for the kids to see them there.
“We spend a lot of time here. The babies love it.”
“You know the other parents?” JP rolled to a stop next to an empty bench.
“Some, yeah. There are a couple of great parents, a few nannies. Allison comes out a lot to get some sun.”
“Your best friend the chef?”
“Yes. She works late a ton, and she needs sun.”
“So you take care of her too? You take care of everyone, eh? And you forget about taking care of yourself.”
“I was sad, love. I made myself happy by staying busy.”
JP made a face. “I’m sorry, Chou.”
“Me too. I…I didn’t know what else to do. I was sad and stressed and tired.”
“I guess I was lucky, eh? I had hockey.” JP looked away, watching the kids play.
“I had the babies. It was hard to leave my job. Harder than I’d thought, but it was worth it. And you supported us even though you didn’t have to.”
JP’s head whipped around, giving him a stare. “Of course I did!”
“And I appreciate it!” He wasn’t sure why JP was staring like that. He was being nice.
“I’m not a total asshole. I would never leave you and those babies high and dry.”
“I didn’t say you would. I said you didn’t have to. I said no. I said I wouldn’t leave. You didn’t have to be fair.”
“You’re wrong. I did have to be fair.”
“No, you were fair. You are fair.” He touched JP’s hand, stroking a scar. “I was trying to be decent, love.”
“I guess maybe I’m a bit touchy about it, eh?” JP turned his hand, taking Ian’s and twining their fingers together.
“Maybe, but I understand. Things have been…we fucked up, so badly.” And he didn’t know how to fix it.
JP squeezed his hand. “I still love you, though. That counts for something.”
“I still love you, too. And the babies love you. They need you in their lives.” Even if it was a touch hard to admit.
“Thank you for saying that.” JP squeezed his hand again. “I’m holding on this time.”
“I hope so. I can’t lose you again.” There was no way. He couldn’t manage it.
“Then we’re agreed on that.” JP smiled at him before turning back to watch the kids again. “Tori really is fearless, isn’t she?”
“Like night and day with her brother, but I tell you, he’s much more patient than she is. She reminds me of you.” She wasn’t scared, she wasn’t putting up with shit, and she wasn’t going to be told no.
“Yeah? You think we can train her for the PWHL?”
He sighed softly. “I will tell you a secret. I didn’t want them to learn to skate. She insisted. She saw the babies learning, and she was relentless. She is going to learn to play hockey, and nothing I think will stop that.”
He was going to worry every second.
JP was all smiles, looking as proud as punch. “I’m going to teach her everything I know.”
“She’ll need it. She’ll need coaching and someone to make sure no one is mean to her.” He stared at JP, so serious. “I expect you to watch those coaches and trainers like a hawk.”
“You know it, Chou. She’s my legacy. I’m going to make sure they do right by her.”
“Okay. I believe you. I still cry every time she falls.”
She didn’t cry, though. She just glared and got back up.
“She’s going to fall a lot in life, you know that, right? They both will. And it’ll have nothing to do with hockey or skating.”
He nodded. He knew. He just hated it. “Do they have to?”
“I’d take it for them if I could, Chou. But the falls will build character, make them stronger.”
“You can be that dad. I’ll rock them and kiss their boo boos. Fair?”
JP chuckled. “Fair. You’ve got to be you.”
“Yes. I do. I think…I think you’ll help Peter be braver. Tori doesn’t need help, but he’s more like me.”
“I think you’re brave, Chou.”
He snorted and rolled his eyes. He was a coward, but he tried to be a good father, nonetheless. “Thanks, love.”
Regardless, it felt good to hear.
JP gave him another warm smile that seemed to put him at the center of the world. Then he closed his eyes and tilted his head back, looking like a sexy beast basking in the sunlight.
“Dad! Dad! Watch me!” Tori was up on the slide, waving furiously.
JP didn’t even crack his eyes open, so Ian gave him a dig with his elbow. JP sat up straight, eyes opening.
“What?”
He just pointed at Tori.
JP smiled and waved back.
“I’m going to bump my butt, Dad!”
“Daddy, tell her to go!” Peter was stuck behind his sister.
“Come on, Tori. We’re watching.”
“Let’s see you!” JP called out.
Tori pumped her hands in the air and threw herself down the slide, laughing wildly as she bumped along.
“She is my daughter, isn’t she?”
Ian cracked up, because Petey followed behind like he was boneless, doing less bumping and more slinking.
“What is he doing?” JP asked. “Is he pretending he’s a worm?”
“I don’t know. I think it makes him giddy. He does it every time.” It was cute as hell.
JP shook his head and laughed. “Kids are crazy and weird.”
“Like you didn’t go down the slide standing up,” he teased.
“And head first.” JP gave him a wink.
“See? I know about things. I know you.” He dared to steal a kiss.
JP reached up and grabbed his head holding there to make the kiss longer.
“Mmm…” Ian needed to be careful. He was going to end up hard as a rock.
JP ended the kiss, licked his lips, then backed off, looking smug.
“You are a mean man.” He winked over and sat, fanning himself. He knew he was flushed, but he didn’t think JP minded.
“I’m a very nice man.” JP couldn’t keep a straight face as he said it.
“You are a butthead, and I know it.” He pursed his lips, fighting his smile.
“And that’s why you love me.”
“Yeah, for the most part. It must be.” Ian did laugh then, so happy, so pleased to be right here, right now, with JP.
Tori shouted for them again and they both turned to look, to watch as the kids made their way down the slide again. God, they were adorable.
“Hey, are you JP Terrebonne? I watched you play in New York City. You were amazing.”
Ian didn’t let his smile fade, but this wasn’t his bailiwick. It was JP’s.
JP sat a little straighter and offered over a smile. “Thank you for coming out to the game. I hope we gave you a good show.”
“You always do. I hope to see you back out on the ice soon, man. Can you sign my hat?”
“Sure, if you’ve got a pen?” JP took the pen and hat the man offered and scrawled his signature on it. “Thanks a lot for the support.”
“Anytime.”
The kids came barreling up the second the fan was gone.
“Daddy, that was a stranger!”
“Your dad handled it.”
“I’ll take care of talking to any strangers, okay?”
Tori nodded, but Peter lowered his eyebrows. “You got lots?”
“Sometimes, buddy. It’s okay. They want to congratulate me for the goals I scored back when I was playing hockey.”
“I read about hockey!” Tori bounced. “I have books.”
“I want a drink, Daddy.” His Peter did not understand his sister’s fascination with hockey.
“I’d like to read them with you,” JP told her as he fished a water bottle out of his bag.
“Okay. I have “My Farts Followed Me to Hockey” and “Hockey ABCs.”
“Okay.” JP gave him a look.
“What?” He blinked over. “I didn’t write them.”
“My Fart Followed Me to Hockey? This is a real thing?”
“Yes. It’s a whole series. They found them at the library.”
JP just laughed. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. We will definitely have to read that today.”
“She’ll love that. It makes her giggle. Her brother has gas a lot.”
JP laughed some more, but then tilted his head. “Is that a boy thing or is there an issue?”
“The pediatrician says he eats too fast. I remind him, but he just does, you know?”
“Is he worried she’s going to steal his food if he doesn’t eat quickly?” JP asked. “I mean, if she decided to just grab whatever was left on his plate, I can’t see him fighting her on it.”
Tori and Peter always had the same food, really, and Tori always got extra if she asked for it, so he didn’t think so. “I’d be more apt to say he didn’t want to waste any more time eating than necessary. Tori is the one that loves her food.”
“Like he’s got more important things to do than eat, eh?”
“Yes. Meanwhile, your daughter burns more calories running the stairs for fun…” She was an intensely physical little girl.
“I get that.”
That did not surprise him in the least. When JP had been playing regularly and training, he could eat so, so much.
“Dad! Dad, I climbed!”
Ian glanced over, eyes going wide. His baby girl was on top of the monkey bars. “Oh god.”
JP’s hand landed on his. “If she thinks you’re scared she’s going to be scared too. I know this from experience, too.”
“What do I do?” he whispered. “Oh god. Love. What do I do?”
“Look at you!” JP called out to Tori. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you get up, but I promise I’ll watch you come down.” Then he added quietly to Ian. “Just move casually over there so you can catch her if you have to.”
“Okay. I’m on it.” He didn’t run, even though he wanted to.
“Daddy, do you see me?”
“I do! You are the bravest little girl.” And the most panic-inducing.
She crawled across the top of the monkey bars, then shimmied down the ladder at the other end like it was the easiest thing in the world. “Tada! Did you see, Dad?” She was all eyes for JP.
Ian couldn’t breathe, eyes searching for Petey, who was in the sandbox playing and whistling happily.
She was so…
So…
Argh!
“I saw, Tori. You’re pretty nimble. Maybe next time you let me or Daddy know before you climb that far up instead of after?” JP said.
“Okay. It was fun. I can do it again, if you want.”
He opened his mouth to scream, when Peter called for her. “Sister! Come play with me.”
“Okay!” She ran over to Petey, spraying sand as she came to a halt next to him.
He swayed, almost stumbling as he headed for the bench. “I’m going to put a leash on that girl.”
“You know one of these days she’s going to break an arm or a leg and it’s going to be okay. She’ll heal, and she’ll learn she needs to be more careful.”
“JP! Don’t say things like that!” He knew it was probably true, given how reckless and brave she was, but still. “God. That’s awful.”
“There are worse things in life than a broken bone or two, Chou. And kids heal way faster than adults.” JP pointed to his own leg. “You can’t wrap her in bubble wrap.”
“I know. I do. I just…well, that’s why she has us, right?” Wasn’t that how that worked?
“To keep her from falling? We’ll do our best, right?”
“To help her grow up.” He smiled at JP. Silly man. Ian adored him.
“Oh, I bet she’s going to do that all on her own.”
He shook his head. “No. No, she’s going to need help, I have zero doubt.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” JP grinned at him before turning back to watch the kids build what was looking like an entire city out of the sand.
He handed JP a bottle of water. It was better, he had to admit, having someone else around to help.