Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ian had to admit, he’d been worried about Angus coming over.
He didn’t want someone convincing JP to head back to Florida, not when the decision was so new that it wasn’t set.
But it had been a great visit — Angus was retiring, was looking for property here, and had left with a pinched looking Michael.
JP was reading to Tori, and he’d taken Peter, who had fallen asleep before the second page, his son just worn out by the day with goodbye to grandparents and Angus’s visit. Tori was not asleep yet, he could hear her asking JP all sorts of questions about Angus in particular and hockey in general.
“—so you putted the puck in the hole—”
“Net.”
“In the hole net? And—”
JP interrupted. “Just the net.”
“You putted all of them?”
“What? No. I put a lot of pucks in but—”
“No.”
Ian peeked in to see Tori frown.
“You putted in all the holes.”
“Baby, it’s a net.”
She rolled her eyes. “With holes. You do that, and the goaler-hockey-puckers says no goes to make a hole in the net with the pucker.”
JP made a strangled noise, and then, “Something like that.”
He decided to rescue JP. “Ladybug, the nets come with the holes in them already.”
JP mouthed “Thank you” at him.
Tori frowned. “They does?”
“Uh-huh. That’s what a net does — it keeps some things in, like the puck, and some things out, like the ice.”
“See how smart your Daddy is?” JP gave him a warm smile. “Now aren’t we supposed to be reading a bedtime story?” he asked Tori.
“Uh-huh. One about the best hockey pucker. I will tell it. My Dad plays the hockey. Hims skated so fast and hitted the pucker so hard that the goaler said, ‘Mr. Hockey Pucker! Don’t hit me. You can have it in the netting hole.’ My dad said, ‘Okay, here it comes. Run away fast, or it will hurt.’ Then the hockey pucker Dad put it in, and they winned the game, and everyone loved him.
” She grinned up at JP. “Then him hurted his leg, and he got to come home and love on me and Peter and Daddy. The end.”
JP kissed her forehead. “That’s a great story, sweetie.”
Ian thought so too. Especially the part about JP coming home to love on them. Even if the reason sucked.
“I love you, Dad. I love you more than hockey pucking, I promise.”
Ian’s heart melted.
“And I love you more than hockey pucking too.” JP hugged her tight.
“And Petey and Daddy too?”
He didn’t hold his breath, right? He didn’t shake his head because he didn’t want to know the answer. “Time to sleep, ladybug. Under the covers.”
JP followed him out of her room and into their bedroom. “I do, you know.”
“Do what, love? Wasn’t that the sweetest story ever?”
“It was.” JP stopped him, putting his arms around Ian’s waist and tugging him close. “I love you more than hockey, Chou.”
“You don’t have to say it, love.” He knew where he was on that scale.
“But I did because it’s true. If it wasn’t, I’d be packing my bags to go coach in Florida. But I’m not because I don’t want to leave you.”
“I would go with you, because I don’t want to lose you either.” Ian searched JP’s eyes. “I love you, my dear hockey pucker man.”
JP met his gaze head on. “And I love you, Chou. I do. I need you to believe me.”
He took a deep, deep breath, and allowed himself for the first time in years to let JP in, to trust in both of them that, while it would never be perfect, they could be imperfect together. “I do.”
JP’s smile bloomed over his face, starting at his lips and moving into his eyes, making them shine at him. “Good.” Then JP leaned in and kissed him, lips warm and soft, breath pushing into his mouth.
“Come to bed, love.”
“Isn’t it a little early for grownups to get some sleep?” JP’s smile was warm, wicked, and Ian felt it down in his soul as he locked the bedroom door.
“Who said anything about sleeping?”