“You don’t even want to know,” Aelin muttered. He didn’t press her.
They moved their pillows and rearranged Amaya’s bag so everything could fit snugly in the trunk. Surprisingly, they didn’t have to pack much since Aelin said they could buy food in Bigfork and the cabins were fully outfitted.
Aelin stepped back from the car. "I think that’s everything." She glanced at the girls chatting on the grass. “Can you two run in and go to the washroom?”
They nodded, and then he and Aelin were standing on the sidewalk alone. It made sense that they would drive together. There was no point in them taking two vehicles when they were both going to the same place at the same time. But standing therenext to her made him acutely aware that they’d be sitting inches from each other for over five hours.
The girls raced back outside, and Aelin walked to the front door to lock up.
“You have the right keys this time?” he teased. Aelin shot him a look.
Ryan got in the driver’s seat, then typed the directions to the cabins into his GPS and plugged in his phone. The girls buckled up in the back.
“Do you need anything from the back before we start driving?” he asked.
They both shook their heads and then Aelin swept into the passenger seat. She closed the door, and both of them stared at the dash for a second.
Finally, Aelin spoke. "You ready for this?"
Ryan nodded. "You?"
She turned and gave him a nervous smile. The hairs on the back of his arms stood at attention as he turned on the engine and pulled away from the curb.
Ryan and Aelin drove in silence for a few minutes, the hum of the tires on the road blending with the music from the show Amaya and Bailey were watching. Aelin had her travel mug perched in the cup holder, and her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest. He noticed she’d painted her nails. Pale pink.
He switched his grip on the wheel, resting his left wrist on top of the steering wheel, his right hand settling on the gear shift. He glanced over as Aelin took a sip of her drink, then turned his attention back to the road. Every movement she made sent him flinching, and questions he wouldn’t ask cycled through his head on repeat.Was she comfortable? Did she need more air? Did she hate his driving?
He was like a skittish cat.
After passing through the outskirts of the city, the Alberta landscape rolled past, a mix of wheat and canola fields dottedwith the occasional farmhouse. The sky above them was a soft gradient as the sun rose higher in the sky.
Aelin shifted in her seat, and Ryan's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. The girls hadn’t made a peep. Thank you, Bluey.
Aelin cleared her throat. "Bailey was sad to leave the camp," she said, breaking the comfortable quiet.
It took Ryan a moment to realize she was talking to him. "She seemed to really get into it."
Aelin smiled. "She was a sponge. Soaking up everything you said. I think she liked having a coach that wasn't her mom for once."
"Understandable." Ryan’s mouth quirked. "It was good to see her connecting with the other kids, too. That one drill on the last day, she nailed it."
Aelin chuckled. "Yeah, she was so proud of herself. I think she's still riding that high."
Ryan ran his hand over the wheel. "It's always a rush when you finally get something you've been working on. I know she had some trouble with the crossover drills at first, but she kept at it."
"She did. And you were great with her. She told me you gave her some tips that made it click." Aelin glanced over, her eyes soft before she dropped them.
Ryan’s skin heated. "I pointed out a few things. She did the work."
Aelin set her hands in her lap. She wore the same faded jeans she’d been wearing the night she showed up at his house after her date. "She's been asking when she can play again. We need to find a local league or something."
Ryan forced his eyes back out the windshield. "There are a few options around Brentwood. I can send you some links."
"I'd appreciate that." Aelin’s fingers drummed on her thigh. "I know she has a lot to learn, but she got a taste of it, you know? I think it was good for her."
Ryan nodded. "Hockey's like that. Once you get a taste, it's hard to quit." He felt her eyes on him and drew a breath. "I started playing when I was six. My dad took me to a game, and that was it. I was hooked."
Aelin leaned back in her seat. "Did you play past high school?"
