I shove the thought away, then I drop my arm and stand too fast, busying myself with my locker so I don’t have to look at anyone.
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Axel
Patricia has retreated to her room, and I look around the apartment. It still smells like the salmon and sweet potatoes Enzo made for dinner.
“Movie time!” I exclaim and clap my hands. “Who wants to watchWinnie-the-Pooh?”
Luca and Enzo stare at me.
“You know. It’s Winnie-the-Pooh.” I hum the theme song.
Silence.
“Well, don’t make me sing it. My voice quality is lacking.”
“We’re going to miss out on an Axel Knight musical performance?” Enzo teases.
A laugh escapes me, but I pretend to pout. “Not many singers also play hockey. It’s a curse.”
Enzo snorts. “We can watchWinnie-the-Pooh.” He looks at Luca. “That sounds fun!”
I findWinnie-the-Pooh. There are lots of children’s movies I haven’t seen, but I’m not going to put something on for Luca without vetting it first.
“Let’s have ice cream! And waffles!”
“A month before playoffs?” Enzo asks.
I wink. “We’re going to be very naughty.” I narrow the distance between us. “You ready to be naughty with me, Enzo?”
His face pales, and his gaze dips momentarily to my torso, and something warms in my body. He turns around hastily, his cheeks are pink. He trembles, and I want to pull him into a hug.
But people don’t give each other hugs in kitchens for no reason. That’s not a thing.
I haul out my waffle maker triumphantly and place it on the counter.
“Wow!” Enzo smiles. “Do the team nutritionists know you have that machine?”
“That’s why it belongs under the counter,” I say. “Not out. Never out.”
I plug in the machine, hoping I can remember how to do this.
I turn to Luca. “Have you seen how waffles are made before?”
Luca stares at me, puzzled. He does that a lot. Though come to think of it, a lot of adults do that to me too. No matter.
I open the lid of the waffle maker. Luca looks confused. I don’t blame him.
I remove my mixing bowl from a cabinet and start to crack eggs in it. I take a whisk, then hand it to Luca. “Can you mix this for me?”
I sit Luca on the counter and give him the bowl to put in his lap. I start him off, then Luca continues. Enzo joins us to help him.
I mash bananas in a separate bowl, then add oat flour. I look at Luca’s bowl. “Good job, Luca.”
He beams.
