My head snaps toward Duncan, but he’s watching Steven.
“We’re just—”
“Friends?” A smirk tugs at Duncan’s mouth, and I feel my neck go warm.
These dang goalies, they really don’t miss anything.
Chapter Four
Becca
Steven’sdraggingasheskates back over toward Duncan and Jacob. A chuckle escapes me as I shake my head and smile.
That boy has no idea what he’s in for over the next few weeks.
“They’re gonna put him through the wringer, aren’t they?” Scarlett asks, chewing on her bottom lip.
‘Yup,” I respond, placing a hand over hers and squeezing. “But he can handle it.”
Scarlett blows out an exhale before stiffly nodding her head. The corners of my mouth pull up. I’ve watched the two of them closely over the last eight years. The crushes, the fights, and now this denial phase. I wonder if they’ll figure it out before graduation.
My eyes drift toward Jacob, watching him as he interacts with Steven. Taking a deep inhale and slowly exhaling I think about Caleb. He would’ve loved to be here to see his son get lessons from his favorite hockey player.
Glancing up, I whisper, “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?” Scarlett asks, never looking away from Steven.
“That Steven’s dad isn’t here for all of this.”
She turns her soft hazel eyes full of understanding toward me before wrapping me up in a bear hug. “He’s watching.”
My throat tightens at the same time warmth spreads throughout my chest. “How did you get to be so wise?”
“I’m not sure that Dad, Cat, Aunt Ava, or Uncle Dunky would call it wisdom.” A full body laugh bursts out, and I give her an extra squeeze before letting her go.
“Thank you, sweet girl. And they’d be wrong.” I wink at her. “Except maybe your Uncle. You really should give him a break with that name.”
“Not in this lifetime!” she giggles. “I have way too much fun watching him get all flustered.”
A smile spreads across my face as I glance toward the ice and find Steven making his way toward the gate. Scarlett hops up and begins taking the bleacher steps two at a time. I watch her and Steven as he gets his skates off. If I know Scarlett, she’s also giving him feedback on how he did. Duncan isn’t the only hockey aficionado in that family.
But what catches my attention, and it’s not the first time I’ve witnessed this, is the way my son’s eyes light up as he watches her talk. How they feel about each other is obvious. We’ll just have to wait and see if they ever cross the boundaries of friendship.
I hope so. I’d love to have Scarlett as a daughter-in-law.
Standing up, I make my way down the bleachers and over to where Jacob and Duncan are talking. Just as I’m reaching them, they finish talking and turn in my direction.
“How did he do?” My focus is on Duncan, but I feel the weight of Jacob’s gaze.
My heart is pounding so hard I wonder if they can hear it. Apparently, I needed more than a few hours to get used to the fact that Jacob Thornton is back in Maple Ridge for the first time in decades. Imagine that.
Duncan shifts his attention to Jacob, and I follow his lead. When I finally meet his look, my pulse jumps, and I swallow past the cotton ball stuck in my throat.
“Your son has talent, Becs.” His gruff voice runs through me, sending shivers down my spine. He clears his throat before continuing. “He did great. I already saw improvement in the small amount of work we did tonight.”
“That’s great.” My voice comes out a bit high-pitched. Duncan turns toward me, brows furrowed. I offer him an overly bright smile, which only deepens the crease. “Am I correct to assume you’re helping him with his breakout route? The Four-Dot drill is used to fix that, yes?”
There’s mischief in Jacob’s stare, and a smirk slides along his chiseled jaw. My throat works as I fight the dryness in my mouth. “You are correct.”
