I got out of the car and walked around to open the door for her.
“Thank you. You’re such a gentleman.”
“I had a good role model. My father treated my mother like a queen.”
It was the truth. When I thought of the perfect couple and the ideal relationship, my parents always came to mind. It was the type of love I’d wanted with Chai’s mother but could never find. After that, I sort of gave up looking, I guess.
“Alistair?” Pam looked up at me, her bright green eyes sparkling and her vibrant red hair blowing in the chilly wind. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Better than fine, actually. Ready to do some ice skating?”
She nodded and I extended my arm out to her, but this time she wrapped her arm through mineandslipped her palm into my hand.
We were holding hands.
It was something so innocent—so normal—but with her, it feltintimate.
I puffed out my chest, my body buzzing with excitement as we walked hand in hand toward the skating rink.
“Hey, Mrs. Rollins.” The skating rink attendant greeted us with a wave and a smile. It was like Pam was a local celebrity.
“Hi, Javier! Reece still has you working the rink, huh?” So the guy worked for her son… I expected her to drop my hand, but she didn’t. Our fingers were still laced together tightly.
The handsome guy, Javier, shrugged. “I don’t mind it too much. It’s probably for the best. Reece isn’t great with customer service.”
The two of them laughed.
From the sound of things, her son was a bit of a grouch. Based on her demeanor and what I’d heard about her daughter, I had a hard time believing it.
“Will it just be the two of you today?” Javier’s eyes darted down to where our hands were joined.
I opened my mouth to answer, but Pam got her words out first.
“Yes, just the two of us.” She smiled at me, the crow’s feet in the corners of her eyes crinkling. It was the only place that hinted at her age, but I liked it. It showed that more often than not, you could find her smiling. “And before Alistair here gets his card out, I’d like to pay.”
“No, no, no.” Javier shook his head and held his hands up. “This one is on me.” He gave me a sly wink. “What size skates for you, Mrs. Rollins?”
He passed us a dainty pair of size seven skates for Pam and a set of hoof adapter blades for me. They were like those old-timey roller skates that went over your shoes, but they were designed to fit hooved monsters. I was impressed the town had so many accommodations for its monster residents. They’d really welcomed monsters with open arms here in Briar Glenn.
“When was the last time you went ice skating?” Pam asked as she slid off her boots.
I puffed out a breath. “Let’s see…Maybe ten years or so? Not since Chai was young, that’s for sure.”
Pam giggled. The redness on her cheeks and nose from the cold made it even more adorable. “Well, this should be interesting then. Do you want me to ask Javier for one of the skate trainers?”
“Pamela Rollins.” I brought my hand up to my chest in mock offense. “Do you really think so little of my ice skating prowess?”
She snorted, the warm air shooting out of her nostrils. “Come on then, big guy. Show me your skills.”
With perfect balance, she rose on the blades of her skates and extended a hand out to me. Holy goddess, next to her I was going to look like a bull in a china shop.
I stood on wobbly legs, my body used to balancing on flat hooves rather than a set of thin blades. Pam grabbed my hand before I could fall and embarrass myself.
“I’ve got you,” she said with a genuine smile. “We’ll go nice and slow so you can get used to it.”
She stood in front of me, holding both of my hands as she skated backward. Meanwhile, I moved at a snail's pace, my giant body being dragged along by a tiny human woman.
The most beautiful human woman I’d ever seen.
