“Kiss her!”
I glanced up at the group of townspeople who were watching us. “Kiss Laney!”
My wife stared up at me with cheeks pink and lips parted. “We should probably do what they ask, right?” she whispered.
“Hmm, yes.” I cupped her face and pressed my lips against hers, taking in how soft and full they were. She tasted like mint, and when she made a small moan, I deepened the kiss,not caring that everyone was around us. I loved this woman so much, and I had almost lost her. I’d skate or drive this Zamboni or kiss her in front of an audience every day if it meant I got to keep her.
I pulled back, admiring the way her lashes fell on her cheeks, the slight flush of her skin. She blinked up at me, her eyes a little dazed. “That kiss was…”
“I know.”
The magic of the night hit me hard. This place was like a snow globe. Laney covered her face with her hands, groaning. “Oh my God, everyone will be talking about us now.”
“Let them be jealous.”
The cold air nipped at my face as Laney and I stepped off the ice, our laughter echoing. My legs felt a little unsteady after the Zamboni adventure, but it was nothing compared to the way my chest felt lighter than it had in years. I glanced at Laney and the way she smiled made the rest of the world disappear.
“That,” she said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, “was the single most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, smirking. “I aim to make memories.”
“Let’s just agree you’re banned from heavy machinery for the foreseeable future.”
“Fair.” I chuckled, looking back at the rink.
Once we were on solid ground with our shoes on, Laney laughed again. “I still can’t believe what just happened. We were almost a headline, Connor. One of those feel-good small-town news stories.Wife and husband almost take out hot chocolate bar.”
The lights shimmered on the freshly polished ice, and kids were already skating again, laughing like they hadn’t beenabout to get run over by the Zamboni. It was somehow perfect despite our horrible job.
As we reached the first set of small booths, a voice called out. “That was some fancy driving, city guy!”
I turned to see an older man in a thick sweater and worn red coat waving us over. He had the kind of friendly face you’d expect in a town like this—one where everyone knew everyone.
“I swear, the Zamboni had a mind of its own,” I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. Not that the city guy comment annoyed me, but I deserved it.
“You gave the crowd a good laugh,” the man said, chuckling as he handed me a cup of steaming cocoa. “Always good to have some excitement around here. I’m Sean Hastings, by the way. I run the grocery store.”
“Connor,” I said, shaking his hand. “Appreciate the cocoa. And I’m just glad I didn’t take out the stand.”
Sean grinned. “Small miracles. Though, I bet if you had, the chamber of commerce would’ve sent you the bill.”
“The chamber of commerce?” I asked, taking a sip. The cocoa was hot, sweet, and exactly what I needed after the chaos. Laney held hers up to her mouth after a sip, the marshmallows coating the top of her lip.
“Yeah,” Sean said, gesturing toward a few other people gathered nearby. “We’re just a bunch of local business owners trying to keep things running. We’re the ones who keep this rink open, organize the holiday market—things like that.”
Laney raised an eyebrow, her voice teasing. “And handle damage control after near–Zamboni disasters? I’m sure that’s in the job description too.”
Sean laughed. “Something like that. You two have a good night. Tell your parents I’m expecting them to bring dessert next bridge night, Laney.”
“You got it, Mr. Hastings.”
“Mr. Hastings.” The older guy rolled his eyes. “You can call me Sean, Laney. You’re an adult now.”
“Some things never change.” My wife grinned and gave him a half hug before he headed back to the group.
Laney nudged me with her elbow. “You okay? You seem thoughtful.”
I stared out at the rink, watching a group of teenagers race each other across. Their laughter echoed in the crisp night air, and for a moment, I just stood there, taking it all in. This small-town life had a lot of perks that I never realized. Even now, how Laney knew Mr. Hastings felt special.
