“Good.” Derek answers with a smile. “Let’s get some hot chocolates and something sweet.”
Derek orders us hot chocolates and an apple strudel to split as the kids race ahead to the ice rink that takes up the majority of the park.
Mixed in with the skaters are a group of hockey players taking up one end of the rink.
“What are they playing?” Lydia asks, grabbing part of the sticky apple strudel I hand her.
“It’s hockey.”
“What’s hockey?” she asks, mouth now stuffed full.
Derek bends down to her, getting on her level, and explains the game to her. He points things out to her over the boards as she stands on her tiptoes to see. Troy is hanging on his every word from his spot next to Lydia.
“They’re so cool,” Troy chirps. A ring of chocolate lines his mouth.
One of the players comes whipping around the boards, sending a gush of cold air in our direction.
“They are so fast!” Lydia’s voice is full of awe.
“Daddy. I want to play hockey. Can I? Can I?” Troy asks, jumping up and down.
“I want to play too!” Lydia pipes up.
“Can girls play hockey, Daddy?”
“Of course, buddy.” I ruffle Troy’s hair. “You know who might be able to teach you? Ace.”
“Yes!” Troy pumps his fist as they go back to the boards to watch the hockey team practice on the ice.
“Ace coaches hockey too?” I ask Derek as he wraps an arm around my shoulders to pull me close.
“He does. His son wanted to play, so he decided to coach him.”
“Just like that?” I laugh.
“Just like that,” Derek parrots back to me. The kids arecheering on the players that keep skating by. They are happy with their drinks and watching the guys skate in front of them.
“Is it even safe?” I ask Derek. The extent of my sports knowledge lies in what Derek has taught me about football.
Hockey?
All I know is they slam each other into the boards a lot. The thought of that happening to Lydia makes me want to kill this idea before it really takes hold.
“Sports have gotten a lot safer, you know.” Derek cuts off a piece of apple strudel and takes a bite. “I wouldn’t think twice about letting Troy play, if that makes you feel better.”
“And Ace can teach Lydia too?”
Derek smiles and nods at me. “Yes. I promise, they’ll be in good hands.”
“You know,” I start, “it’s really hard to say no to you.”
“So that means they’ll play hockey together?” Derek’s face is now cocky, knowing he’s won me over.
“I guess.” I drop down onto my knees between the kids. “If you two really want to play hockey, you can play.”
“Yes!” they both chant, jumping up and down.
“See?” Derek rubs my back as I stand up next to him. “Think of how happy you’ve made them.”
