“No, you’re not,” she said, amused by the way Xavier kept turning his head to make sure the moose was in their rearview window. Although the animals were majestic, they weren’t to be messed with under any circumstances.
A short while later, she pulled up to the Klondike Ice Rink. This place had been a staple in her childhood. It was an institution here in Moose Falls and not just with kids. Everyone she knew had learned to skate here. Maybe Xavier had as well.
“Ta-da. We’re here,” True said. She couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice. So far, touring Xavier around Moose Falls had been a blast. True loved her hometown the same way she loved chocolate cake, Saturdays, and sangria. Wholeheartedly and without reservation. Maybe Xavier would learn to adore it too. For Hattie’s sake she hoped the Stone brothers would stick around town and carry on her legacy.
Just for Hattie’s sake?a little voice in her head asked. Who was she kidding? She had really warmed up to the idea of Xavier sticking around, even if he inherited Northern Exposure. From the sound of it, he wasn’t all that interested in her tavern. That knowledge made her breathe a little easier.
Xavier craned his neck to look at the sign. “Skating, huh?”
Hmm. Judging from his comment, the rink wasn’t ringing any bells with him.
“Skating, hockey. Whatever floats your boat,” she explained. “Let’s go inside so you can check it out.”
“I’m guessing it’s big here in Moose Falls?” Xavier asked as they stepped down from the truck.
“It’s hugely popular. I actually learned to skate here and played hockey in high school.”
“Hockey? That’s very cool.” Xavier looked at her approvingly. “I knew you were a badass.”
“You got that right,” she said as Xavier pulled open the door for her as they approached the building where it was just as cold as outside.
Once they were inside, True inhaled deeply. She loved the smells and sounds of the rink. The swishing noise of the blades against the ice always made her pulse race with excitement. Right before hockey games, she’d loved being on the ice doing warm-ups with the team. Her parents had shown up for every game, cheering her on with unbridled exuberance.
Although she’d thought this would be fun for Xavier, it hadn’t crossed her mind that he might not know how to skate.
“So, is hockey a thing in Arizona?” she asked. Although she had never been to Arizona, she knew it was a hot, arid place with little snow.
“Not really. Hockey isn’t something I learned how to do there,” he explained.
Aha! So he was a novice. Since he was a professional athlete, there probably weren’t many sports she was better at than him other than this one. “Are you interested?” she asked, sensing the athlete in him wouldn’t be able to say no.
“Sure. I’ll give it a whirl,” he said, appearing nonchalant.
What a good sport!A lot of people were nervous about learning to skate as adults, but clearly Xavier didn’t feel that way.
“You’re an athlete, so I bet you’ll pick it up fast. What size are you?”
“I’m a thirteen.” He was looking around the place with curiosity.
“I’ll be right back with our skates,” True said as she headed off to the skate rental counter.
“Hey, Scotty. How’s it going?” True greeted Scotty Hanes, the owner. He had been running the rink for four decades. With a head of silver hair and sky-blue eyes, he was a sweet guy who had an unfortunate habit of being involved in everyone’s business.
“That guy you came in with? Is he one of Hattie’s grandsons?” He jerked his chin in Xavier’s direction. “The football player, right?”
“Yeah, that’s him,” she acknowledged. What must it be like, she imagined, to be constantly referred to by your career? One you no longer were able to do because of a freak collision on the field.
“He used to be a great player,” Scotty said. “Tough break.”
She knew Scotty didn’t mean any harm, but she wanted him to stop talking about Xavier like he was washed up. Her face felt heated as she brusquely told him their sizes and plunked the money down on the counter.
A few minutes later, True returned to where Xavier stood waiting. She held up his pair of skates and handed them over to him. “I taught Jaylen to skate, so I’m sure that I could teach you as well if you’re up to it. Just the basics for today.”
“I’m up for anything,” Xavier said, bending over andlacing up his skates. He frowned as if he wasn’t quite sure he’d done it correctly.
His comment made her think about kissing him again, something she was definitely up for. She didn’t usually go around kissing men she didn’t know all that well, but the oldest Stone brother’s cool confidence was winning her over. She headed toward the ice after lacing up her skates, holding out her hand to Xavier as he walked tentatively toward the ice. He gripped her hand so tightly, she wondered if he might break it.
“Easy there,” she said, loosening his grip. “I’m going to need my hand for the long haul.”
