Snorting, I roll my eyes, because no matter what I do, snow will always be wet when it melts.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
SKYLAR
We’re at the practice rink on a Sunday.None of us knew when the kids skate event would be until two days ago. Edna tells us where to go and when, and our days slide into each other. Too often, I need to check my phone for the date because I have no idea what day it is.
I will say though, that our routine is altered for the better with Koen in our lives.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to push back tubing in the snow due to the schedule conflict, but we’re all looking forward to teaching kids to skate today.
There are going to be twenty kids, which is just enough for chaos if we don’t have enough people to help manage things.
“Help,” Edna hisses, moving fast on her feet. Thankfully, she’s wearing sneakers today instead of her own form of knives on her feet as she rushes over.
“Where’s the fire?” Koen asks easily.
This is why he’s the captain. As much as he hides away from people, he doesn’t shirk from his responsibilities.
“Apparently the other guys who were going to be here today all have food poisoning. They went out after the game last night, and they’re dying today,” she sighs. “I spoke to Havers, and he sounded rough. Puke on the ice and kids don’t mix well.”
Rhodes makes a face and shakes his head emphatically. I think the only time I haven’t watched him sympathetically puke after someone else was when I forced Koen to puke up the drugs in his drugged drink.
“They don’t,” I reply. “Are we on our own today?”
It’s nine in the morning and our kids skate begins in half an hour. Juggling that many kids may not be the safest thing we’ve ever done.
“We’re going to use the phone tree,” Edna says. “Koen, tell them we need at least another two people to help cover. Three would be ideal, but we can’t be picky. Coach Weightman could fill in if necessary, but his patience won’t survive this many little people.”
“No it won’t,” Koen says, appearing horrified by the thought. “I’ll start the text chain now.”
Edna takes Princess Sunny from Rhodes, cooing softly to her as we walk toward the lockers to grab our skates. We’ll be skating in our sweats today, and we have pads for the kids available as they learn how to fall.
Koen went over his plan for teaching the kids, and it reminds me of how he rolls out plays for the team. It’s well thought out with room to pivot. I’m completely enthralled by his mind.
“We have people on the way, but we’ll be starting on our own,” Koen grunts as we walk toward the rink with guards on the blades of our skates. “The team will figure it out.”
“It’s like a surprise,” I snort as Koen hides a smile.
“At least I like kids,” he shrugs. “It could be worse.”
Koen removes his guards and steps out onto the ice to glide toward the group of kids Edna is with. Some of them are hereearly with their parents, and they’re giving Princess Sunny tons of love.
Rhodes and I skate across to join them, smiles on our faces because who can’t love the kids that adore our puppy?
“What’s her name?” a little girl asks with wide eyes.
“I named her Princess Sunny,” Rhodes says easily.
“Wow,” she whispers. “I love that!”
“Me too,” he says with a grin. “I went to the shelter and I had to bring her home. Ah, you can do that when you’re an adult.”
Her mom stifles a chuckle, aware Rhodes is trying really hard not to get into trouble.
“Why is she a princess?” a little boy asks.
These kids are between the ages of three and five, so we’re going to tread carefully here.
