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CHAPTER

TWENTY-EIGHT

NOVEMBER

NOOR

I’m coloring outside with Zayn in the fall air, and the breeze shifts the trees in the backyard as I sneak a glance at my son. He’s biting his bottom lip as he tries to find the perfect color for his truck. There are several shades of red in front of him, and all of them are on the chopping block of decisions.

It’s a very important process.

Our patio is a colorful paradise of flowers. Arran has been coming over to hang new plants and repot bougainvilleas that have become my favorite thing to stare at in my backyard. He’s slowly turning this area into a place that I want to hang out more.

He also promised to add more fans in the covered porch area so Zayn and I can have breakfast together here year round.

I’m finding he likes to keep his promises, and he swings by to water the plants to ensure it’s not another chore I have to do. Ugh, he’s so fucking sweet.

“Zayn, did you know that Mommy used to ice skate when she was little?” I ask.

This is going to be a really dicey conversation. He sort of understands that the family he knows now adopted me, but he doesn’t know the circumstances around it. I’m not going to go into all of that with him. He’s too young.

“No. Why haven’t you taken me?” he asks, making a face at me as I laugh. It’s the “you’re so silly” face. Ugh, yes, yes, I am.

“Well, I wanted to know if you wanted to take ice skating lessons. It’s important for you to learn the proper technique so you don’t hurt yourself.”

“Like with swimming?” Zayn chooses a red shade and begins to color in his truck while I bob my head in response. “I like Miss Suzy.”

“Mmhm. Miss Suzy is great. Your ice skating instructors would like to teach you once a week for six weeks. The thing is, they’re really busy, so the day it happens may change. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. Why are they so busy?” he asks.

“I don’t know. Why are you busy?” I laugh.

“I have school, swim lessons, and… I don’t know,” he shrugs. “It’s just life.”

“Exactly. They have a pretty crazy work schedule,” I reply. “Ciaran, Draven, and Alastair would teach you the basics of ice skating. The most important part is learning how to fall. It’s how a lot of people hurt themselves.”

“Why can’t you teach me?” he asks, frowning as he moves on to another color. “It’s silly to pay someone for this.”

“I’m not paying them,” I reply, wincing when his eyes roll over to me.

“I don’t want to go,” he says stubbornly. “If there’s not a good reason for it, I say no.”

Taking a deep breath, I have to admit that his logic is sound. Not only that, I can’t stomp my foot and insist he go. I’m simply not that kind of parent.

“What if they have a good reason?” I ask. The guys want to meet Zayn, to see if there’s any chance for a relationship.

I’m not going to force any of this.

“Call them and we’ll see if they do,” he shrugs.

The rules were that they wouldn’t call me, but there’s nothing stating that I can’t call them, outside of not having their phone numbers. I’m beginning to wonder if my son is goading me, as if the burly hockey players I’m discussing are akin to Santa Claus.

I snort in amusement, waving my son off as he raises his brow at me.

“You’re being weird, Mommy.”

“I am, I’m sorry, baby,” I chuckle, looking for my phone. “Ugh, I left my phone inside.”