Holiday Hockey Tale The Icebreaker's Impasse (By Ivory Row) novel Chapter 72

Luci

I wake up and for once find Easton still asleep next to me. The few times he’s stayed, he wakes up first. He explained it was because of Cole and he usually does his workout in the morning. It still didn’t make me feel better that he always got up early and made me breakfast.

I manage to slip out of his warm arms and slide out of bed. I grab his hoodie and my socks to make him breakfast for once. His face is so peaceful this morning. He’s been less stressed this week. I check the clock as I open the fridge. Almost 7, we have to pick up Cole at 9:30. I test out my voice again and my throat is still scratchy. I make a cup of honey lemon tea as I grab all my ingredients.

As I stir eggs, I think over what he told Cole about us dating. That we date each other and then go on family dates too. I squeeze my eyes shut for a minute, hoping he doesn’t get his heart broken if this doesn’t work. Mine will, but it would break again if that little boy suffers. He has such a big, open heart and I can’t imagine him hurting like that. The soft beep of my phone brings me out of my ramble and I check the eggs.

Pay attention, Luci. I fuss at myself. The timers on the kitchen counter stare back at me as they count down. I’ve burned so many things in the past, learning to cook and thinking I could issues. pay attention. Checking the sausage, I push away the glaring reminder of my

I wonder what family date he has planned. He didn’t share any of it with me, of course, saying I would find out from Cole. I have visions of the trampoline park since he’s been begging to go and pizza palace. It’s his favorite place to eat. Which of course circles my brain back to their romance discussions.

Beep, beep, beep…I frown and tune back in. Everything is cooked though the sausage could be slightly less done. If only I had some kind of cooking trauma to keep me focused in the kitchen. I’ll never win any gourmet cooking awards. Sighing, I turn everything off trying to snap out of this fog this morning. I’m hyper–aware of my issues as I carry Easton’s plate down the short hall. I already know why. It’s because he said something about moving in together. I’ve never needed to think about being that far into a relationship before. Honestly, my future’s always been vague in everything beyond graduating and finding a job. Never had to think about letting someone else see all of me if they lived with me. And then there’s Cole catching on more.

“Luci, what’s wrong?” I blink a few times and look up at him. He’s staring at me half asleep, his voice still heavier than normal from it.

“Just wondering what you and Cole planned for today. Hungry?”

“Starving. That’s your fault. Your voice is back.“He slowly pushes up to lean back against the pillows. “I never sleep this late on Saturdays anymore. My Cole alarm usually went off almost an hour ago.”

“Honey lemon tea…Surprise, but he slept a little later than normal. Banning texted me five minutes ago with some pictures of the sleepyheads.” I hold up my phone and show him. He smiles slowly as he scrolls through them.

“Barrett’s been really good for him. Along with Syd and Nanna and even Banning.” He observes as he goes through them again.

“It kills you to admit that last one?” I raise an eyebrow at him playfully.

“No. As long as he stays away from you, I like him just fine and think he’s a good guy.” He grins.

“Where are we going today? Or can you at least tell me what to wear?”

“I’ll tell you if you really want to know, but Cole is dying to surprise you. Your usual. Jeans, leggings, sweatshirt, sweater. You’ll need your coat, hat and gloves. Which reminds me, I bought you another scarf, but left it at home. We’ll get it tonight.”

“Don’t ruin his surprise then. Am I really staying with you guys tonight?” I ask as I finish my breakfast.

“Yes. I won’t leave you alone with those three on the loose right now. They will be gone soon once they find out they are not welcome in this town. Dad might be making sure they don’t feel welcome in Kenton at all. Baker has your room all fixed up though I wish you could just stay with me.”

“Cole…you really want to explain why I am sleeping in your bed when he thinks we just started dating?”

“I know.” His phone goes off and he checks it, slowly smirking. “Here. Come check this out.” I move to sit next to him as the video of the news plays showing Marshall leaving the police station this morning.

“Marshall Soames was arrested last night for attempting to assault a female victim. He posted bail this morning with his agent and is leaving after last night’s debacle at what should have been a moment of tribute for him….” Marshall shoves one reporter as they walk by, and shake my head, not interested in watching more.

“How did I let him fool me?” I muse to myself.

Immediately, that huge hand grips my chin and I stare into those silver eyes. “Sweetness, he used your issues against you. You were young and had no idea he was such a good liar. It helped you never saw him anywhere other than in your apartment once a week or in text messages. If you had, you’d have figured him out fast. One of those lessons you talk about. Some people are good actors.”

“I guess. I just feel like a fool.” I confess to him.

“You are no fool sweetness. You just had no experience with guys like him. Master manipulators. You didn’t know there were grumpy cold jackasses like me waiting to underwhelm you with my hat poetry.”

I laugh at that and he wraps me in his arms. “Let’s go get a shower and pick up the Coconut. I just texted and offered to bring some donuts which was well received by our Coco and Big

Bear.” He lifts me out of the bed as the way he phrased that filters through my brain.

I let myself into the back door at the Olmos house, used to doing that since I was twelve.

“Luci!” I hear as two sets of arms wrap around me. I laugh as I try to crouch down and hug them both. “Easton brought donuts.” I whisper when I finally make it to their level. They grin and leave me fast to swarm him.

“Now I see what I have to do to be as popular as Luci. Sugary fried dough for the win.” Easton says dryly as he hands the box over to lift both of them off their feet.

“We love you too Daddy.” Cole says quickly and Barrett nods too.

“Even without donuts, Mr. Easton.”

“Then I am feeling extra special today. Cole, I brought your clothes for hockey practice.” He tells him as he greets Mr. Logan with a handshake.

“Could I go to hockey practice?” Barrett asks Banning hopefully. He hesitates.

“I’d be happy to pick him up on Saturdays and take him with Cole, Banning. I know you and Sydney both work some Saturdays as well as you, Mrs. Isabelle. But he’d be in Cole’s group with his age.” Easton offers quietly. “I have an extra hockey stick for his size and I can get him some skates. I sometimes take Cole after practice to skate and play a little too. All up to you of course, but Cole would love it.”

Banning looks between the two expectant faces. “Are you sure? That’s a lot for you, Easton.”

“Not really. I’d be happy to do it. I can talk to the coach today.”

“I’ll bring him when I’m off, but I won’t fight you seeing those faces.” Banning caves as both boys grin excitedly.

We leave and take Cole to practice. “What are we doing today, Coco?” I ask him softly as we leave. He’s bouncing in his seat after his coach let us sign Barrett up to join after the holidays when they start again.

“We’re taking you on a date, Luci so you know we’re fun and you want to stay with us. We’re going to eat at Jose…Josepeen’s cafe and then Daddy says I has to take a nap at your house. Then we go skate by the big tree.”

“We’re going skating? And Josephine’s cafe?”

Cole nods solemnly. “Syd says it’s a Luci favorite. Daddy teaching you to skate and I can help he said.”

“There’s more, but that’s the start.” Easton adds, looking back at Cole in the mirror.

We head to Josephine’s cafe and I look out seeing the first flakes of snow starting to fall. “It is going to snow finally.” I mumble and Cole claps.

“Right on time. We needed it to start now for our surprise later.” Easton says cryptically.

We walk into the old family run restaurant with its dark rustic wood tables and old pictures on the walls. “You two have never ordered from here?” I ask as we sit at our table.

“No we haven’t. We don’t eat out a lot because of Baker, honestly.” Easton admits. “What’s your favorite?”

“The Gorgonzola cheese fries and burger. It’s overkill but I love it. We usually get one plate of the fries and share.”

“Then we do that. Cole, you want a cheeseburger? They have bacon mac n‘ cheese too.”

Easton looks down at him. He chose to sit next to him saying he might need to help his daddy with our date.

“I want both.” He grins.

“Then you get both.”

We order and I observe Easton take a bite of his burger. “That is delicious. How’s your food, Cole?”

He smiles around a big mouthful of mac n‘ cheese. “Wicious Daddy.” He remembers and looks at me. “Sorry Wuci.”

“It’s fine, Coco. When you finish chewing, are you excited about Barrett playing hockey with you?”

He spends the rest of lunch talking about them playing together. “Daddy, can we get him black skates like mine with Batman laces?”

“Yep. I’ll order them while you take your nap from Mr. Hunt’s shop. Maybe we can get you two some practice jerseys made and you can give him his for Christmas.” Easton adds fully getting into the theme with Cole. “We can put Bat Barrett on the back of his and then Darth

Cole on yours.” He grins down at Cole and my heart stutters watching them happily plotting.

I feel my eyes filling with tears. “Luci, you ok?” Easton reaches for my hand, worried.

I smile. “Yes. You look really happy right now.”

“Because I am.” He squeezes my hand. “What do we get for dessert here, sweetness?”

“Pie, any of them. They are all delicious.”

We leave with a sleepy Cole and head back to my apartment. He is asleep the minute we park and Easton lifts him out to lay him on my bed. He pats the couch cushion next to him and I curl up against his side as he searches for skates on his tablet. “Mr. Hunt has a family run skating supply shop. He’s the best, knows more about winter equipment than anyone else.

Banning sent me Barrett’s sizes. Help me design their jerseys?” I nod and we choose black ones with red accents for Cole and yellow for Barrett. Easton adds the skates and a few superhero laces as well as some for Cole. “Stocking stuffers. He’ll love them.”

“You are as excited as they are.” I observe.

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