Holiday Hockey Tale The Icebreaker's Impasse (By Ivory Row) novel Chapter 87

Luci

“Stalkers?” I glance at Cole and Vince nods understandingly. He zips his lips visibly and points to Cole and Barrett.

“T’ll take them to the playroom.” Baker offers.

Once they are well out of sight, Vince starts again. “Before I met you at the coffee shop, I was getting the layout for your apartment, the parking lot, exits etc. I saw this guy hanging out in the shadows across from your place but thought he must live there and was either on the phone or smoking. But then he was there yesterday and today. Same time each morning and he leaves right before it’s time for your classes. He seemed pissed this morning that you weren’t there. I “bumped” into him yesterday and said I thought I saw him in my apartment complex. He was a little nervous, but just angrily told me I was wrong. I told him to relax, that I was hoping to talk to him because he caught my eye. I acted like I was flirting with him, which completely set him on edge. Tried to give him my number. You’d have thought the devil himself was after him, the way he bolted as I gave him lustful looks. He’ll be looking over his shoulder for me now, whichis what I want.” Vince smirks after he shudders.

They guys start laughing, but Becker loses it cackling hard. “Vince, please tell me there’s some surveillance footage of this with full audio. Like I will pay well for it. Possibly with a kidney.”

“More like you might need hazard pay, Vince.” Mr. Jason offers. Vince shakes his head.

“Only audio. I record everything with these psychos. But I did pull some footage around your routes, Luci. He’s been following you for weeks. To the coffee shop, the campus in the mornings and then to the preschool. He didn’t the two afternoons I went with you, but before that…..every day.”

“Why is he stalking me?” My hands start shaking and a chill settles over me. Easton warned me about my routine and how easy of a mark I was for someone ill-intentioned. Easton pulls me into his chest and covers my hands with his. “He’s not touching you baby.”

“I think he’s after Easton and plans to use you to get to him. Anytime he sees Easton with you, he instantly gets angry and almost has to restrain himself.” He frowns hard. “I’m going to start following him instead of you. I put a tracker on his bumper today. Stalker number two is right here. Recognize her?” He turns his phone around and Easton snarls.

“Yeah we do.”

“Now she’s more interesting. She’s talked to him. I bumped into her too. She eyed me like I was on the damn menu and I wanted to take a shower. I plan to run into her again.”

“I can hire someone else Vince if I need to.” Mr.

Jason offers.

“I think Marco and I can handle it since Cole is done with school now. That is if you re comfortable with that.”

“Yes. We’ll make sure Luci isn’t without one of us at all times.” He glances at me and I nod.

“Sydney lives only a few doors down. He probably knows…” I add shakily.

Jackson touches my arm, looking alarmed himself. “Dad, she’s right. He’d know she’s close to Cole and Luci.”

“I’ll have a guard detail for her by this afternoon. Warn her Luci.”

“I’ll be in touch.” Vince leaves and I want to lay my head on the counter. Instead, I turn to Mrs.

Tamara.

“Lorelei doesn’t have histrionic personality disorder. But I’d wager heavily that her mother does. She is the poster child of a histrionic mother. Shallow emotions, self-esteem issues, needs validation in another person, probably anxiety and she craves the attention she never got. She emulates her mother too, since that’s what she saw. Her father couldn’t handle the disorder and abandoned them both, which makes Lorelei worse than normal. Now there is one saving grace here. She might be reasoned with at the end. But it will have to come from her. Something will need to hit her that she is harming Cole the same way her mother harmed her. I offered to let her come see me for a session, but that didn’t work. It’s often hard to recognize your own shortcomings unless they truly smack you in the face, usually with a cement block.”

With that I swallow hard. I think of Cole’s words today. I need to do better. She talks to Jason and Easton more. As she is about to leave, I stand up and follow her. “Mrs. Tamara….”

She turns and gives me a smile. “Would you…..would you be able to help me? With my triggers from the accident?”

“Are you sure, Luci?”

“Yes. I need to make sure l’ve done everything to manage them for Cole’s sake. And mine.” Easton’s hands grip my shoulders.

“Then let’s schedule a time to meet after Christmas. Call my office on Christmas Eve and we’ll set it up at least.” She leaves with a wave and a kind smile.

“Proud of you sweetness. You are the bravest person I know.” He whispers into my hair.

“Not sure about that. You have a hockey game to get ready for Captain.” I admonish him.

“I know. Come early so I can see you before the game.”

Once they all leave, I head for the playroom with Cole and Barrett. I am opening the door when I hear them whispering. I decide to spy on them worried about what they’ve been plotting.

Barrett

“She had no mom answers?” I thought we’d be wrong and she’d have one or two. Then Cole would have two moms maybe. If he wanted to.

Luci was his real wish.

“No. She didn’t even listen to my lines.” He’s sad. I see it. “She only wants my daddy. Not me. But it’s ok. I won’t have two moms. I only need one.”

“Sorry Cole.”

“I not sorry. She was mean. I’ll have one nice Luci mom, not two moms with one mom being a mean lady.”

“That’s for real.” I tell him as I grab another color. “Now I need to find one for my daddy.”

“Uncle Becker said Miss Kylie would be good for your daddy.” Cole says.

“He told me too. I liked her. She played with us.

And Luci liked her.” I think about her. “She’s a teacher.”

“Baker is her daddy too. He’d be your grandpa.’ Cole smiles. “Baker is really nice.”

“What are you rascals up to?” Luci walks in smiling.

“You helped Cole with his questions for today.”

“Luci, we had to figure out if Cole would have two moms. We didn’t know if his mom was a real mom. I told him to ask him the mom questions.”

“You two…..now what are you plotting for your daddy?” She taps my hand.

“Daddy needs someone to love him and take care of him. Besides you, Aunt Syd and Nanna.

He should be happy.”

“I agree, Barrett, but you can’t rush that.”

“Luci, can you help? I know you love Daddy too.

He kept looking at Miss Kylie.”

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