Chapter 17

Chapter

Seventeen

Ryan was barely on the ice before the chirping started.

"Hey, Ryan!" Boyd slapped his goalie stick against the ice. "You gonna spend more time skating or kissing the boards today? Figure it out, bud, we've only got an hour."

"Just practicing for when you inevitably lose an edge in the crease, Boyd," Ryan shot back, gliding past. "Figured I'd get in some sympathy falls now."

"Always losing in the crease," André snorted, gliding by on the right.

Tyler, already bent over his stick and stretching his hamstrings, shook his head. "Ryan's going to make us all cookies when we're done, too."

Ryan smirked, "Only if Suraj here stops puck-chasing long enough to learn what offsides means. Is the fifteenth season the charm? You'd think by now you wouldn't need Google Maps to stay on your wing."

Suraj shoved Ryan as he skated past. "Offsides? More like I'm giving the refs cardio, bud. Keeping them fit."

"At least someone's fit." Sean skated past them backward.

Suraj flipped him off with a grin. "At least I'm not out here collecting penalty minutes like it's a hobby, Sean. PIMs look real cute on your stats sheet."

Tyler chimed in, "Oh, don't worry, Suraj—Sean's just waiting for you to throw one of those soft checks. You're basically a free pass for him to spend more time in the box."

Ryan snorted. "Sean loves time in the box."

Sean motioned for them to line up on the blue. "The only box I'm spending time in these days is Kelty's."

André groaned. "You set him up so hard for that!"

Ryan threw out his hands, laughing.

"I'm telling Kelty." Brett sent a spray of ice over Sean's skates. "Keep you humble."

Sean grinned. "Suicides. Go."

_____

Ryan unhooked his helmet, sweat dripping down his face. For the entirety of practice, he didn't think once about Kara, the manila envelope on his kitchen counter, or the fact that he'd just agreed to take a week-long trip with his nanny. Shit, that sounded so dirty . He prayed his team didn't get a hint of it, or he was going to be the brunt of every joke from now until playoffs.

"I think the left boards appreciated that Valentine you dropped during puck protection." Boyd peeled off his goalie pads.

"Yeah, Boyd, I'll make sure to include your save percentage in the love letter. Gonna need a few more "O's to go between the X's." Ryan grinned and dropped his helmet on the bench.

"Of all people, you're the one who needs more O's." Brett smirked as he dropped his hockey bag next to him.

Ryan shook his head. One practice a week wasn't enough. Cutting edges and jawing like they were back in high school made the weight on his chest shift for the first time in days.

Across the room, Gary wrestled with his skate laces, muttering curses under his breath. Country sauntered over and slapped Gary on the back. "Need some help there, bud? Or you just practicing tying your boots for the rodeo?"

Gary grunted. "Just tryin' not to snap a lace, unlike last week. You'd think these damn things would hold up longer than your mother did last night."

André laughed out loud.

Ryan pulled off his sweat-soaked jersey, the post-practice endorphins still buzzing through his body. His muscles ached in that satisfying way that came from a hard skate.

Boyd strode past wearing only a towel. "Sean, you need to find meditation or something. You were laying people out like it was half-price handie day."

Sean flipped him off with a grin.

Ryan stepped out of his pants and headed for the showers, the steam already filling the room. He let the hot spray pound against his shoulders, easing some of the tension.

"Sheesh, enough with the body wash," André quipped as he sauntered in, all lean muscle and cockiness. "I need to smell good for the ladies later."

"What ladies would want your French ass?" Gary shot back with a grin.

André turned and slapped his bare cheek.

Ryan chuckled as he rinsed off, then grabbed his towel and walked back to the bench to get dressed.

"How long are you going to let that grow?" Country tugged a clean flannel over his shoulders.

Ryan shrugged. "When Amaya doesn't braid it anymore."

Country winked. "Keep your best girl happy."

"Ryan," Sean called out from behind the lockers. "How's the camp going? "

Ryan sighed. "Bud, those kids have way too much energy. I'm exhausted."

"You're getting old," Boyd teased, his mullet plastered to his neck. "Can't keep up with the young bucks anymore."

Ryan pulled on his shirt. "It's like trying to herd cats. Half of them think they're already making the World Juniors, and the other half don't know how to skate backward without making permanent ass prints. Boyd's been spending more time chasing loose pucks than coaching."

Brett grinned. "Better than Gary teaching them how to tie their skates."

_____

At the end of week one, Ryan dropped Amaya off with Laura and Russ, then drove home and dropped his hockey bag just inside the door. He made a fat roast beef sandwich, ate an ice cream sandwich from the freezer, then tossed his dishes in the sink and trudged to his bedroom. It was barely a ten-second walk, but it felt like a marathon. He flopped onto his mattress, not bothering to change, and was asleep before he could pull the covers over his shoulders.

The weekend passed in a blur, and week two of hockey camp sped by faster than the first. The kids enrolled were a bit more experienced, plus he had Amaya and Bailey in his group. Every day around five forty-five, his eyes started drifting up to the stands. It only took him a few seconds to find Aelin. She tended to sit in the same spot on the south side of the rink.

"Always have an influx of energy in those last twenty minutes or so, eh, bud?" Tyler grinned as he passed him on the way to his truck. "Enjoy your week of vacay."

Ryan tried to flip him off without Amaya seeing and failed .

"Dad! You said?—"

"I know what I said. This was a special circumstance."

When his alarm went off Sunday morning, he was pretty sure he hadn't even moved during the night. He groaned and reached over to his nightstand to shut the damn thing off. Any chance of him snoozing disappeared when he realized what day it was. A thump from the other room told him Amaya remembered, too.

He pulled on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, shoved a toothbrush and paste into his kit, then grabbed his pillow to add to the pile of their gear already sitting by the front door.

"We're going to a real lake!" Amaya bounded down the hall, her hair brushed and . . . was she wearing make-up?

Ryan frowned and walked closer. "What's on your eyes?"

Amaya pursed her lips. "It's eye shadow."

"Where the hell did you get that?"

She scoffed. "Aelin got it for Bailey, and Bailey shared."

Ryan ground his teeth as Amaya ran back down the hall to grab her backpack. When she reappeared, Ryan went through the checklist. "You have five changes of clothes, pajamas, and underwear." She nodded. "Toiletries."

"Yep."

"Entertainment for the car?"

Amaya pointed at her bag. "Books, pencils, crayons, paper, my tablet."

Ryan nodded. "Snacks?"

"Check." She pointed at a grocery sack by the door. "Ooh." She ran back into her room and returned holding her pillow and a stuffy she got the previous year for Christmas from his parents. It reminded him he hadn't called them in a few weeks. Add it to the list.

The streets were quiet as they drove to Aelin's, the sun already well over the horizon at eight a.m. When he turned onto her street, it was like a scene from a painting. The trees lining the road were a collage of greens, the summer leaves lush and vibrant. The morning dew clung to the grass, sparkling like a thousand tiny diamonds.

And there, on her front porch, was Aelin, sipping from a steaming travel mug and looking like she belonged front and centre in that masterpiece. When she spotted his car, she got up, and Ryan wished for a moment he would have stalled a little longer at the end of the block.

He parked, got out of the car, and walked up the path to help carry their luggage. "Morning."

"Hey." Aelin gave him a tired smile and hoisted a laundry basket with sand toys, swim gear, sunscreen, and two life jackets.

"Was I supposed to?—"

"No." Aelin shook her head. "Leo has plenty of adult jackets, my sister just asked me to bring a couple for the girls."

He nodded, still uncomfortable with the fact that she may have purchased an extra jacket for Amaya. He grabbed the handle of her suitcase.

"You got the notarized letter okay?" He assumed she'd gotten permission to take Bailey over the border since she hadn't cancelled the trip, but after receiving one text from her reminding him to get it signed, he hadn't heard another thing about it.

"You don't even want to know," Aelin muttered. He didn't press her.

They moved their pillows and rearranged Amaya's bag so everything could fit snugly in the trunk. Surprisingly, they didn't have to pack much since Aelin said they could buy food in Bigfork and the cabins were fully outfitted.

Aelin stepped back from the car. "I think that's everything." She glanced at the girls chatting on the grass. "Can you two run in and go to the washroom?"

They nodded, and then he and Aelin were standing on the sidewalk alone. It made sense that they would drive together. There was no point in them taking two vehicles when they were both going to the same place at the same time. But standing there next to her made him acutely aware that they'd be sitting inches from each other for over five hours.

The girls raced back outside, and Aelin walked to the front door to lock up.

"You have the right keys this time?" he teased. Aelin shot him a look.

Ryan got in the driver's seat, then typed the directions to the cabins into his GPS and plugged in his phone. The girls buckled up in the back.

"Do you need anything from the back before we start driving?" he asked.

They both shook their heads and then Aelin swept into the passenger seat. She closed the door, and both of them stared at the dash for a second.

Finally, Aelin spoke. "You ready for this?"

Ryan nodded. "You?"

She turned and gave him a nervous smile. The hairs on the back of his arms stood at attention as he turned on the engine and pulled away from the curb.

Ryan and Aelin drove in silence for a few minutes, the hum of the tires on the road blending with the music from the show Amaya and Bailey were watching. Aelin had her travel mug perched in the cup holder, and her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest. He noticed she'd painted her nails. Pale pink.

He switched his grip on the wheel, resting his left wrist on top of the steering wheel, his right hand settling on the gear shift. He glanced over as Aelin took a sip of her drink, then turned his attention back to the road. Every movement she made sent him flinching, and questions he wouldn't ask cycled through his head on repeat. Was she comfortable? Did she need more air? Did she hate his driving?

He was like a skittish cat.

After passing through the outskirts of the city, the Alberta landscape rolled past, a mix of wheat and canola fields dotted with the occasional farmhouse. The sky above them was a soft gradient as the sun rose higher in the sky.

Aelin shifted in her seat, and Ryan's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. The girls hadn't made a peep. Thank you, Bluey.

Aelin cleared her throat. "Bailey was sad to leave the camp," she said, breaking the comfortable quiet.

It took Ryan a moment to realize she was talking to him. "She seemed to really get into it."

Aelin smiled. "She was a sponge. Soaking up everything you said. I think she liked having a coach that wasn't her mom for once."

"Understandable." Ryan's mouth quirked. "It was good to see her connecting with the other kids, too. That one drill on the last day, she nailed it."

Aelin chuckled. "Yeah, she was so proud of herself. I think she's still riding that high."

Ryan ran his hand over the wheel. "It's always a rush when you finally get something you've been working on. I know she had some trouble with the crossover drills at first, but she kept at it."

"She did. And you were great with her. She told me you gave her some tips that made it click." Aelin glanced over, her eyes soft before she dropped them.

Ryan's skin heated. "I pointed out a few things. She did the work."

Aelin set her hands in her lap. She wore the same faded jeans she'd been wearing the night she showed up at his house after her date. "She's been asking when she can play again. We need to find a local league or something."

Ryan forced his eyes back out the windshield. "There are a few options around Brentwood. I can send you some links."

"I'd appreciate that." Aelin's fingers drummed on her thigh. "I know she has a lot to learn, but she got a taste of it, you know? I think it was good for her. "

Ryan nodded. "Hockey's like that. Once you get a taste, it's hard to quit." He felt her eyes on him and drew a breath. "I started playing when I was six. My dad took me to a game, and that was it. I was hooked."

Aelin leaned back in her seat. "Did you play past high school?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, for the University of Alberta." Memories of those days flooded back. The long practices, the adrenaline of game nights, the camaraderie in the locker room. "It was a hell of a time."

"Lots of pressure?"

He let out a breath. "That, too."

"I always thought it would be hard to balance sports and academics." Aelin turned her body to face him more fully, and the idea of having her full attention made his foot drop harder on the gas. "What did you study?"

"Engineering." Ryan's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "My dad was a civil engineer, and it seemed like a good career."

Aelin raised an eyebrow. "Your idea or his?"

Ryan considered the question. His dad had never told him what to do with his career, but he didn't ever seem to complain about his job like other parents. Once he got older, he realized that it was probably due to his personality rather than his choice of profession. "A bit of both, I guess."

Aelin nodded, her fingers tracing the rim of her travel mug. "Why didn't you keep playing hockey after college?"

Ryan shrugged. "I had a couple of offers, but they weren't exactly what I was hoping for. Plus, I had some obligations in Grand Prairie. Family stuff." He ran a hand through his hair. "And then, well, you know. I met Amaya's mom, and life took a different turn."

Were they really driving to the States together, and he'd never even told her where he was from? He wasn't sure if that made the whole situation better or worse .

Aelin wet her lips. "Well, thank you so much for letting Bailey attend the camp. It's obvious that you love the game."

Ryan's eyes flicked to hers. "Yeah, I do. It's good to be back on the ice, even if it's just for fun now."

He asked her questions about California, and she told him about growing up in Huntington Beach. It all sounded like a dream. Like a show he would've watched on pirated American satellite growing up.

She skipped fast through her college era, noting that she met Clark at UCLA.

"But he's Canadian?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He was there on a lacrosse scholarship."

Ryan frowned. "Damn. Don't give me a reason to like him."

Aelin snorted. "Yeah, he fooled me, too." She leaned forward. "I forgot to ask, are we taking the scenic route or going through Ft. Macleod?"

Ryan glanced at his phone. "Wherever the map sends me?"

Aelin grinned and pulled his phone from the mount. "Scenic. Are you okay with that?"

"Through Crowsnest Pass?" he asked. She nodded. "Might as well take advantage when the weather's good." He'd driven that pass for hockey tournaments in the middle of winter, and it was scary as shit.

Aelin put his phone back. "Perfect. I think Bailey will be good until we get close to the border. Maybe stop for lunch there before we have to flush half the value of a dollar down the toilet?"

Ryan chuckled. "C'mon, only thirty cents."

Aelin opened her purse and pulled out a bag. He glanced over. "Are those Sour Patch Kids?"

"Only the best for my chauffeur." She ripped the bag open with her teeth, and knowing her lips were on the bag sent a jolt through him as he reached in.

"This trip is going to get crazy if we're hitting the sauce before noon. "

Aelin sighed. "I would've brought the good stuff, but I didn't want it to get confiscated by border patrol."

Ryan chuckled. "It's Montana. They have plenty of the good stuff."

After stopping for lunch at an A&W and stretching their legs, they made it to the line at the border. Thankfully, it wasn't long at midday on Sunday. Probably because most of southern Alberta was in church. His in-laws would love it.

Ryan pulled up to the booth and rolled down his window, handing the agent his and Aelin's passport and the birth certificates for the girls.

A stern-looking officer peered in. "Where are you headed?"

"Bigfork, Montana," Aelin replied.

The officer didn't blink. "Purpose of your visit?"

"Vacation," Ryan answered.

The officer glanced at her, then back at Ryan. "Different names on these. You two are married?"

Ryan shook his head. "Just . . . friends."

The officer motioned to the back window. "Roll this down, please." Ryan obeyed. "Do you have permission from the parents of these children?"

He took his letter from the glove compartment and handed it over with the paper Aelin pulled from her purse. The officer perused and didn't look up to ask, "How long will you be staying?"

Ryan's grip tightened on the wheel. "A week."

"Any alcohol or tobacco products, marijuana, firearms or weapons, agriculture products, fruits or vegetables, pets, or cash exceeding ten thousand dollars, including that intended for gifts in the vehicle?" He rattled it off as smoothly as his address.

Ryan shook his head.

The officer handed their documents back. "Thank you, enjoy your trip."

They rolled up the windows and continued on. Aelin let out a breath. "That wasn't so bad. "

Ryan smirked. "You were worried?"

"No, I just—well, yeah. I always feel like I'm doing something wrong even when I'm not."

Ryan laughed. "Like when you see a cop in your rearview mirror, and suddenly you're convinced you have a body in your trunk?"

Aelin laughed out loud, and Ryan's neck flushed.

They chatted about childhood road trips and vacations they wanted to take as they passed through small-town Montana. Finally, Ryan turned off the highway, following the signs to Bigfork. The road wound through dense forest.

"Never ceases to amaze." Aelin stared out the window. "Just wait till you see it."

As they rounded a bend, the forest opened up to reveal a small town nestled on the shores of glittering blue. Ryan's eyes widened. "Wow."

"Yep." Aelin pointed. "Look at those mountains in the distance. It's like a postcard. And this isn't even half of it."

They drove past quaint shops with colourful awnings, a general store with a hand-painted sign, a bakery with a line out the door, and a café with outdoor seating that spilled onto the sidewalk.

Aelin's grin stretched so wide, Ryan couldn't help but mirror it. He guided the car through the town, following the GPS directions to their cabins. They passed a couple of art galleries and a craft brewery before the road began to climb.

As they ascended, the view of Flathead Lake grew more expansive. The water shimmered in the late afternoon sun, tiny boats dotting the surface like bath toys. Ryan's eyes traced the shoreline, finding a few secluded beaches and rocky outcrops.

They continued along the winding road, then dropped back to water level, the cabins finally coming into view. Ryan pulled into the gravel driveway and parked next to a truck with a hitch.

"This is it." Aelin squeaked, and her shoulders nearly touched her ears .

Ryan had barely put the car in park before the girls were jumping out and running down to the docks. Ryan swung his door open, but Aelin put a hand on his arm. "It's okay, my sister and her husband are down there getting the boat set up."

Ryan looked skeptical. "She's never been around a body of water like this."

Aelin nodded. "We can go over safety, but it's not super deep around the dock." She pushed her door open. "Come here, I'll show you." He walked down the beach in awe of the smooth, coloured rocks.

"You're heeeere!" The woman who had to be Aelin's sister, Mariah, squealed, jumping out of the boat and running up the dock toward them. Aelin flung her arms around her sister. "And you must be Ryan?" Mariah didn't give him the option of a handshake. She hugged him just as tight as she did Aelin, and Ryan felt a little shell-shocked when she pulled back.

Aelin looked back up at the parking spots, her brow furrowing. "Mar, how many vehicles did you bring?"

"Just one. But the—" Her sister's eyes widened. "Oh, shit, did you not see my text?"

Aelin frowned and pulled out her phone. She blinked at her screen. "Mariah?—"

"Our friends ended up bringing their teens. And a couple friends," Mariah said in a rush, flashing an apologetic smile. "So we thought you two could . . . share?"