16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

ETHAN

I skate across the ice, feeling the cold air rush past me. The puck glides effortlessly from my stick to Ruslav's, and he takes the shot, scoring another goal. The guys erupt into cheers, and I can't help but join in.

Life's been good since Mia and I started seeing each other.

No, scratch that. Life's been amazing.

After practice, I sit on the bench, wiping the sweat from my forehead. Coach gives us a pep talk, and I catch myself zoning out, thinking about Mia. She's been feeling a little sick off and on lately, and it worries me. She works too much, always running around coordinating events.

"Hey, Ethan!" Amanda's voice snaps me back to reality. She's standing by the rink, waiting for me with Senna by her side. He's clutching his favorite racing game, eyes wide with excitement.

"Hey, bud!" I scoop Senna up into my arms, making him giggle. "You ready to beat me at racing again?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna win!" Senna declares, his face lighting up with determination.

I chuckle and set him down, turning to Amanda. "How's he been?"

"He's great. We had a fun morning, didn't we, Senna?" Amanda smiles, ruffling his hair. "So, how are things going with Mia?"

I grin, thinking about her. "Things are good. Really good. But I'm worried about her. She's been feeling a bit under the weather, and I think she's working herself too hard."

Amanda nods thoughtfully. "She's always been a bit of a workaholic, hasn't she?"

"Yeah," I sigh. "I've tried to get her to take some time off, but she's stubborn. It's one of the things I love about her, though. She's so passionate about her job."

"Well, just keep an eye on her. She's lucky to have you looking out for her," Amanda says, giving me a reassuring pat on the back.

"Thanks, Amanda. I will." I turn back to Senna, who's already engrossed in his game. "Come on, kiddo. Let's see if you can beat me this time."

First, I head to the locker room to shower and change. After drying off, I slip into some comfortable clothes and meet Senna at the arcade area. We play a few rounds, and I let him win a couple of races, his laughter echoing through the room. It's moments like these that make everything worth it.

Later, as we're heading home, I call Mia to check on her. "Hey, how's my favorite workaholic doing?"

She laughs softly. "Hey, Ethan. I'm okay, just wrapping up some last-minute details for the next event. How was practice?"

"Good. Scored a few goals, made Coach happy. But I've been thinking about you. You sure you don't want to take a break? Maybe a mini-vacation or something?"

Mia sighs. "I know you're worried, but I'm fine. Really. Just a little under the weather. I'll be okay."

"I know you will," I say, trying to keep my tone light. "Just promise me you'll take it easy, okay? You don't have to conquer the world all in one day."

She chuckles. "I promise. And thank you, Ethan. For everything."

We say our goodbyes, and I hang up, feeling a mix of concern and admiration for her. She's incredible, and I'm lucky to have her in my life.

As I tuck Senna into bed later that night, I think about the future. About Mia and me, and what we could build together. It's a comforting thought, and it makes me feel more determined than ever to make sure she's taken care of.

Life's pretty damn good right now, and I'm going to do everything I can to keep it that way.