slide up my forearm. “Being on the road didn’t used to bother me, but these days…”
“You know we’ll probably kill each other during the off season, right?”
Jase laughed. “Well, I am supposed to keep up my physical conditioning during that time, so…”
“Dude. I’ve got stamina, but I don’t think I have ‘keep a professional hockey player in playing condition’ stamina.”
He snickered. “I mean, we could work up to that.”
“Oh my God.” I groaned. “You really are going to kill me.”
“Nah.” He kissed my forehead. “You might not be walking very well, but…”
“Great.”
Jase wrapped his arms around me and kissed me again. “Nah, the only way I’d keep you from walking is if I taught you to skate.”
I arched an eyebrow. “That’s not much of a selling point, you know.”
“It’s just while you’re getting the hang of it. Once you do, you’ll be fine.”
Squinting at him, I said, “So you say.”
“Oh come on, you’d probably love it. It’s fun!”
“Hmm. Maybe. Dallas has been begging me for lessons for ages, but I don’t think I’m quite brave enough to do it myself.”
He held my gaze, turning a bit serious. “You know, if she wants to learn to skate…” His forehead creased. “I could give her a few lessons.”
“Really?”
“Well, yeah.” He chuckled with a hint of self-consciousness. “I do know how to skate.”
“You do, that’s true. And I think she’d love that. Like I said, she’s a hell of a lot braver than I am.”
Jase cocked his head. “You’re really afraid to skate?”
“I, um… I mean, call me irrational, but the prospect of hurtling around on ice while wearing knife shoes just doesn’t seem safe. That’s why I haven’t let Dallas do it either.”
He laughed. “Knife shoes. I love it. Really, though, it’s not bad once you get the hang of it. And you start slow. Like, really slow.” He paused, then ventured, “I could teach both of you.”
“Well, uh… Maybe. We’ll see. Just, uh, don’t judge me if I’m nervous. Or if I suck at it.”
“I won’t.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Practice arena is open tomorrow morning. You game?”
“Hmm. I’m not quite that brave yet, but I’m pretty sure I know someone who would be all over that opportunity.”
“I still can’t believe I’m getting a lesson from Jase Kelly,” Dallas said as I pulled into the practice arena’s parking lot. “This is amazing.”
Smiling, I parked the car. With as few things as Dallas was able to do these days, I was thrilled to see her this excited about something.
We were halfway to the arena when the door opened, and Dallas stopped so quickly her sneaker squeaked on the pavement. “Oh my God.”
“What?” I asked with feigned innocence. “This is your skating coach.”
Jase laughed. “Hey, Dallas. You ready to skate?”
She stared at him, instantly starstruck. Of course I surreptitiously snapped a picture on my phone—the look on her face was too priceless not to. Finally, she managed, “You’re…really going to teach me to skate? And you’re really dating my dad?”
Blushing, Jase nodded, and he stole a glance at me as he said, “Yes, I’m really dating your dad. And yes, I’m really going to teach you to skate.”
“Holy shit.”
“Dallas!” I laughed. “Really?”
She blushed too, and looked…not quite sheepish, but close. “Sorry.”
Jase and I just chuckled, and he led us inside.
Skates weren’t exactly cheap, and I was hesitant to buy a pair until I knew if Dallas wanted to stick with this. The arena the team used for practice didn’t rent them out, but fortunately, one of Jase’s teammates had a daughter who wore the same size skates as Dallas, and they generously let us borrow them for her first lesson.
Jase took us through the locker room and right to the bench where players would sit during a game. “How are the lights for you?”
Dallas looked around. “They’re okay. If they’re too much, I brought my sunglasses.” She set her bag on the bench. “But I’m think I’m okay.”
“All right.” He grinned. “Let’s put on your skates.” She sat on the bench, and while I watched, he helped her put on her skates, making sure they were comfortable and laced properly. Then he put on his own, and they headed for the ice.
Jase was, not surprisingly, more adept at walking in his skates than she was, but he hung back and kept an eye on her, offering his hand in case she needed the support. She did all right just holding on to the rail, though.
At the edge of the rink,