Scoring Off The Ice (Ice Kings #2) - Stacey Lynn Page 0,89

should be. As I wanted…as I want.” His brows furrow as he corrects himself. I can tell he’s now leaning forward, almost like he’s trying to plead with me through the phone to believe him.

“Stop.”

“It was Angela. She came back. And there were threats, and I did not want you involved.”

I knew it! I’m not surprised by this, but not ready to hear it. And he has me trapped.

“I can’t do this, Mikah. I’ll watch Angelo, I’m happy to this weekend, but what you did… how you hurt me…” But oh, how I want to hear it all. It doesn’t make me happy to know I’m right. Not while I’m staring at Mikah’s face, so sad, so serious. “You shut me out.”

“And it will never happen again. Take the time you need but I swear, and I mean it more than I have ever meant anything. Give me a chance to explain and make it right and it will be the best risk you have taken ever.”

“Mikah—”

“Think on it. I will give you time.”

Oh God. My heart. For him. Angelo. I want to hear him out. I should. I deserve the reason for his sudden change in demeanor.

“We’ll talk,” I say, and it’s barely a whisper because I’m quickly losing it.

“Thank you. Angelo is okay? I need to get going but I had to see him and Viola not answering had me worried, so I called you…”

“He’s fine, Mikah. See?” I hit the double arrow button on my phone to spin the screen around and move close to Angelo. Then I laugh to myself as Mikah talks to his son, his face probably overtaking the screen I have it held so close. Angelo smiles. His whole face lights up as Mikah says he loves him, and he’ll see him soon and to keep being a good boy. To sleep lots for me. Yes. Please, Angelo. Sleep a lot. Then I hear, “I am done being a fool on the phone for him. Can I see you again?”

I flip the phone back to my face and Mikah is smiling. “Beautiful. Always so beautiful. We will talk soon.”

The screen freezes, his face on a grainy smile as he disconnects. It disappears and I realize I’m smiling.

Always smiling for him.

The question is does it make me being the one who’s acting like a fool?

Chapter Thirty-Two

Mikah

* * *

We win both games.

I skate better against San Diego than I have ever skated in my life, ending the game with a hat trick, something I only accomplished a few times last season. My grip is tight, my feet are quick, and I imagine at any moment I will receive a call from my father telling me everything I’ve done wrong despite my success and my teams.

We are off to a great start for the season.

I don’t care about any of it. My foot taps on the long plane ride home on Monday. Thankfully, we leave early, but I still won’t get there until half the day has passed. I want to get my hands on Angelo and see him. I want to smell his clean baby smell and hear his giggle.

I want to get my mouth on Paisley and hear her tell me she forgives me for being a massive idiot. For not trusting her. I want to show and tell her everything and then I want her to come into my arms so I can take her to my bed.

I have never realized how impatient I am until I have people waiting for me at home. The elevator comes to a stop and I’m moving before the doors open, almost running straight into them. I’ve called Paisley this morning to tell her I was at the airport and she said that Viola showed up to take care of Angelo so she could go to school.

Must have been a twenty-four-hour thing, because she looks great, she said to me on the phone.

So I am expecting to open the door to my home and see Viola, but she surprises me at the door.

“I think you want to go that way first,” she says.

I will get there, but first, I am worried about her. About Angelo. She looks healthy. Her blonde hair with grays at the temples is pulled back into a ponytail and she is wearing the typical clothes she does at my house. Yoga capris and a short-sleeve shirt. She dresses simple, but it’s easy to see she was once beautiful. I would admit she still