Page 136 of On Thin Ice

“Yeah? You want that?” Jacob asked.

Morgan started to splutter something, but Jacob just held a hand up and shot him a warning look.

“I’m asking Finn,” he said and turned back to Finn.

Finn moistened his lips. It had felt so natural to invite his dad onto the ice. He hadn’t even stopped to think if he wanted it, but now that he was considering it, of course he did.

“Yeah,” Finn said.

Jacob’s eyes glowed with pride and affection. “Good. Okay.” He leaned in and broke the other, more unspoken, no-PDA-at-the-rink rule and pressed a quick kiss to the side of Finn’s head. “I’d better get ready then.”

Morgan picked up his stick and tapped it on the floor, clearly impatient. “Cute that you think it’ll make a difference.”

Finn braced for Jacob’s frustration to boil over, but he only laughed.

“Yeah, you comin’ for me?” Jacob questioned.

Morgan nodded sharply and turned to head towards the ice.

“Hey, I want you to work on some of those specific movement drills first,” Jacob said, as he pulled his skates out of his bag. “If you’re okay with that.”

“Yeah. After I finish my warmups.” He stood, stretching a little. “See you out there?”

“Hey,” Jacob said, and he turned back. “You’re really okay with him being here, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. We . . .uh . . .talked some, before you came.” Finn paused. “It was good. It was actuallygreat.”

Jacob’s smile was so bright. “Yeah?”

Finn nudged him with his glove. “I know you gave him advice, and he actually used it.”

“Nobody is more surprised than me,” Jacob said, still grinning and actuallynotlooking all that surprised.

“I know you thought—andIthought—it was all him, and it was definitelysomehim, but it was me too, wasn’t it?”

Jacob’s gaze was so warm. “Maybe, yeah. A little. Which nobody could blame you for, by the way. You had—have—a lot of pressure on your shoulders. Some he’s put there, sure. Someyou’veput there, and some that’s just on there ’cause of who he is. What your last name is.”

“Yeah. But it’s just me out there, isn’t it? Just me.”

“Just you,” Jacob agreed easily.

It felt like everything was slotting into place. His play and his confidence. His relationship with his dad, which he’d never thought would bebetterafter he’d found out about him and Jacob, but miraculously was. And then there was Jacob, and Finn’s heart practically fucking expanded, just thinking of how good it was with him.

How he wanted it to be good with him forever. How he wanted to love him forever.

“Couldn’t have done it without you,” Finn said, feeling that lump in his throat grow again.

Jacob’s look was affectionate but chiding. “Yeah, you could’ve,” he said. “But it was absolutely my honor to be there. To remind you of what you’re capable of.”

“Still. Thanks.” Finn wanted to tell him he loved him so badly it was right there on the tip of his tongue but what if it was too early?

What if it freaked Jacob out? He didn’t look freaked out, particularly, but that could change so easily.

“Of course.” Jacob tapped his glove. “Now go out there and make me proud.”

You’ll get there, Finn promised and made himself walk off.

When he got to the ice, his dad was already skating in slow, sweeping circles, his stick leaning against the far boards.

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