Page 46 of Peach Blossom Hollow

Leo chuckling, ducked her playful shove. “Why do you think I sucked on the ice during the last away game? I ate it all.”

“No.” Violet breathed the word, her tone incredulous. “Allof it? The whole thing?”

“Don’t tell Athena I veered off the diet plan.”

“Veered? You ate almost two entire cobblers in what—three days? You smashed her plan into a guardrail and over the cliff.”

He gave a sheepish smile. “They were really good.”

They began walking side by side again, almost at the locker rooms. “Two cobblers? And after you gave Maverick and Dylan such a hard time about eating dessert at Thanksgiving, here you are binging like nobody’s looking.”

“Moment of weakness. We all have ‘em.”

“Did Coach Louis say anything about your skating?”

“He subbed me so fast I think he noticed. But he was smiling.”

“Smiling? He didn’t even rip you a new one about the team needing a win or something?”

“Nope. He’s been a bit odd since he moved back to Sweetheart Creek a few weeks ago.”

“Do you think he’s in love?”

Leo laughed. “Louis? No way.”

The day his coach fell was the day he would, as well. Never going to happen.

Leo looked around the familiar old farmhouse kitchen. Somehow, it seemed brighter than it had when he was a kid. And his parents appeared happier, too. Less burdened and preoccupied.

Was it because their kids had moved out and were somewhat established in their adult lives, so they could focus on themselves? Or was it because they had friends and family here to celebrate with them tonight? Or because their ranch was in a good place financially?

He figured it was likely the latter, and he was grateful he’d been a part of helping them achieve it.

He grabbed the plate of nachos he’d been sent to retrieve and returned to the living room, which was brimming with friends and neighbors who’d come out to celebrate his parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary.

While he’d been growing up, his folks had barely celebrated their own birthdays, let alone an anniversary. It was nice to see them so happy, and definitely worth squeezing in the flight between game days. But it was also unexpected.

Setting the nachos on the food table, he went to stand beside his mom, Jenny-Lee. “What made you two decide to celebrate this year?”

“Because we can.”

“Then why not the others?”

She shrugged, doing one of those familiar frown-smile things she did. “We were too busy with the ranch and keeping our heads above water. We were also raising a bunch of hooligans.” She winked at him.

“Right. Business comes first.”

“We let our relationship sit on the back burner for a long time. Too long.”

“You have a partnership first and foremost,” he said, letting her know he understood.

She gave him a strange look.

“It’s smart,” he said.

The frown was back, deepening with every word he spoke.

“When you run a business or a brand…you don’t need distractions,” he insisted, waiting for her to agree.

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