Page 48 of Ice Princess

April nods and takes her time pulling the car into a parking spot. “I thought everything would work itself out after he came back…” She shakes her head. “Isn’t life funny? After you achieve a goal and get what you want, you’d think everything would be perfect. But immediately after you conquer one mountain, there’s another you have to climb. It’s true for Chance and for our garage. The goal post just keeps moving.”

“That shouldn’t surprise us, April. Your dad used to say, ‘the only guarantee in life is that things will change.’”

April smiles softly. “I remember that.”

“I grew up watching all my friends have nice things and wishing I could afford that too. Happiness is pretty elusive for a Hart. But I’ve learned to be happy with a little. As long as I havemy friends and family close to me, the goal post can move all it wants.”

“I’m borrowing that confidence, if you don’t mind,” April says, popping her car door open and joining me in front of the hood of her truck.

“Here. Take all of it.” I blow her a kiss.

She laughs. “Oh, I forgot to ask. What happened with the Ladies? When’s your first meeting with them?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been added to a group chat, gotten a text, nothing.”

April stares at me with stricken green eyes. “Oh no.”

“I have a feeling Carol is going to pretend she never said anything about a Kinsey girlfriend being allowed to join.”

“But everyone around that table heard you.”

“Everyone at the luncheon was connected to the Kinseys. If they all pretend nothing happened, she can probably get away with never inviting me to the Society. And I’ll be back at square one.”

“That’s awful. What are you going to do?”

I think about that question before I answer.

Last night, when I visited mom, I saw so many things in our neighborhood that need changing. The kids’ basketball court. The public landfills. The street lamps with flickering light bulbs.

“I don’t know yet. But I won’t roll over and play dead just because they’re ignoring me. I’ve come too far to stop now.”

“I believe you can do it, Rebel. And hey, if it doesn’t work out, at least you got a nice jacket out of it.”

I groan and shake my head pleadingly. “Don’t remind me about the jacket.”

April skips in front of me, grinning like a maniac. “Whose name is on that jacket again? I suddenly can’t read.”

Embarrassed, I wrench the jacket off. “You know what? I don’t care if Gunner misses every shot tonight. I’m not wearing this thing in public.”

“Oh stop it.” April tugs it back on my shoulders.

I shake my head at her, but keep the jacket on and follow the human riptide leading into the stadium’s double doors.

The arena is roaring with the music blasting from the speakers and the chatter of a massive crowd. Excitement zips through the air like bolts of lightning. Below the bleachers, the hockey players are warming up on the ice.

April and I walk confidently past the general bleachers to the reserved seats closer to the boards.

The first time April attended one of Chance’s games, she was flocked by paparazzi and had to be escorted to a different seat by Bobby and Max. However, she’s a pro at this now and no one bats an eye when we step into our usual row and get comfortable.

One of my favorite hockey fans is already present and seated next to her nanny.

“Hi, Gordie!” I wave brightly.

“Hi!” The little girl wiggles her fingers. “Daddy’s over there.”

Gordie points at Renthrow who’s stretching out his legs on the ice.

“Are you excited about tonight?” I ask her.

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