Page 52 of The Great Maple Mistake

That makes me laugh. “What did you think I was going to do, walk along while you glide over the ice?”

“Well, they do have skate rental at the lake.” I’m about to tell him that skate rentals are notoriously awful but he’s already moved on with the conversation. “When did you gethockey skates?” He frowns. “Did you bring them with you from Baltimore?”

“They do have ice rinks in Baltimore, love.”

His expression turns a bit sheepish, and he shrugs. “Yeah. I know. I guess I just assumed you didn’t skate.” He squeezes my hand. “But I’m glad you do!” He squints at me. “Wait, you do, don’t you?”

How is my boyfriend so freaking adorable? “Yes, I know how to ice skate, Alex.”

“Whew.” He sits back. “Because this is Vermont. We’re practically in Canada. Winter sports are almost a prerequisite to living here.” He watches out the window as we pull into the parking area by the lake. “Oooh! It’s so beautiful!”

Whoever decorated really outdid themselves. Tiki torches flicker around this side of the lake, and the hut where Special Blend sells hot drinks is outlined with little white fairy lights. Someone trimmed several fir trees around the lake with larger multi-colored holiday lights. There are benches at the edge of the frozen lake decorated with large red holiday bows, filled with lots of people lacing up their skates for an evening spin on the ice.

“Let’s go check it out.” I hop out of the car, grab our skates from the back, and meet Alex at the front of the vehicle. “Ready?”

“Absolutely!” His grin is wide and beautiful, and my chest is full with how much I love him. I take his hand and lead him to an empty bench. “Fair warning. I know how to skate, but it’s been a minute. So I’m going to need to knock off the rust at first.”

Alex leans over and kisses my cheek. “I’ll help you, sweetheart.” I chuckle because his tone says he expects me to be horrible. Who knows? I might be, at first. But I do know how to skate. At least I used to know. It’s like riding a bike though. Right?

I hand him his skates, and one at a time, he takes off his shoes and slides his feet into the sturdy boots. I don my own skates under his watchful gaze. “Don’t forget to lace them up tightly, especially at the ankles.”

“Thank you, love.” My tone isn’t even sarcastic because he’s genuinely trying to be helpful. “When didyoulearn to skate?”

I can practically feel the eye roll in the dark. “Vermont. Next to Canada. We’re basically born with skates on our feet.”

“I doubt that. Your mothers would have objected.”

He laughs and stands, holding out his hand to me once I’m done lacing up. “Come on. Let’s see how rusty you really are.”

I take his hand, and we walk, only slightly awkwardly, to the edge of the lake. Then we step out onto the ice. Iama little wobbly, but it doesn’t take long before I figure out my balance. “How long has it been sinceyoulast ice-skated?”

He shrugs. “About a year. Luke and I used to belong to a local hockey league that would play at the high school rink, but we gave that up when we hit our thirties. You get to a certain age and your joints aren’t so forgiving anymore.”

“Oh, I know that feeling.”

Alex laughs. “Right. Mister ‘I’m in such good shape my eight-pack has a six-pack.’ You know you’re the reason we’re on our second run of calendars, right? We’re even getting purchases from out of state!”

He’s said that before, but it’s not anywhere near the truth. “No, the reason you’re selling so many calendars is because you take amazing pictures and your dad’s a genius at marketing.”

Now that he knows I’m stable enough that I won’t collapse onto the ice, dragging him with me, Alex takes my hand, and we skate along the shore, side by side. “True, he really is. But you being on the cover, with your glorious man chest all out there, in your firefighting gear, and Tux perched on your shoulder? Yeah,that’swhat’s selling the calendars.”

I let it go because we’ve had this conversation enough times to know there’s no convincing Alex. And it’s flattering that he thinks I’m sexy enough to be the reason for the great sales. I speed up and turn around so I’m skating backward while he skates forward. Okay, I might be showing off a little. “Hey. As long as you think I’m sexy, that’s all that matters.” I pull him toward me, slowing down to a leisurely glide, and wrap my arms around him. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.” I grin when his brows furrow. “Nothing bad.” I kiss the tip of his very cold nose. “You know I love you.”

Alex’s soft smile is back, and he wraps his arms more tightly around my waist. “Yes. And I love you too.”

I nod. “Exactly. And I love your dad and Luke.” He quirks his eyebrow, and I chuckle. “Not in the same way. But you know what I mean.”

He laughs and nods. “Yes. And I love Aunt Viv. It’s all a big lovefest.” Alex started calling her Aunt Viv about a month ago, and the first time she heard it, she cried. It was a wholething,with hugs and tears. Honestly, it was pretty incredible. And part of the reason I want to talk to him tonight.

“She loves us. And I’m so grateful that she let me live with her while I got acclimated to Maplewood and my work routine. But I was thinking, maybe it’s time to move out.”

Alex’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. At least, that’s what it looks like as we pass through the glow from the tiki torches. “Get your own place?” I nod. “Wow.” Once the surprise passes, and he gets what that would mean for us, his smile is back. “No more being quiet during sex! Or rushing so we’re not overheard or interrupted.” He laughs. “We could get naked whenever and wherever we want. I definitely approve of this plan.”

Laughing, I kiss him soundly. “Yes, my insatiable boyfriend.” I point a finger at him. “Notthat I’m complaining at all.” I slow our speed even further until we’re stopped in the middle of theice. I lean in and rest my forehead against his. “But what if we found a place together? Would you consider that?”

He blinks up at me, like he’s truly surprised by the suggestion. “Really? You’d want to move in with me?”

“Alex, love, of course I want that. But the question is, would you? You’ve lived with your dad and brother all your life. You have a pretty amazing setup on the third floor, with your darkroom and everything. And I’ll be working shifts where I won’t be home, and you’ll be in the house by yourself. It’s not so cut and dry for us like it would be for other couples.”

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