Page 7 of Second Chance with the Single Dad Goalie
“Yup.”
Mia shakes her head, arms crossed. “No, you can’t. You don’t even know how to skate.”
Nico gasps. “Yes, I do!”
“Do not.”
“Do too!”
“All right, all right,” I laugh, setting them back down. “We’ll see about that. Now, where’s my…”
Mia suddenly tilts her head, eyes scanning the room. “Wait…, where’s Nana?”
I gasp loudly, smacking my forehead in exaggerated horror. “Oh no…, I forgot Nana at the airport.” I drag a hand down my face, shaking my head.
Theygaspin unison, eyes practically bulging out of their little heads.
“No!” Nico shouts, gripping my shirt like I’ve just committed an unforgivable crime. “Daddy, why?”
I swear, this kid is highly dramatic when he wants to be.
“I was in such a hurry to see my two favorite humans that I…,” I say, voice full of regret, “I got in the car and drove off without her.”
Mia’s hands fly to her mouth. Nico looks two seconds away from a meltdown. Nico places his hands on his hips, looking way too serious for a four-year-old. "Daddy. That is not good."
Mia claps a hand, eyes still round. "What do we do? Dadda, you have to go back! Nana is old.”
“No need,” I hold up a finger, “I can fix it.”
Their gazes snap to me. "How?"
I lower my voice like I’m about to reveal a huge secret. "I’ll perform a magic trick. I can make Nana appear right here in front of you."
Nico squints, skeptical. "You’re lying, Daddy. You are a hockey player, not a magician."
I place a hand over my heart. "Huh! I can be both. Watch."
Nico’s eyes sparkle with excitement. "What do we do?"
"But," I say, holding up a finger, "I need your help. First, I need each of you to give me a special magic word. A really good one."
Nico claps his hands, thinking hard. “Um…, Abracadabra spaghetti!”
Mia rolls her eyes. “No, Nico. That’s not magic.”
“Yes, it is!”
“No, it’s not!”
“All right, all right,” I laugh. “It’s great Nico. What’s your magic word, Mia?”
She tilts her head, tapping her chin. “Hmm… Poofity poof nana come back.”
I smirk. "Solid choices. Now, close your eyes. No peeking!"
“Why?” they ask in unison.
I stroke my chin, pretending to think. “Hmm…, because sometimes, magicians like to surprise their audience, and you love it when you get surprises, right?”
