Page 50 of Offside and Off-Limits
“Did I wake you?”
“No. I was just brushing my teeth, getting ready for bed.”
“I hope you’re in a sexy black nightie,” he says.
I chortle. I'm not going to play his flirty game, not when I have the dangerous, career-ending feelings I do for this man. “What can I help you with?”
“You know how well Hannah and I played Chopsticks together the other night on Bess?”
I soften. “You were great with her, and I appreciate it.”
“Save your compliments for later, but make sure you make them, okay?”
I smile. That’ssoCade.
“I want us to enter Show Quest.”
I pull my eyebrows together in confusion. “Cade, what are you talking about?”
“Isn't it obvious? I want to enter the Show Quest competition with Hannah. That way, I can help her get over her stage fright, and together we can play one of the songs she likes by Taylor Swift, and win!”
I feel as though I’ve stepped into an alternate universe in which hockey pros play musical instruments with my kids for fun. “You want to enter Show Quest with Hannah?”
“Were you not listening, Triple? That's exactly what I'm telling you.”
“Last time I checked, you’re not a kid at Maple Falls Elementary.”
“Duh.”
“Did you just ‘duh’ me?”
“Look, I've been asking around about the rules for ShowQuest and apparently, as long as the kid is front and center as the primary performer, an adult—which in this case will be me—can give an assist. And yes, I did use a hockey term there. You're welcome.”
I lean against the basin. “I'm not sure that's a great idea.”
“Why not? It solves all Hannah’s problems. I can help her practice, and then I can be beside her when she performs. It's a win-win.”
“For Hannah?”
“For Hannah and for me.”
“What exactly do you win?”
“The admiration of her mom.”
I can't help but laugh.This man!
“So? What do you say? I can practice with Hannah in the afternoons after school.”
“She's got figure skating Thursdays.”
“On the afternoons except for Thursdays, then.”
I chew on my lip. “Her dad will be at Show Quest, you know. I'm not sure he'll be exactly thrilled that his daughter is playing a piece with a pro hockey player.”
“Doesn't that make it all the better?” he says, and I picture Cade waggling his eyebrows.
I don't hate the idea of Dwayne seeing his daughter playing piano with Cade. It would make him wonder who Cade is to me. Not that it will make him jealous, of course. He moved on from me a long time ago.
