Page 30 of Lost on Ice
Chuckling, I reply, “Great! Thanks so much, Dad. And thanks for staying with Lilah this evening so I can go meet Vivianne. I’m going to go change, then head over there.”
“Sounds like a plan, honey.”
I hurry to change out of my scrubs and put on a t-shirt and yoga pants, then I say goodbye to Dad and Lilah before heading back out to my car once more. I’m feeling much better. Much calmer. The stranger in the parking lot isn’t a looming fear anymore, and as I get in the car, I don’t feel like I have to look over my shoulder.
Everything’s fine. I don’t have to worry about that fucker anymore.
My sense of peace shatters, when my phone buzzes, showing I’ve gotten a text from an unknown number.
Unknown number: Have you missed me, baby? Don’t worry. I’m not about to let you and your sweet little pussy be lonely.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Fuck! I drop the phone like it’s a snake, but it keeps looking up at me. It’s ready to bite, and I don’t have an antidote.
Chapter Twelve
ABBIE
The soundof little kid laughter bounces around the rink, a chaotic cacophony of noise matching the wild energy itself. It helps pull me out of my swirling thoughts, which haven’t strayed far from that text I got earlier this week. I haven’t been able to shake my anxiety about it completely, but I’ve been telling myself it’s just a text. He doesn’t know where I live. It's been one text since I moved, and he hasn’t sent me anything else.
There’s no reason to let it consume me. No reason to dwell on it. Getting out of my apartment and hanging out with Sophie and the kids will be good for me. It’ll help ease my mind and relax.
All the kids in the rink are around Chase’s age, and not many of them can even stand on skates yet. As Lilah and I walk hand-in-hand toward the stands where Sophie is sitting, I look across the ice in search of Carter and Chase.
When I spot them, I freeze.
Jake is with them.
What? What the hell is he doing here? Panic seizes me and I glance down at Lilah, who’s walking next to me, none the wiser to the potential shitshow we’re heading into.
I thought Jake had a game today and wouldn’t be here. That’s the only reason I felt comfortable agreeing to come with Lilah in the first place. If Jake sees her, I don’t know how he wouldn’t be able to see right away that she’s his.
Pausing, I look around and contemplate just turning around and leaving. No one has to know we were here. I could just text Sophie and say something came up…
“Chase!” Lilah declares excitedly, spotting him through a break in the rink’s boards. She tugs on my hand and urges me forward, and I let out a reluctant sigh and allow myself to be dragged by my toddler.
Carter and Jake are watching Chase as he hesitantly pushes to his feet, his knees wobbly. They don’t seem to have noticed us as we draw near, and I can hear them talking as they focus on Chase.
Chase beams, clearly proud of himself. Carter appears to give him some sort of instruction. “You sure you have time for this?” I hear Carter ask. “It’s game day, right?”
Jake nods. “Yeah, but don’t worry. I don’t have to be back in Boston for another couple of hours. I’m good.”
Oh, God… he’s going to be here the entire time? I’m not mentally prepared for this! And Lilah is with me… what if he clocks how much she looks like him?
Gut twisting with anxiety, I tear my gaze away from them and look toward Sophie, who’s spotted us and is waving her hand over her head with a wide smile on her face. She’s sitting on the bench where one of the teams would usually sit during a match, right next to the ice. Lilah lets go of my hand, rushing toward Sophie and throwing herself into my friend’s open arms for a hug.
“Hey, guys!” Sophie exclaims as she squeezes Lilah to her. “I’m so happy to see you both!”
Grinning, I drop down onto the bench next to her. “How’s it going? Why aren’t you out there skating with the guys?”
Sophie presses her lips together in a pout and lets out a frustrated huff.
“I’ve been accused of being a hovering distraction to Chase,” she grumbles. “Which is rich coming from my husband, who’s been driving me nuts hovering overmebecause being pregnant apparently means I’ve forgotten how to skate.”
I laugh and glance back over at Chase, who is wearing a full body of mini hockey padding.
