Page 5 of Ice Darling
Love, a family, kids—none of that is in my future.
I don’t want it.
Not after all I’ve lost.
Chapter Two
Renthrow
“Where’s your daughter?”
I run a hand over my jaw, feeling the brisk sensation of my beard growth filling in. “At home.”
Where I wish I was right now.
“Along with her mother?” The team’s new sponsor stares at me with eyes like a hawk. She’s wearing a red top so bright, it hurts to look at her.
The gaudy outfit and bright red lipstick may fool Max and the team, but I was raised by a powerful force of a woman, so I know an undercover mastermind when I see one. Sasha is the brains of an entire operation, and she’s wearing that bold persona like a costume.
With people like her, nothing should be taken at face value.
I choose my words carefully. “She’s with her grandma right now. I came to pick up our orders.”
Her smile sharpens a bit as if she can tell that I’m onto her game. Slowly, her eyes dip to my naked ring finger.
It’s a dead giveaway.
I haven’t worn a wedding ring for half a decade, and I don’t plan to wear one again—much to the chagrin of all the old ladies in Lucky Falls who want to marry off their daughters to the town’s youngest single dad.
For a moment, Sasha stares at me like she wants to press the matter, but then she backs off.
The tension in my shoulders releases.
Crisis averted, for now.
Max clears his throat and starts up another conversation. I wish he’d done that three minutes ago when I was getting grilled.
I drum my fingers on the table and glance over my shoulder to the bar. Mauve and the other servers are speeding back and forth from the kitchen to the crowd. They look stressed. It’s game night. Awinninggame night at that, and the entire town is out celebrating.
Service will be slow for a while.
“Hey! Another round of drinks for our boys!” a patron yells.
Someone brings a tray over. The entire bar roars with shouts and applause as our table buckles under the weight of yet one more load of ice-cold beers.
I slide the mugs down to Theilan and Watson who eagerly accept the glasses and down copious amounts of alcohol with enthusiasm.
I’d join them for a drink if I didn’t have to drive, but Gordie’s waiting for me, and I’m not getting behind the wheel of a truck drunk.
My plan was to slip into The Tuna and hunker down at the bar with some root beer until my daughter’s chicken nuggets were plated and bagged. I knew it was going to be a long wait. But now that Max roped me into joining their table, we’re the center of attention, and time seems to be crawling.
“Where onearthis Cordelia?” the new sponsor mutters, glancing down at her diamond-studded watch and then up at the door.
Instinctively, I glance around too. Yeah…whereisthe “cool lady” my daughter can’t stop talking about lately?
I can’t say I’m disappointed by her absence. Sitting across from the new mechanic after her little…prank? Game? What do you call it when a total stranger grabs your arm and tries to pass you off as her boyfriend?
I don’t know.
