Page 27 of Home Ice

That almost makes me laugh. “The kind that will give you twenty laps next session if you decide to be a smart-ass.”

“I don’t think it’s a conscious decision, if that helps.”

“It doesn’t. That’s definitely worse.”

Kasen huffs a laugh that he immediately swallows when we reach Hawke. It’s so odd to see them together, and it makes all their similarities and differences so much more obvious. Their faces somehow look nothing alike, but spookily close.

“Hey, Dad,” Kasen says in the same kind of tone he’d use if he’d called Hawke an asshole.

“Hey, uh …”

“My name’s Kasen. Remember?”

“I know that.” Hawke’s cheeks flush a frustrated red. “I didn’t know if I was supposed to call you son, or bud, or kid, or …”

I give him eyes to shut the fuck up.

“My name is Kasen,” he repeats, slowly, like Hawke didn’t understand him the first time. And I don’t blame Hawke for looking off-balance because Kasen is being stone-cold.

“Right. Kasen.” Hawke fixes his broad smile back onto his face, like he’s determined to save the conversation. “Training went well.”

“It always does.”

“Your butterfly is looking good.”

“Still slow. Why are you here?”

“I wanted to come and see you.” At least Hawke isn’t backing down. He gets points for that. “We’ve got a lot of missed time to catch up on, and I wanted to get to it right away.”

This time, Kasen’s the one who doesn’t know what to say.

“Go shower and change,” Hawke says. “Then meet me out front. I’ve got something for you.”

“I don’t want anything.”

“Change. Then if you hate it, I’ll take it back.”

Kasen sends me a quizzical look.

“I have no idea where this is going,” I admit.

Without another word, Kasen heads toward the hall to the changerooms, already an impressive form in his secondhand goalie pads. I might have told him to have a backup plan for hockey, but that was only because injuries are so prevalent. If he can stay healthy, there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll go pro. Some people just have it. Like him and Hawke.

Then there are people like me who have to work hard to be as good as they are naturally.

As soon as he’s out of earshot, I turn my attention to Hawke.

“What the hell have you done?”

My lack of enthusiasm doesn’t dull his. “You’ll see. He’s going to have the coolest dad out of all his friends.”

“That doesn’t fill me with confidence.”

“It doesn’t need to. This is going to be great. Trust me.”

Chapter Nine

JENSEN