Page 52 of Icing on Top

“She was drafted by the Boston Rebels, but…” He hesitated before seemingly coming to some sort of decision, his head shaking almost imperceptibly. “That’s her story to tell.”

Chapter 21

Zoe

Charlie started slowing down on me, her reflexes not as sharp. I would happily call it a night and retire to the fire. My toes were numb, either from the cold and my lack of warm socks or from skating so much. Most likely, a combination of the two.

“What do you say we go warm up by the fire?” I suggested.

“Okay,” Charlie agreed, panting slightly.

We skated over to the seats at the edge of the rink where we’d left our boots. I dreaded the thought of slipping on my cold boots that had spent the last hour or so sitting in the snow, but the idea of getting to curl up by the fire—hopefully with Miah—was enough motivation to get me moving. I tried to be quick, so my feet spent as little time out in the elements as possible. Then I moved to help Charlie who was still struggling to untie the laces of her skates with her gloved fingers.

When we returned to the fire, we found Aunt Peg waiting with a blanket for Charlie.

“I was just about to head up to the house for some hot chocolate. Would you like to join me?”

Charlie perked up right away. “Yes, please!”

Aunt Peg draped the wool blanket around her shoulders and then took her hand to lead her back to the house.

Uncle Cal whipped around in his seat. “Did you say hot chocolate?”

He didn’t even wait for confirmation before hurrying after his wife.

“I’ll bring you two a couple mugs,” he called over his shoulder.

I shook my head affectionately and then claimed his spot, the seat blissfully warm from him sitting in it since we’d gotten outside. The sound of three pairs of boots crunching through the snow slowly faded until there was the tell-tale creak of the back door opening and closing.

Noticing movement from the corner of my eye, I turned to find Miah scooting his chair closer to mine.

“Hi,” he grinned cheekily.

Why was he so damn cute? Charlie sure came by it honestly.

“Hi. Uncle Cal didn’t talk your ear off, did he?”

Miah shook his head. “I fully enjoyed the conversation.”

When he held out his hand, I took it all too eagerly, craving any touch I could get from him. Bonus points if it brought feeling back to my frozen fingers. If the others weren’t planning on coming back, I would have totally climbed into his lap to soak up his warmth. I’d have to just settle for the fire and his hand for now.

He was silent as he absently played with my fingers, seemingly focused on them before his eyes flicked back up to me.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d been drafted for the PWHL?” he asked, his voice soft as falling snow. But his question shot through my chest like a shard of ice.

Now I was the one staring at our intertwined fingers, unable to look into his golden eyes lest he see more than I was ready to show him.

“Because I didn’t even make it to training camp.”

Miah was quiet next to me, allowing me to process my thoughts and decide what to share. Just like he had done earlier in the dining room. The thing was, I didn’t know how to open up about it when I was still so disappointed in myself. But this was Miah I was talking to. I knew he’d never make me feel bad and never to the extent I made myself feel.

“A couple weeks before camp, I went hiking with Jada and Levi. We didn’t pay attention to how long the trail was, and by the time we turned around, the sun was already setting.”

I sank further back into my seat as if I could hide away from the memories if I just made myself small enough.

“We entered an area of the forest where it was darker, and I took a misstep.” I swallowed thickly. I could see the looming shadows of the trees as if they were right in front of me. Could feel the scrape of their roots and the rocks that held them to the mountainside. “I slid down the side of a big drop and broke my femur halfway down.”

I could still hear the snap. Hear Jada’s scream from above. It hadn’t hurt at first, I was completely numb, and then it hit me; white hot and blinding pain.