Page 48 of Puck Your Bunny

"Thanks. I'm starving." I set the drill down to accept the plate and the water bottle from her. Our fingers brush.

"Are all pro hockey players carpenters on the side?" A teasing smile pulls at the corner of her mouth. She leans her forearm against one of the white columns, watching me take a bite of the sandwich.

"Just the ones who like working with their hands." I swallow the bite, pointing the sandwich toward the porch.

"Hale used to skate for the Coldwater Rooks before an ACL injury forced a retirement. He poured it after his knee surgery healed so he had a flat place to sit." Vayda traces her fingers along the smooth paint of the column.

"Hale Langdon. He played a hell of a game." I take a sip of the cold water, looking up at her.

"He loved the sport." Vayda nods, a quiet pride settling over her features.

"He poured a solid porch, too. I respect his work." I run my hand over the concrete edge.

"You match his craftsmanship. Thanks for doing this for Bren. I need to go get his lunch ready." She steps back toward the door, offering a genuine smile.

"I'll have it ready for a test run after he eats. Go take care of him." I set the half-eaten sandwich on the plate and pick up my drill.

Vayda heads back inside, the door clicking shut behind her.

I lay the rest of the decking boards tight across the angled joists, driving deck screws down to secure them. Since the pressure-treated pine is wet, clamping the boards tight ensures they dry with seamless joints as they shrink. Along the outer edges of the ramp deck, I install raised 2x4 guard boards to serve as a safety curb, keeping the wheels of Brendan's chair on the ramp.

I have a lot of work left to finish before the sun goes down.

A few hours grind by. The mild afternoon sun warms my bare back while my muscles burn with a deep ache. I work fueled bythe leftover adrenaline of last night's milestone and the stubborn need to finish this project today.

Using a circular saw, I cut the tops of the 4x4 posts at the angle of the ramp's incline. I run a clean 2x4 handrail over the top, letting it overhang by eight inches at the bottom. I screw a second, parallel rail to the inside of the posts, creating a double-height grip option for different heights.

I test the stability, shoving my weight against the handrails. The entire structure holds firm, strong enough to keep Brendan's chair secure.

I grab a block of sandpaper from the grass and walk along the length of the new railing, smoothing out the rough edges. I run my bare palm over the wood to make sure it feels flush and safe for Brendan to use. I take extra care on the corners, rounding the angles off.

Wally's SUV pulls into the driveway, the tires crunching over the gravel near the new path. Wally kills the engine, and both doors swing open. He and Simon hop out of the vehicle and walk over to the porch.

"This is massive, Kel. You built this entire thing in an afternoon?" Wally walks up the ramp, stomping his boots to test the stability.

"I had the time." I set the sandpaper down on a step.

"You did a clean job on the joints." Simon runs his hand along the sanded handrail.

"Go inside and see him. I'm going to throw a coat of stain on it to match the house before the sun goes down." I reach for the bucket of deep amber wood stain.

"We'll hang out with him in the living room while you finish up." Wally nods, heading up the steps with Simon.

The front door opens and they head inside, their voices drifting through the screen before the inner door clicks shut.

Once the sanding is complete, I open the bucket of wood stain. I use a wide paintbrush to coat the fresh pine, working the pigment deep into the grain. The rich, warm color transforms the raw lumber, matching the weathered tone of the house. I follow the stain with a clear coat of weather-sealant to shield the wood from rain and snow.

"This is huge, Kel. You built and stained this whole thing in a few hours?" Vayda steps out onto the concrete porch, holding a tall glass of ice water. She stands at the top of the ramp, looking down at the fresh, sealed boards.

"I told you I had the time." I drop the paintbrush into a tin can and walk over to the concrete steps to take the glass from her. Our fingers brush. I down the water in three huge gulps, the freezing liquid hitting the back of my parched throat.

"Slow down, you'll make yourself sick." A teasing smirk plays on her lips.

"I grew up playing hockey in frozen rinks. My body handles ice water fine. I just finished the stain and sealant. It needs to dry, but the frame is ready." I set the empty glass on the concrete porch step.

"They are hanging out with Bren in the living room right now. They told me how solid it feels." Vayda steps off the concrete porch onto the side grass to stand next to me.

"I'm good with my hands, but you already know that." I wink at her with a suggestive smirk.