Page 17 of Small Town, Big Storm

Butonlya heartbeat because then Holly’s grabbing his free hand and nodding to Chloe.“Great!Let’s go!I want to do the big slide at least ten times.”

“The big slide?”Chloe says, her tone awed.

“Uh-huh.”A look at Storm.“Are you gonna do the big slide too?”

“I—” He pauses to stow his wallet and snag his ice cream.“Maybe I’ll watch you do it first.”

“That’s a good idea.”She starts for the door, then stops and looks back at me.“Is that okay, Mom?”

My heart is racing, and my stomach is twisting itself into knots, but I nod, glad part of our earlier talk about not running off without me seems to have stuck.“Yeah, baby.”

“I’m not a baby.”

Finn chuckles.

“No, you’re not,” I say.“But you’ll always bemybaby.”I nod toward the door before she can give me the business—or more of it, anyway.“I’m right behind you.”

“Um,” Finn begins as she grabs some napkins and her own ice cream.

“Don’t,” I order softly as we follow them outside.“Go and do your blanket selling thing.I’ve got this.”

“You know,” she says just as quietly.“I’ve never doubted you before today, but…if that’s who I think it is?—”

“Don’t,” I say again, more firmly.I can already hear the whispers, can already feel the gazes on me.Theknowinggazes.“I—” I close my eyes.This will be over soon.Then he’ll be gone and I can go back to normal.“I can’t do this right now,” I whisper.“I…justcan’t.”

She falls silent.

Then squeezes my arm, her tone gentle.“Okay, babe,” she says.“But I can keep Chloe with me if?—”

“God no,” I mutter.“I need all the distractions I can muster.Go, be successful.Sell out of your gorgeous creations.I’m going to do the big slide.”Despite the circumstances, my lips twitch.“Like ten times.”

“I hear it’s fast,” Finn quips.

“The fastest,” I quip back.

She laughs and hugs me.Then steps back, turning for Bits & Bobs and her booth at the monthly craft fair.

“Finish your ice cream,” she orders.“You’re going to need it.”

Six

Storm

“Push me higher, Mom!”I hear as I shove myself down the twisting disaster that’s thebig slide.

My back protests and my knees crackle and it’s reminded me I need to get my ass back in the gym.

And even as I’m thinking that, I’m wondering what the point is.

Why I’m still playing.Why I care.What it all means.

I could retire now, could live off the interest of my savings for the rest of my life, could?—

Do what?

Theoretically, I’ll see a few more decades, maybe even more than that, considering how long my dad lived even while doing his best to pickle his liver.

So, I’ll just be done with hockey and what?