He hauled me into a back-slapping hug, and I could already tell he was moving better than when I’d seen him last. Relief swept through me at that. He was okay. And that meant he’d be back on the competitive ice where he belonged in no time.
Teddy released me and turned to the tiny human staring up at him slack-jawed. “You must be Luca. I’ve heard you’re amazing on the ice.”
Luca’s mouth closed, then opened, then closed again. “You’re Teddy Jackson. The Lightning. Am I dreaming right now?” He rubbed at his eyes as if to check.
Teddy chuckled, giving me a slap to the stomach. “Why can’tyougive me this kind of greeting?”
I grinned at Luca. “Good surprise?”
“The best!” He whirled to Teddy. “Cope told you about me?”
“Won’t shut up about you, kid. Says you’re a star in the making.”
Luca’s head jerked back in my direction, but his voice went quiet. “You said that? Really?”
God, this kid was going to kill me. “I did, and I only speak the truth.”
Luca stayed silent for a moment and then hurled himself at me, arms wrapping around my waist in a fierce hug. My arms went around him in answer, holding him close.
My gaze met Teddy’s over Luca’s head, and he mouthed,“You are so fucked.”
I already knew it because, less than two weeks in my house, and I already couldn’t remember what the place had been like without them. And that was seriously messed up. Because after that first night in the kitchen, Sutton hadn’t shown me any signs of interest. It was as if she’d built up her walls again and reinforced them with the world’s strongest steel.
But she’d made one fatal error. She hadn’t taken into account that I knew what it took to break down barriers. No matter how bruised and bloodied the battle made me, I never gave up. Especially when the light at the end of the tunnel was her.
Coach Kenner’s whistle blew,and four kids raced across the ice. Luca was second from the left and paired with three others who had two to four years on him. It didn’t matter. Halfway to the other end of the rink, he was already pulling ahead.
“Damn, man. You weren’t kidding. That little dude has a gift,” Teddy muttered, not taking his eyes off Luca.
“I know. If he sticks with it, he’ll go all the way for sure.”
“How’s his mom feel about that?”
I chuckled, remembering how Sutton had called the old hockey game we’d watched the other night abrutal bloodbath. “Hockey’s a little violent for her taste. She would’ve preferred Luca picked something like golf.”
Teddy’s nose wrinkled as if he’d smelled something bad. “Golf? That would be cruel and unusual punishment.”
“You’re preaching to the choir. Just don’t tell Marcus that.” That douche canoelovedgolf.
Teddy barked out a laugh. “That’s what happens when you grow up with a hockey god for a dad. You get into all those ritzy hobbies. I’m gonna get him one of those hats with a pom-pom on it as a preseason gift.”
I shook my head, my lips twitching. “I’d pay good money to see that.”
The four campers raced back toward us, but Luca was already at least ten yards ahead. He sailed past us, abruptly stopping on the edges of his skates. He still took a tumble occasionally, but he was getting better and better at staying on his feet.
“Little dude!” Teddy yelled. “That was freaking sick.”
At least he hadn’t dropped an F-bomb. Coach Kenner had already needed to give Teddy more than a few warnings about his language, and I saw Evelyn Engel glaring at us from the sidelines.Hell.
I high-fived the other skaters before making it over to Luca. Teddy was hunched down, talking shop with him, giving him a few pointers on his turns and stops. Luca came alive under the lesson, his eyes alight as he moved in a turn to check that he was understanding. I loved that Teddy had given him this because, while I was fast, Teddy was the speed master. If anyone could make Luca the best of the best, it was him.
Luca grinned up at me, revealing a tooth just starting to grow into the hole from his missing incisor. “Can we stay after and practice a little more?”
“You’ve been skating for hours. Aren’t you tired?” I asked, amusement lacing my tone as we skated to the boards.
Luca shook his head. “I could skate forever!”
Teddy chuckled. “Maybe you could, but I’m starved, and I heard your mom has the best bakery around. Think you could give me a tour and tell me the best things to get?”
