She definitely would’ve chosen to do it by herself, for sure, but she wouldn’t havepreferredit. “Today was fun. And the help lifted a huge weight from my shoulders.”
He stopped walking and studied her before holding his hand out flat near the top of her head, squeezing one eye shut like he was trying to gauge her height. “I can tell. You’re taller now than when I arrived.”
She chuckled, then met his eyes. “Thank you for everything today.” Her voice seemed to come out with all the sincerity she was feeling.
He held her gaze for a long moment. Long enough that something really sparked between them. And something was happening to her heart. She was falling hard. And then the man glanced at her lips and something happened to her stomach, too. And suddenly, all she could think of was kissing this man. Grabbing him by the coat and planting her lips on his.
But then he reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and pressed the button to unlock his car. Then he gave her that smile that was melting her just a bit more each time and opened her door. So she gave him a smile right back and got inside.
twelve
CONNOR
Connor walkedwith Katie onto her parents’ front yard, which was not only covered in a layer of crunchy snow but was filled with decorations. In the midst of the decorations sat a couple of tables, and people in coats stood around, socializing. At a quick glance, it looked like everyone who was at the Santa Hat activity earlier in the week was present, plus a few extras.
“I’m sorry that I’m having you go from spending all day in a cold apartment to spending all evening in the cold outdoors.”
“You do remember that I hang out on ice for a living?”
Katie laughed. “So I guess you’re used to it.”
“Yeah, don’t worry about me.”
“Still, we should get hot chocolate first.”
As they neared the hot chocolate table, Katie sucked in a quick breath. “I did tell you that caroling is part of the hay ride, right?”
“No.”
She grimaced. “Sorry about that. Can you sing?”
“Well? No.Enthusiastically? Yes. Mostly, I’ve learned that if you do anything enthusiastically, people will forgive it not being done well.”
She smiled. She’d asked the universe for a man who would serenade her, even if he couldn’t sing. It sounded like the universe answered. “You and my gran-gran would’ve gotten along well.”
Mr. and Mrs. Allred were behind the table, ladling hot chocolate into cups. Connor shook Reid’s hand and thanked both he and Elizabeth for inviting him, once again, into their family traditions. He also verified that it was still okay that he come to spend the three days he had off hockey for Christmas with them. The closer it got, the more grateful he was to have a place to go. Before long, he had a cinnamon caramel hot chocolate in his hand that was even better than the stuff that Laura had overnighted to him along with his essentials.
As another family walked toward them, Katie said, “I think you’ve met all of my family. And this is my brother-in-law Jack’s sister, Rachel, and her husband, Nick. These are their kids Aiden and Holly. And this sweet little girl,” she said, bending down to ruffle the fur at the sides of the neck of a rough collie that looked like she could be Lassie, “is Rosy.”
“Oh, hey,” Aiden said, “I saw you on TV!” He looked to his mom. “He was the one on TV, right?” Then he turned and called out louder, “Grandpa, is this guy on your team?”
“He sure is, buddy.”
“Hi,” Connor said, holding his hand out to the little boy. “I’m Connor Greene.”
Aiden, who looked like he might be seven, grinned at him. “I liked watching you play. It made me want to play hockey, too.”
Forget making it to the playoffs. Comments like that made him feel as though he had the best job in the world. “That makes me happy to hear.”
The big black lab that he’d seen at Allred’s home during the Santa Hat activity came over to Aiden, and Aiden startedrubbing the sides of her neck. Then Katie asked, “How is Bailey doing?”
“She’s doing so good,” Holly said. “She had five ofthe cutestlittle puppies. I’m talking like the cutest puppies on the entire planet.”
“They really are,” Katie said to Connor. “I got to see them a few days ago.” Then she pulled out her video camera. “I better start filming.”
She shadowed him as he chatted with everyone for a bit. The day was already long, but it had been a good one. He bonded with some of his teammates more this afternoon arranging flowers, of all things, than he had since he’d first stepped foot in Denver.
He felt like he’d bonded with Katie more, too. He never would’ve guessed he would’ve liked making floral centerpieces or bridesmaid bouquets, but he’d had fun doing something so out of the ordinary with her. He suspected he would have fun doing pretty much anything with her.
