Page 95 of Banter & Blushes #1

ZAKI

A fter dropping the girls off at camp on Thursday, Arwyn and I were just short of the main lodge when my phone rang. The Swan Lake tone signaled the call was from Viki, my ex-wife.

“You should take that,” Arwyn said. “I’ll meet you inside.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Viki and I had a good relationship post-divorce, and she and Arwyn had gotten connected through video calls with the girls. When Viki’s schedule allowed, she joined us via video chat for the nightly bedtime readings.

“Hey, Zak. Just two quick things. I know you’re busy.”

“It’s fine. What’s up?” It was unusual for her to call; she almost always texted, so I knew this had to be important.

“Did you sign with Montreal yet?”

I let out a frustrated breath through my nose. “Not yet,” I said shortly. “But I will. I told you, they’re still working out details. I?—”

“Don’t.”

Huh? Had I heard her right? “What do you mean, ‘don’t’?”

“Don’t sign with them, Zaki. Stay in Colorado. You love it there, and they need you. There’s no way you’ll even get close to winning a Stanley Cup with the Saints. I?—”

I cut her off and tried to keep my tone even.

“Some things are more important than winning a Stanley Cup. Like my kids. No chance I’m signing any contract that keeps me away from them.

Last fall was the worst time of my life with the girls in Montreal with you while I stayed in Colorado.

And you know what that feels like, because they haven’t lived with you since December. ”

“I know. I’ve done a lot of thinking over the last month.

Lauren and Jason visited with their kids last weekend, and I realized how much I missed them and all my friends in Colorado.

We practically grew up there, you and me.

This last year, being home … It’s not the same as it was before we left.

All last fall, the girls told me more times than I could count how much they missed Denver.

I couldn’t have imagined they’d feel displaced at only five years old.

It was all they knew. Their friends are there, their ballet school, everyone they know and feel safe with.

And Arwyn has her business there. It makes more sense for me to go back than for all of you to uproot your life on my account. ”

I leaned back against the lodge, stunned. “Are you serious?” My tone was soft, laced with hope, vulnerable. This was the last thing I’d expected.

“I am. Lauren told me about the townhouses under construction in her neighborhood. It’s equal distance from Palmer City to Denver. Only thirty minutes to the girls’ school. Isla and Amelie are my world, too, Zaki, and I want them to be happy most of all.”

“Wow. I—I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll call your agent and restart talks with the Edge.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I will.” I sank to the ground and stared out into the trees. My head felt foggy, like I was in a dream.

“One more thing,” Viki said.

“Yeah?”

“My parents feel weird about going to your wedding Sunday. Can you call them and tell them they’re being ridiculous?”

“Why do they feel weird?” I’d moved in with Viki and her family to play hockey when I was sixteen. Our moms were best friends, having been roommates in college. I was just as close to her parents as I was to my own.

“Zak, if you can’t figure that out on your own … Never mind. Just please call them again and tell them how much you’re looking forward to seeing them and that the girls miss them, whatever you need to say. They should be there.”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

“Call your agent first.”

“’Kay. Vik?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

I ended the call and pulled myself to my feet, walking in a daze to the dining room. Before I called my agent, I needed to know what Arwyn thought.

She was sipping blueberry iced tea when I sank into the chair across from her. “I have some big news.” I quickly filled her in.

Her eyes went wide as I relayed the conversation. “And you’re sure she won’t change her mind?” Arwyn asked .

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. But maybe I should wait on signing anything until she buys a place?”

Arwyn reached for my hand. “Whatever you decide, I’m with you.”

“I know.”

After breakfast, we headed to the stables for a trail ride and picnic lunch. The shady uphill path through the trees was lined with evergreens and white birch. The scent of the ocean blended with the pines, creating a fragrance that I was growing to love.

Up ahead, the weather-distressed red barn and fenced-in paddock were quiet, unlike the other day when we picked up the girls. As we drew closer, a pregnant woman with a long brown ponytail emerged, followed by Jamie and Rodeo.

“Hi!” she greeted us. “I’m Kat Crane. You must be Arwyn and Zaki?”

I nodded. “We are. Hey, Jamie.”

The boy grinned. “Uncle Easton and me got your horses saddled. Buttons for you.” He pointed to Arwyn. “And Elvis for you.” He pointed to me.

“I can’t wait,” I said.

“We selected the horses based on the riding experience you shared in your waivers,” Kat explained. “It’s not an exact science, so if you require a change, we can bring a different horse out to you.”

She motioned for us to follow her as a tall, bearded man in a western hat led an impressive black horse out of the barn. Jamie ran to him to take the reins, and he disappeared back inside.

Kat gestured to the horse. “The picnic lunch you ordered is in the pack strapped to Elvis here. Buttons will be out in just a minute. She’s got a blanket on her back. The trail map is on the CW app, as is our contact info should need any assistance.”

“Thanks,” Arwyn said.

I looked into the barn. Six stalls on each side at this end of it. Tack room, office and supply area farther down. “Nice stables.”

“We like ’em,” Kat said with a smile.

We mounted our horses, and I gestured for Arwyn to lead the way to the trailhead.

The trail itself was too narrow to ride side by side, but I didn’t mind.

Watching Arwyn ride had me grinning like a fool.

I’d convinced her to buy a pair of jeans just for this purpose.

She rarely wore pants, always dressing in old-fashioned or ultra-feminine dresses.

I loved her style, but when she realized her old riding pants would need to be replaced, I suggested jeans instead.

She’d get more wear out of them—potentially.

The trail wound upward through the back of the property and opened into a meadow. “Hitching post over there.” Arwyn pointed.

I pulled up next to her and dismounted. She swung her leg around and over Buttons’s back, and I was right there when her feet hit the ground.

Taking her hand, I tugged her to a nearby tree and backed her up against its ample trunk.

Before she could protest, I rested my arm on the tree above her with my palm flat against the bark, and bent to kiss her, using my free hand to trail my finger along her cheekbone and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

Just a quick brush of my lips, but I wasn’t done yet.

“We’re alone,” I said huskily. “Like really alone.”

Arwyn replied in a singsong voice. “Whatever shall we do about it?”

“I can think of a few things.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mm-hmm.” I nuzzled her nose.

“Like what?” She maneuvered her head, trying to catch my lips.

I pulled away. “Collect berries. Climb trees. Picnic lunch.”

She smirked. “Or?”

I twisted us around so that my back was against the tree now.

She melted into me and sighed. I took the opportunity to pull off her sun hat and reach for the hair claw that held her auburn waves on top of her head.

I tossed the hat like a Frisbee, clipped her claw to the hem of my shirt, and ran my fingers through her silky hair.

“I can’t think of anything else.” I rubbed the scruff on my chin, pretending to think.

“I can.” She cupped my face in her hands. “Can you guess?”

“Maybe. But I’ll hear your ideas.”

“If you stop teasing me.”

I grinned. “But I like teasing you.”

She laughed. “Oh, I know. Close your eyes.”

“I prefer to keep them open.” I planted a kiss on her nose.

“Then I guess there’s nothing to do but pick berries and?—”

“Okay.” My arms closed around her, and I cut off her sentence with a light kiss on the tip of her nose. Her eyelids fluttered as her hands found my hair, and only then did I close my own eyes, wanting to block out the nature sounds around us so I could concentrate fully on Arwyn.

Gone were the snorts of the horses, the tweedles of the birds, and the rustling of the leaves. The soft touch of her lips, her rose-scented hair, the tickle of flyaway strands against my neck, the way we fit against each other … It all consumed me.

Until the sound of kids singing pulled us from each other, and we reluctantly headed back to the horses. A camp group passed by us and continued up the trail as we collected the picnic lunch and blanket from Elvis and Buttons.

I followed Arwyn into the meadow, where she spread the blanket over the tall, lush grass, next to a sprinkling of wildflowers.

“The pink and purple are lupines,” she said. “The yellow ones are goldenrod, and that’s Queen Anne’s lace next to the daisies.”

I sank onto the blanket next to her and began to unpack the soft-sided thermal cooler. “Flowers 101,” I teased as I passed her the hand sanitizer. “Will there be a quiz? ”

She nodded as she rubbed her hands with the gel. “High stakes. A kiss for each correct answer.”

“I should study, then.”

Arwyn laughed. “You do that. Oooh! Blueberries!” She opened the container and popped a few into her mouth. “They’re so sweet here. Small, but sweet.”

“Like you,” I cooed. “Teeny and delicious.” Her giggle was music to my ears as I quickly sanitized my hands and scooped up a handful of blueberries. “Open wide!’

“You’re going to—oh!” A blueberry hit the tip of her nose. She caught it on the bounce in her hands.

“I am,” I said. “Try again?”

“If you insist.” She parted her lips and tilted her head back. I lobbed a blueberry toward her, and it hit its target.