CHAPTER 7
Arwyn
Z aki got his hat trick, and Xavier scored as well. The Edge won 5-3, and it was cool to watch the plastic and stuffed birds rain down on the ice. Hockey was definitely more exciting than I anticipated. And whew—the lingo! At times it felt like the announcers were speaking another language. The next time I streamed a game, I’d have to ask Isla and Amelie what all those words meant. We could make a game of it: I could say what I think it meant and they could correct me. Giggles all around. Like, why is it called a hat trick? I smiled, thinking of all the hats that rained down after Zaki’s third goal. I never would have guessed it meant three goals in the same game.
For the first time since Tasha suggested this harebrained idea, I felt like it was going to work. Isla and Amelie loved their rooms, and as Zaki and I stood in the playroom watching them put away their things Tuesday afternoon, the pups looking on from their cozy spot in the recliner, the tension in my shoulders lifted.
“Digging the outfit,” Zaki praised me. “You look very … governess.”
“Daddy, she’s dressed like Young Elsa!” Isla popped her head up from the bin of dolls she was setting on a shelf. “Long blue wool skirt with black ribbon trim. Matching short jacket and a white shirt with a fluffy collar. Black boots. You remember. From the movie?”
“Ah, right. How could I forget?”
I held back the urge to reveal I’d had this outfit for years, wore it often, and didn’t make it as an inspirational piece from the movie.
“Do you think they’ll be okay alone up here?” I asked. “I could sleep on the sofa on the nights you’re not here.”
“They’ll be fine, Wynna-bun. And they’ve got Laffy and Vennie to look after them.” The dogs yipped at the mention of their names, and Zaki grinned. “See?” He draped his arm over my shoulders. I shivered in response and looked up at him, surprised by the ease of the gesture.
And the fact that I wasn’t hating it.
“How, um, do they like school so far?” The twins had started kindergarten at Palmer City Academy yesterday.
“They loved it. Thanks for the recommendation. Did you know Trask’s stepdaughter Ryleigh goes there? They saw her getting dropped off and ran up to her. She had them under her wing and introduced to all the fifth graders before I could catch up.”
“That’s wonderful,” I replied. I turned my gaze to the very large hand resting atop my right shoulder.
I’d never seen hands that big. I’d made the mittens for his costume, and they nearly reached my elbow when I tried them on.
Hands were funny things. Useful, yet also designed to comfort others.
Zaki Marsch’s hand on my shoulder was comforting indeed.
“So,” I said, very much uncomfortable with the pauses in our conversation. “Your schedule this week. Here tonight, tomorrow, and Friday, game Thursday, con Saturday, flying out Sunday?”
“You forgot skating Sunday,” he teased.
“Right. Okay. Um, I guess I’ll go start dinner, then?”
“I can help.”
I looked at him skeptically. “Your personal chef has already been by to drop off all your prepped meals for the rest of the week. I can handle ziti and meatballs for the girls and I.”
He grinned down at me. “Okay, then. I guess I’ll play moose with the girls.”
“Moose!” Amelie called. “Yay!”
I twisted out from under his arm and backed away as he dropped down to his hands and knees. Amelie set a reindeer headband on his head and climbed onto his back as he made a deep yet squeaky moosey call.
It was the sweetest thing I ever saw in my life. I covered my smile with my hand as Isla found a strip of jingle bells and fastened them around his neck. Zaki looked back at me and winked.
My cheeks flamed for reasons I didn’t want to unpack, and I retreated down the stairs as fast as my much shorter legs could carry me.
Saturday morning came quick. We’d settled into a daily routine, with and without Zaki. He came and went as his schedule allowed.
The girls were surprisingly independent and capable for five and a half years old. They woke up to an alarm and got themselves dressed and ready for school. I helped with their hair, and they ate the breakfast the chef left for them. I walked them to school, walked home, worked until three o’clock, walked back to the school, walked them home, and played with them for an hour or so before they did their homework or other such activity in the kitchen while I prepared dinner. Then they’d take showers and we’d watch a movie together before bedtime.
Laffy and Vennie were adjusting, too. Well, it was more like I was adjusting to them. Sweet little things. They were quiet but mostly under my feet when I was home alone. If I was reading on the couch, one was on my lap and the other was behind my head. They’d run into the kitchen when their food was automatically dispensed by Zaki’s app. They drank from a water fountain plugged into the wall, which I kept full. I disposed of their puppy pads as needed, laid out fresh ones, and gave them treats.
It was nice having company in the house. Sometimes, you don’t realize how lonely you’ve been until you’re around people you miss when they’re not there.
The hours of 9a.m. to 3p.m. had never been quieter in the history of quiet days.
Yesterday, I’d spent the morning zhuzhing up my Snow Queen dress, adding pale blue gems and snowflake appliques to the bodice and gloves.
I helped the girls get dressed for the con when Zaki called on his way home from practice and finished just as he pulled into the driveway. I told them to wait at the top of the steps until he came inside so they could make their grand entrance down the main stairs.
I excused myself to get ready. I was adding the finishing touches to my eye makeup—sparkly blue glitter and ridiculous false eyelashes—when I heard a knock, followed by the barks of Laffy and Vennie as they rocketed down the stairs to greet their master as he entered the house.
From the other side of my bedroom door, I listened in to the show. I could picture him bowing to the girls, praising their appearances, and calling them “Your Highness Majesties”—because he couldn’t decide which title he liked better.
“Wynna-bun, you ready?” Zaki called when the giggle fest had died down. “Kristoff the Head Ice Maker of Arendelle is here to escort you to his sleigh-van-thing.”
“Daddy! It’s just a sleigh! Stay in character!”
I laughed and pulled the door open. “Ready!”
Zaki’s eyes widened, which I will admit felt nice. It wasn’t often my appearance had a positive effect on the opposite gender. They usually wrote me off as a weirdo for my untrendy, old-fashioned ensembles. I smiled wide, but it was more for him than from his reaction. The blond wig and clean-shaven face made him look like a caricature of his younger self, and it was adorable.
“Wynnie, you’re so pretty!” Amelie breathed.
“Stunning, truly stunning! Isn’t she stunning, Daddy?” Isla asked.
Anxious to rescue Zaki from having to respond, I blurted, “That’s a great use of our Word of the Day, Isla, but I don’t think?—”
“Nope, don’t think so,” Zaki agreed.
My heart sank. Also, rude.
“But Daddy?—”
“I know so, Isla.” He blew at a lock of blond Kristoff hair. “The definition of stunning, for sure.”
“Elsa! I’m Elsa today. Stay in character, Daddy!”
“Extremely impressive or attractive,” Amelie recited. “Yes, it fits.”
“Thank you, Anna ,” I said in my best Mary Poppins tone. “Now, shall we go?”
The con was in a hotel convention center outside Denver, and we passed the ride there singing along to the Frozen soundtracks. Despite my protests that I was tone-deaf, they assigned me the part of Olaf, and we all sang our parts. And wow, could Zaki sing! Tasha had mentioned his karaoke performances were legendary, and after hearing him sing “Lost in the Woods,” I was tempted to leave my house at night to see him on a makeshift stage at some bar.
“You should’ve added big black buttons to your dress,” Zaki teased after I sang my heart out—a bit off-key—to “In Summer.”
“But Daddy, we have?—”
“Yeah, I know we have an Olaf, but Laffy can’t sing, Isla,” Zaki protested.
“Elsa!”
“Right!”
I didn’t know what I was expecting, but after five minutes in the vendor hall, I found myself wondering why I’d never been to an event like this. Sure, I’d custom-made special-order gowns for conventions, but it never sounded like anything I’d enjoy. Booth after booth of pretty dresses and dolls and toys and games and art…
This was Nerd Heaven. Not a hedonistic parade of scantily clad dragon ladies or painted superheroes in skintight suits. This was … This was…
“Amazing,” I murmured.
“Having a good time then?” Zaki asked as we stepped in line behind the girls at a cotton candy cart.
“The best,” I replied sincerely. “It’s not what I expected at all.”
“There’s a dress code and a long list of banned items,” Zaki supplied. “The other ones are probably more along the lines of what you were expecting. I wouldn’t bring the girls to those.”
“I—” I pressed my lips shut. I had wondered how or if he’d shield the twins from things that were inappropriate. “I’m glad.”
Zaki handed Amelie a credit card, which she presented to the vendor. “Four, please!”
I narrowed my gaze at him. “Is that allowed? What will Chef think?” I teased.
He took the paper cone Amelie handed up to him and plucked off a huge cloud of spun sugar. “I’ll skate it off tomorrow at your hockey lesson.”
“Hmm.” Amelie handed me my cone, and I picked off a small chunk of blue from the top. “Well, I guess I can too, then.” I pushed the treat into my mouth and smiled.
“You’ve got—” Zaki pointed to my face.
My fingers flew to my lips, in search of the spun sugar that dared to stick to my face. But I didn’t feel anything.
“May I?” he asked.
I nodded and held my breath.
He grinned, and his thumb brushed against my … nose? I jumped back at the shock, and this time I was sure it was a static charge.
“How in the world?” I used my free hand to lightly swipe my face, just to make sure it was all gone.
He shrugged. “It matched your eye shadow.”
“Its only redeeming quality.” I laughed.
Hours later, as we drove back to my house, the girls asleep in their booster seats, I watched Zaki drive, softly singing along to 1980s rock ballads.
There was more to this guy than I ever could have imagined.
And I might’ve fallen a little bit in love with him today.