Page 44 of You, Again
“Hey, you,” Nolan called out. “We’ll be done in ten minutes. Hang tight.”
She gave him a thumbs-up and sat, swinging her legs on the bench, idly watching the teens on the ice.
“Skate lesson?”
“No, we’re going book shopping. I’m making up for being an absentee uncle lately.”
I didn’t comment on Nolan’s tendency to compensate for perceived shortcomings. He gave a hundred percent to his family and his business and even made time to coach pro bono. He didn’t seem to do anything just for himself without countering it by doing a good deed for someone else. Interesting.
And in this instance, it was kind of my fault. No apologies here, but it was definitely worth noting.
“MK, where’re your blades?” I asked, my voice echoing off the walls.
She shook her head, jostling her glasses from her nose. “I didn’t bring them.”
I skated to the bench to avoid a yelling conversation and held my hand up for a high five. “Too bad. I was hoping we could do some shooting. I heard you’re pretty good.”
She looked mildly surprised. “Who told you that?”
“Your dad. What are you and your uncle up to?”
“We’re going to the bookstore and to get ice cream too.”
“Lucky. What book are you gonna get?” I leaned on the board.
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Something with dragons, I think. Or maybe the first Narnia book.”
“How many are in the set?”
“Seven, but I don’t want to be greedy.”
I couldn’t relate. I’d always been a greedy bastard, even as a kid. “Hmm. How many books do you think you could read this summer and still have time for fun?”
“Readingisfun,” MK insisted, wiggling on the bench.
“Yeah, okay, but if you’ve got forty-five days before school starts and you wanted to spend some of that time watching movies or hanging out with friends…how many books could you read?”
“Thirty. Maybe thirty-five.”
She giggled when my eyebrows shot to my hairline. I wanted to joke that I’d never read that many books in my life, but I doubted she’d be amused.
“Wow.” I rubbed my bearded jaw thoughtfully. “Is this bookstore you’re going to any good?”
“Yes! It’s gigantic. They have everything! If you haven’t been, you should come with us.”
“That might be cool.” I glanced over at Nolan and the juniors. “Hey, I have a crazy idea. Actually, I think it’s straight-up bribery, but I can’t resist. I’ll buy all the books you can carry if you show me your shooting skills.”
She tilted her heart-shaped chin and squinted. “For real?”
“Yeah. I don’t want to butt in on your adventure with Nol, but I could drive separately and hook you up with half your summer’s worth of reading.”
Nolan skated up just then and squeezed his niece’s shoulder in greeting.
“We’re done for the day. Did you want to say anything to the boys before we let them go?” He blew his whistle when I shook my head, and turned back to MK and me. “What are you two chatting about?”
“Bribery,” she replied, filling him in on my book exchange idea.
Nolan chuckled. “Oh, Vinnie. She could wreak havoc on your credit card. Mary-Kate is the best seven-year-old shooter who’s not in a league…no question. And she could easily carry twenty books in her arms.”