Fresh Ice (11 page)

They exchanged a smile and he looked up at the moon.

Sarah leaned back in her spot against the railing and clamped her teeth together to keep them from chattering. What was she supposed to do now that they were alone?

One
of the heroines in Felicity Johns’ books would have grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him right there under the moon.

Sarah didn’t do that. Instead, she sipped her drink
, swallowed and tried to think of something intelligent to say.

Nathan
didn’t seem to be in a hurry to make conversation so she stood next to him in silence, looking at the stars.

“Can I get you another drink?” he asked
finally, even though her glass was still half full.

“Oh, no thanks.
” She looked down at her glass and swirled the clear liquid. “It’s just 7up.” Why she felt the need to clarify she wasn’t drinking alcohol, she didn’t know.

Nathan nodded and raised his glass.
“Rum and coke, minus the rum.”

She smiled.
So, he wasn’t drinking either. After spending a lifetime around drunkards and crackheads that offered Sarah some small comfort.

“
I hope TJ didn’t scare you away,” Nathan said. “He gets a little overenthusiastic when he talks about hockey.”

“I liked it,” she admitted. “It was a great story.”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“I didn’t realize there was fighting,” she said, referring to the first story TJ had told about a fight between two opposing players.

Nathan shrugged. “Oh, he was just pumping up the team.”

“What about you? Do you ever fight?”

“Nah. Goalies don’t get into it very often. We have to shove guys out of the way once in a while, but I’ve never actually been in a fight on the ice.”

Sarah was relieved. It was a horrible thought.

They stood for a minute listening to the river and this time Sarah broke the silence. “I never got the chance to thank you for what you did for me at the salon,” she said about her meltdown in the restroom. He’d been so kind to her and all she’d done was blubber all over his shirt.

“It was no problem.”

“You really didn’t have to rip your shirt like that.”

“I was just trying to lighten up the
moment and take your mind of things.”

“Well, it certainly worked,” she said with a laugh.

He smiled. “It was the only thing I could think to do to get you to stop crying.”

The reminder made her hang her head in embarrassment. “
Can I buy you a new one?”

“
Nah. Like I said, I’ve got a million of ‘em in my closet.”

“How do you know TJ?”
she asked in an effort to change the subject.

“We played in the minors
together.”

“
So, how come he’s still in the minors and you’re not?” Sarah still didn’t know a whole lot about hockey but she knew that the Razors weren’t minor league.

“Have you ever seen him play?”
Nathan grinned at the look on her face. “I’m kidding. I guess I just wanted it more than he did.”

Sarah knew exactly what it was like to want something so badly you’d do anything for it.

Just then, Destiny slid the door open and stuck her head out. “Sarah! I’ve been looking all over for you! Come in here. There are some people I want to introduce you to.”

Great, more introductions.
The only person Sarah was interested in was right here on the balcony.

S
arah pushed away from the railing and sighed. She looked back at Nathan and forced a smile. Leaving him and going back into the noisy party was the last thing she wanted to do.

Destiny tugged on her elbow and Sarah was left with no choice but to follow her inside.

Nathan smiled back and watched her disappear into the party.

Dammit! Nathan drained the last of his soda and mentally kicked himself. He had two lousy minute
s alone with her and he’d blown it. It had been so long since he’d talked to a woman besides Kayla that he didn’t know what to say.

He looked up at the moon and wondered when he’d get another opportunity like that again.

* * *

Once again, Sarah found herself alone in the crowded room. After introducing Sarah to mo
re of her friends, Destiny had hurried off in the other direction.

S
arah looked through the sliding glass door but Nathan wasn’t on the balcony and she didn’t see him anywhere inside. He was so tall he would’ve been easy to spot but then again there were a lot of tall men at the party. She wished she could’ve stayed outside with him but she didn’t want to be rude to Destiny.

S
he sighed and waded through the crowd of people and finally found who she was looking for. “Destiny, it’s getting late and I’m going to call it a night.”

Destiny swayed and slapped her hand on the wall to hold herself up.
“Oh, no. Please don’t leave,” she slurred. “Stay for just a
little
while longer.” She slung her arm around Sarah’s shoulder.

Destiny had obviously been drinking more than 7up.

Before Sarah could explain, Destiny spotted Kim and pulled her in close. “Hey,
Kim
. Sarah’s taking off from this wonderful party.”

Kim gave a quick nod and went back to her conversation.

“Come on and
stay
, Sarah,” Destiny begged, her shoulders slouching. “We can do shots together.” The idea perked her up and she grinned.

“No thank you.” After spending a lifetime experiencing what alcohol could do to people
Sarah refused to touch the stuff. “I’m really tired and I’m going home.”

“Oh, o
h-
kay
,” Destiny finally relented. “Well, I hope you had fun at least.”

“I did.” Sarah started to leave and then turned back. “
Destiny, do you have someone who can drive you home tonight?” Destiny behind the wheel in her condition was an accident waiting to happen.

“
I’ma gonna crash on Kim’s couch,” she answered.

“
Good.”

“
Aww, thanks for caring, Sarah. My new bestie. Sarah’s my new best friend!” she announced to the party and everyone cheered.

“Okay
.” Sarah patted her arm. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

* * *

Nathan saw Sarah slip out of the party, but when he made his way through the crowd to follow her, he was stopped by Kim asking him if he was having a good time.

“Yeah,” he answered, inching away from her
flirtatious gaze. “I was just stepping outside for some fresh air.”

“
Would you like some company?” she purred. She put her hand on his arm and he could have sworn he saw her bat her eyelashes.

Yep, just like static cling.

Just as her fingers curled around his forearm, he pulled away. “Nah, that’s okay. I’m actually going outside to find Sarah.”

Disappointment
registered on her face and her lip curled in disgust. “Oh. Sarah went home.”

“
Thanks. Hey, I’ll see ya around,” he said cheerfully.

“Yeah.
Okay,” she said to his retreating back.

When he got outside, Nathan didn’t see Sarah anywhere so he jogged down the
stone path to the sidewalk. Way off in the distance he saw a small figure walking down the street. It was her.

Rather than run
all the way after her, he decided to hop into his truck that was parked nearby. She was walking towards an area that wasn’t the greatest neighborhood and he would feel a helluva lot more safe in his truck. Besides, it was the perfect excuse to offer her a ride home.

Chapter Ten

The Man in the Moon

Sarah ducked out of the party and started the long walk home. Sure, she wanted to start a new life with new friends, but this party business was something she’d have to ease her way into. After a long day at the salon and then the party, she couldn’t wait to get home and off her feet.

She
’d been so caught up in the euphoria Nathan stirred inside her that she’d forgotten the city bus didn’t run past seven p.m. Oh, well. It was a beautiful night and the moon could light her way home.

There was a bounce in her step as she replayed the party in her mind.
Overall, she’d had a good time. Nathan had talked to her and it didn’t involve her crying like last time. And they’d shared a beautiful moment out on the balcony. They hadn’t been able to talk much because they were interrupted by a well-meaning Destiny but that moment under the moon was enough.

S
arah wondered what else he would have said on the balcony if Destiny hadn’t rudely interrupted them. With the stars and the moonlight anything could have been possible.

Sarah
liked the fact that Nathan was quiet and didn’t say much. He didn’t blurt out whatever came to mind like his buddy TJ, but he took his time to look around, assess the situation and then carefully form his words before speaking. It was especially refreshing after coming from a household where yelling was considered an “inside voice”.

When she’d started off on the journey to her new life
, Sarah had never in a million years imagined meeting someone as nice and kind as Nathan.

She looked up at the moon and smiled.
Technically they hadn’t been completely alone together. The man in the moon had seen the whole thing.

Just then, a figure stepped out
from the shadows and into her path, startling her. She’d gone and let her guard down reminiscing about the party like a silly schoolgirl and hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings. Out in the real world there were freaks and junkies lurking around every corner. And standing right in front of her.

The man looked like he’d just crawled out of a dumpster and
Sarah instinctively took a step back. The carefree happiness drained from her body and was replaced with fear and a surge of anxiety.

“Hey, baby. How you
doin’ tonight?” he asked, taking a step forward.

She cringed at the smell coming from his rotted teeth.
“I’m not interested.”

“But you haven’t even seen the merchandise yet,” he said, grabbing ahold of his crotch.

“No thanks,” she said tightly.

When she tried to move past him, he blocked her and grabbed onto her arm.
His fingers bit into her flesh. It was a familiar feeling but one she didn’t intend on experiencing again.

Slowly, she slid her
free hand into her purse and felt around for the can of pepper spray. Finally she found it and curled her fingers around the cold canister. She really hoped she wouldn’t have to use it. “Let go of me,” she said firmly.

“
Hey, what’s the rush? What’s a pretty little thing like you doin’ out all alone at night anyway?”

“Let me by.”

A siren sounded in the distance and the guy looked around nervously.

From behind her, Sarah heard a
car turn up the street.

“Look who’s coming to join the party
,” the creepy guy said. “Is this your pimp?”

Whoever he was talking about must have scared him because h
e abruptly let go and Sarah stumbled backwards.

“Sarah?”

Sarah froze when she heard a male voice call her name. Inside her purse, her fingers held tightly to the can of Mace. When she turned her head she saw Nathan getting out of his truck. She looked back over her shoulder and saw that the junkie had ducked down the alley and disappeared into the darkness. “Nathan,” she breathed.

Nathan
came toward her, his eyes clouded with concern. “Are you okay? Was that guy bothering you?” He looked around but whoever he’d seen talking to Sarah was long gone.

She smoothed down her shirt
and breathed out a ragged sigh. “He just wanted spare change. What are you doing here?” Besides saving her from the back alley scum of Red Valley.

“Oh, um, I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to you at the party and I
just wondered if you needed a ride home.”

She looked at his shiny silver truck and back at the alley behind her.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.
Just a little surprised to see you.” And grateful.

“
Here, let me give you a ride home.”

He ushered her to his truck
and she gripped the door handle and hesitated. Could she trust Nathan? She’d seen how gentle he was with Bean and he was friends with Peach and her family and the Pomatto’s seemed like good people. Sure, Nathan had been kind to her but that wasn’t completely reassuring. Friends of her Uncle Dwight’s had been cruel. She knew firsthand how a man’s temper could switch on at the slightest trigger. And she was out here alone in the middle of the night.