“For the most part. It’s just that, well, the girls have been asking me—begging me, really—to see if you’d have time to take us all ice-skating. So I thought maybe it wouldn’t be a big deal to do something like that. You know, go ice-skating as friends. If you’re open to it, that is.”

“You want to go ice-skating as friends?” he repeated.

There was a slight pause. Then she said, “I realize that things got a little…hot between us, but I’d like to have some type of relationship with you. We haven’t known each other that long, but I’d really enjoy seeing you again before I leave, and…and bringing the kids along would make it difficult for us to get into trouble, right?”

“As far as I’m concerned, that’s the best kind of trouble,” he said. “But…Axel won’t mind?”

After another pause she said, “It isn’t his decision.”

“I see.”

“Unless you’re too busy, of course. Or you’re not interested. I admit I wouldn’t blame you. I just… I’m having a hard time giving you up entirely.”

Shit. If she only knew how hard it was for him. “And the kids are begging to go…”

“That’s true. You offered, after all. They’re not likely to forget something like that.”

“Right.” Tobias squeezed his eyes closed as he considered taking this opportunity to see her—as a friend. Given how he felt, it would only make things harder, but damned if he didn’t want to see her regardless. “When?” he asked.

“We’re free tonight, if you are. Or tomorrow. Or even Monday. We don’t have a lot going on—other than Christmas on Wednesday, of course.”

Tobias had promised Tonya he’d go to her Christmas party tonight. He didn’t really want to go, especially because it meant a two-hour drive to LA, and he knew how drunk everyone would get. But he’d told her he’d go, so he felt he had to keep his word. “I promised a friend I’d go to her Christmas party tonight. But tomorrow should work.”

“Will the rink be available?”

“Yeah. That won’t be a problem. Most of the kids at New Horizons have gone home for Christmas. If we go at dinnertime, the rest will be in the cafeteria.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s shoot for five o’clock. Are Karoline and Terrance and their girls coming, too?”

“Yeah.”

He could see why Harper would dub this adventure “safe.” He wouldn’t dare try anything if Karoline was around. “Then I’ll meet you all there.”

“Perfect,” she said and added a quick “It’ll be good to see you again” before hanging up.

Tobias stared at his phone for several seconds after that. “Don’t take it to heart,” he said aloud. “She didn’t mean it.”

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