“Sure, you can.” Sam handed him a five-dollar bill and watched him run toward the concession stand. A couple of months ago he never would’ve asked them for anything. They’d been working on that, trying to get him to act like other kids who were constantly asking their parents for money and other things. Scotty would never be like other kids, but Sam took the request for hot chocolate as a good sign that he was beginning to get the message that what was theirs was also his.

She glanced up at Nick. “What’d you hurt?”

“Smacked the rib I broke last winter and got the wind knocked out of me.”

Sam winced. “The same rib that took forever to heal?”

“That’d be the one.”

“We should hit the ER on the way home.”

“No need. It’s just a bruise.”

Sam gave him her best cop stare. “What would you say if it were me telling you it was ‘just a bruise’?”

To his credit, he had the good sense to squirm under her glare. “I, um...”

“We’ll drop Scotty at Dad and Celia’s on the way to the ER.”

“After the pizza. I’m starving.”

Scotty rejoined them, carrying a steaming cup of hot chocolate with a huge dollop of whipped cream on top.

“Looks like someone is having dessert before dinner,” Sam said.

Scotty handed over the change without being prompted. “Don’t worry. I’ll still eat a ton of pizza.” With his free hand, he reached for Nick’s hockey bag and started toward the door, the bag rolling behind him. Over his shoulder, he said, “I’ll get this, but only cuz you’re injured.”

“Thanks, buddy.” Leaning in close to Sam, Nick said, “I make him take care of and carry his own equipment. Never too soon to learn that lesson.”

As they made their way through the crowded rink, Sam noticed people watching them with a mix of curiosity and envy. The curiosity stemmed from the high-profile lives they led. The envy came from the women, who took extra-long looks at Nick. He was even hotter than usual with his cheeks red from the cold and the workout and his hair mussed from the helmet.

Feeling possessive of what was hers, Sam curled her hand around his arm, and then smiled with satisfaction when he raised his arm, put it around her and brought her in tight against his uninjured side. She knew a rare moment of complete contentment with her husband’s arm around her, their son walking in front of them and a full week off to spend together before they confronted the looming reality of her dad’s surgery.