“I’m happy for you,” I say, and then Matthew comes out of the back. “Stop stealing my people,” I say, and he laughs now.

“I have to go. I just wanted to tell you,” Ralph says. “See you later.”

He shakes Matthew’s hand and walks away.

“That was a good pick,” I say to Matthew who stands there in his track pants. He’s been at my side since this whole thing started. Actually, everyone has. All the men are hanging at the rink today. My father is teaching on the other ice with Max, and Evan is in the gym with mini Cooper.

“Where is Viktor?” I ask Matthew, and he looks down.

“He wanted to hit up a meeting,” he says, and I look at him. “At the church where Caroline works.” And just like that, I see that he went to make sure she is okay. “With Mom.”

My eyes open huge. “What?” I almost scream. “Why would he take her there?”

“Would you say no to her?” Matthew laughs. “The best part is that she didn’t tell Dad.”

“Oh my God,” I say, and then blow the whistle for the kids to get off the ice. “He’s going to lose his shit.”

“Yeah,” Matthew says, and we both know how protective my father is about my mother. He doesn’t let anything touch her that is bad. He shields her with everything he has. “Dinner will be interesting.”

I look toward the clock and see it’s lunchtime. “I’m dragging my ass today,” I say, getting off the ice. I walk through the hallway and peek into some of the rooms to make sure no kids are lingering.

“Oh, shit,” Matthew says, and I look at what he’s looking at, and I see that Caroline is charging into the arena with my mother following her. “This doesn’t look good,” he says. “I know that walk,” he continues. “It’s not a good walk.”

“I think she’s charging,” I say under my breath, and I see Caroline look around. When she finally spots me, I smile at her, but all she does is glare.

“Oh, I definitely know that look,” Matthew says. “Just say you're sorry.”

He tries to talk fast. “Doesn’t matter if you don’t know what it’s about, just say sorry.”

I look back, and she is in front of me now, and I see that she is even more beautiful. “Hey there, sweetheart,” I start softly, and she just crosses her arms over her chest.

“Don’t ‘hey there, sweetheart’ me.”

Matthew mumbles under his breath, “Say sorry.”

“Don’t you start.” My mother looks at Matthew, and he just holds up his hands.

“Why didn’t you tell me you got suspended?” she asks. “I can’t be in this if you aren’t going to be honest with me.”