I Want You Back (Want You #1)(54)

Before we left to meet Nolan and Mimi, I snagged Mimi’s bag with her skates and rink wear. We’d have to make another trip to the sporting goods store to buy the rest of her hockey gear before she took to the ice.

Last night Lucy and I had narrowed down our program choices to three. She’d insisted on visiting the newest rink—the only one in the Twin Cities that was home strictly to girls’ and women’s hockey clubs. I wasn’t sold on it for Mimi at her current age and skill level because I believed she’d be better off playing with boys and girls. If she continued with the sport, and when they separated gender, then it might be a good fit. And Lucy wasn’t crazy about the rink I chose. She said it was too “industrial” and none of the kids looked like they were having fun.

Which left us to tour Lakeside, the rink where we’d been for the birthday party. Margene, the chatty rink manager, had the day off, but she’d set up a meeting with Gabi, the programs facilitator. She gave us the facility’s history, a tour of the front end, which housed the offices and conference rooms, as well as a printout of the weekly schedule.

When I shot Lucy a sideways glance, I knew she was sold on this place as a testing ground for Mimi. While I agreed the curriculum had all the classes Mimi would need, something felt off about this place, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.

On the drive to the club, I asked Lucy if she’d noticed it. She claimed the only reason it felt “off” to me was that Crabby Gabi hadn’t fawned over me like everyone else had at the other facilities.

Maybe she had a point.

We met at the restaurant across the street from the club—which was packed on a Sunday; people filled the waiting area and spilled out onto the sidewalk. But Nolan had a table. In fact, it appeared Nolan had scored the best table in the house, a corner booth that managed to be both private and yet had a great view.

Mimi jumped up and hugged us both when we reached the table, but she was strangely subdued after she slid back in next to her uncle.

Nolan eyed us suspiciously, like we’d get into a shouting match again if he left us alone. I couldn’t tell him that the previous night’s shouting match had been a cleansing for Lucy and me, possibly even a clean slate.

Lucy and I exchanged a look and I nodded. She’d start the conversation and I’d join in. She leaned across the table and took Mimi’s hands. “Honey, your dad and I are so sorry that we let our tempers get out of control last night. The last thing either of us ever wants to do is cause you to feel scared or unsafe. And we’re very proud of you for calling your uncle Nolan to take you someplace where you weren’t afraid.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“Not at all,” I inserted. “That is what your phone is for. But that aside, your mom and I want to assure you that it won’t happen again. After you left, we realized we needed to talk to each other, not shout at each other.”

“And we were able to make a few decisions that have to do with all three of us, separately and together as a family,” Lucy said.

Her calling us a family . . . that just punched me in the gut. I wanted that so much. “First, I have a surprise for you.”

Mimi grinned. “Is it a puppy?”

“No, almost as good as that.”

“It’s a kitty!”

Jesus. “No. The surprise is I’ll be moving onto the top floor of your apartment building. So you’ll have both your mom and dad close by. Won’t that be great?”

Her gaze moved back and forth between us. “You won’t live by Calder anymore?”

“Nope. I’ll be living closer to you. And the apartment isn’t done, but after we leave here, I thought we could all go check it out.”

“Okay.” She looked at us expectantly.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Lucy asked.

“Can Calder come over and play sometimes?”

“Anytime you want,” I said. “And we have some other good news. We talked it over, and we’ve decided to let you try hockey.”

“For real?” She bounced in the booth seat. “Like playing on a hockey team and everything?”

“Yep. We signed you up for the basic skills class at Lakeside Ice Arena—where we were yesterday. Then if you like it, we’ll enroll you at the Mite Team level.”

“Did you hear that, Uncle? I get to play!”

“I heard that, short stuff. Exciting news. And you know I’ll be there cheering you on at the games.”

Mimi stopped bouncing and looked at Lucy. “What about you, Mommy? Will you come to the games?”

“Wouldn’t miss them for anything,” Lucy assured her. “I believe your daddy will handle taking you to most—if not all—of your practice times.”

I leaned in. “But there is something we need from you, Meems, or this won’t happen.”

Mimi stilled, and I sensed Lucy looking at me, since we hadn’t discussed this part.

“What?”

“You have to stop being a pain about getting up on school days. It’s not fair to your mom. And if you stick with hockey? You’ll have full practices early in the morning before you go to school, so it’d be best if you got used to the early hours now. No more bratty behavior, Milora Michelle. Understood?”

“I promise, promise, promise I’ll do better.” She held her pinkie up, and I hooked mine around it, watching as she offered the same pinkie promise to her mother and finally to Nolan.