Page 253 of The Forbidden Center

“Before we got married.”

The elevator arrives behind her.

“I knew I wasn’t picturing an end,” I say. “I just didn’t know how much else I’d started picturing. Summer. You working again. Tova going to Sweden and coming back. All of it.”

“You did not tell me.”

“No.”

“You assumed I knew.”

I look at her.

“Yeah.”

Astrid steps into the elevator and turns, and we look at each other until the doors come between us.

I take the stairs.

Chapter forty-five

Colt

Ryan wins the draw clean.

Last rep of the morning skate. He’s been asking me for draws and he hasn’t won one. This one he wins my way. He doesn’t fight me for the puck. He takes my stick off its line and leaves the puck sitting for Finn.

He skates it back to the dot and waits.

I stand there longer than I need to. Then I tap his shin pads with my stick and line up again, and he wins that one too.

Ruth is at my kitchen island when I get home, which means she let herself in, found coffee, and decided I was taking too long to become functional.

Astrid’s mug has been beside the sink for three weeks. I pick it up and set it in the dishwasher.

Ruth watches me close the dishwasher and keeps her mouth shut.

Good woman.

“You eating?”

“Eventually.”

“That wasn’t complicated.”

“Big night. Conserving energy.”

She pushes a plate toward me. Eggs, toast, fruit.

“Quinn called.”

My fork stops.

“Kansas City?”

“The Frontiers are still waiting.”

I nod.