Melting the Ice(24)

            And when a boy about eight years old skated up to them, Drew immediately pulled in close to her and came to a stop.

            “Hey. You’re Drew Hogan, forward for the Travelers.”

            Drew smiled at the boy. “I am. And what’s your name?”

            The boy revealed a gap-toothed smile. “I’m Henry. I live in Long Island, but we’re here visiting my grandparents. They have an apartment here and we watched the parade and had turkey and dressing and cranberries and stuff.”

            Carolina looked up and saw people who had to be Henry’s parents standing behind him, wide smiles on their faces. Drew noticed them, too, and gave them a wink.

            “That sounds like a fun day, Henry. So, do you like hockey?”

            “Yeah. A lot. The Travelers are my favorite team and you’re my favorite player.”

            “Thanks.”

            “Hey, would you autograph my jersey? I wore it under my coat today.”

            “No kidding. Let’s see it.”

            Henry unbuttoned his coat to show off the green and white colors of the Travelers jersey, and sure enough, there was Drew’s number twenty-two jersey.

            “Nice. And I just so happen to have my Sharpie with me.” He opened his coat and pulled out his pen, which he’d used earlier today to sign autographs. He signed Henry’s jersey with it, and Henry went wide-eyed.

            “Wow, that’s so cool. Wait’ll my friends find out I met you. They won’t even believe it.”

            “If your parents have a camera on them, we can take a picture.”

            “Really?” Henry asked.

            “I can take a picture,” Henry’s mom said, pulling out her phone.

            Drew kneeled next to Henry while his mom took the picture. Carolina wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen a kid look happier.

            After the family moved off, there was a surge of fans. Carolina made her way over to the side of the rink. Drew looked her way, but she nodded and waved, and he took the time to meet with all of them, sign some autographs and take pictures. She was certain his fans would have liked him to skate with them, but he finally excused himself and made his way back to her.

            “Sorry about that.”

            “It’s no problem. It’s nice you take time with your fans.”

            “I forgot about it being Thanksgiving. I didn’t even think about the possibility of the rink being so crowded. Or of being recognized.”

            “Please. You, on the ice? I think it was obvious.”

            He laughed. “Maybe so. Let’s take another few turns before we hop off.”

            He slipped his arm around her and glided her around. By then, people were taking pictures of both of them, and a few of the kids skated nearby. Most hot athletes were chick magnets. Drew was definitely that, but he was also apparently a kid magnet, which he took in stride. He made sure to skate slow enough, and even held a little girl’s hand as she floated up beside him, gave him a bright grin, and wobbled her way around the rink with them, her parents hovering in front of them snapping pictures the whole time. Drew chatted with the little girl the entire way.

            Which didn’t endear him to Carolina in the least.

            Much.

            By the time the break bell sounded, she was more than ready to get off the ice.

            “How about some hot chocolate?” Drew asked.