Breaking the Ice Read Online Free PDF Page B

his cheek then walked quickly to her truck. 
    He felt confused and twisted up
inside as he watched her drive away.
    Later, he watched Kenzie in the
bar, waiting for the right moment to dance with her.  He was crossing to her
when Stupid Boy started to play and he thought that for some reason, in
this situation, it was a fitting song.
    She put down her tray and let Diesel
lead her to the dance floor.  He gathered her close as they moved together, his
arms holding her tighter than necessary but he couldn’t make himself loosen
them. 
    At one point, she sighed and he lifted
her chin to see her face.  Not understanding what he saw there, he kissed her
gently. 
    When the song ended they stopped
in the middle of the dance floor. 
    She put her hands on either side
of his face and whispered, “You’re a good man, Diesel.  Make sure you remember
that when you’re a famous hockey player.  Be happy.  Be safe.”  She lifted and
gave him one more kiss.  “Goodbye, Diesel.” 
    She stepped away and he let her
go, fighting instincts he didn’t know how to interpret…and didn’t know if he
wanted to.  Kenzie was gorgeous and smart – sex with her had been the best of
his life – but they were young and he had too many plans to let himself get
derailed by a girl from his hometown.
    He watched her wave to Bob as she
ducked down the hall to the employee parking lot out back. 
    Diesel wanted to go after her . 
    He didn’t.
     

Chapter Five
     
    Present day…
    MacKenzie watched riveted when
Diesel’s team took the NCAA Conference Championship his senior year of college,
screaming and cheering for him with Thad by her side.   She’d bought the DVD of
Wisconsin’s season and watched it sometimes when she felt like touring memory
lane. 
    She’d worn Badger colors proudly even
after they moved to Boston.  He’d been drafted by the Devils and she’d followed
his career; happy his dreams were coming true. 
    Thadias scored so high on his
SATs he’d gotten into Harvard and she moved with him to Cambridge.  He made it
clear it was the only way he was going.  There was no way he was leaving her alone
in their hometown.  He told Kenzie that if she really wanted him to get the
best education possible, she’d better pack. 
    She was incredibly proud of him.
    She worked at a local sports bar
three nights a week and went to night school the other four to earn her degree
in education.  Kenzie pulled in enough tips to pay for their living expenses
while Thadias attended classes. 
    She didn’t want him to work – not
with his class load.  The fact that he was home at night while she worked and
went to school was more than she had any right to ask of a young man who should
have been having the time of his life, not worrying about his older sister. 
    Thad disagreed with her need to do
everything alone.  It was the only thing they fought over. 
    When she came down with
pneumonia, he insisted she call Diesel but she wouldn’t, she couldn’t.  She
fought her way through it and afterward, she knew it had been the right
decision. 
    Two months after the night they’d
spent together, Kenzie could no longer pretend she wasn’t pregnant.  She hid it
for another two months until the baby moved the first time.  There was no
denying the situation then. 
    She talked to Thadias first and
had to beg him not to call the LeBlancs.  There was no doubt he’d been
worried.  She was pregnant and scared, though she wouldn’t admit it to anyone,
not even herself.  He’d already gotten his acceptance to Harvard and they
figured out a game plan together. 
    Next, Kenzie sat with Bob Zeller
and swore him to secrecy.  He put her to work in his back office and helped her
find a place to live in Boston.  They moved in the early summer because it was
getting harder and harder to hide the fact she was carrying Diesel LeBlanc’s
baby. 
    Over that summer and fall, she
continued to handle everything for her parents’ place