Seattle Move

23. Ice Skating

"Hey," Owen greeted her when he entered the CT room, taking the seat next to her.

Amelia looked over at him and her eyes immediately brightened when they locked with his face. "Hi." They'd been trying to navigate the intricacies of their relationship and jobs for the past few weeks. Amelia and Dean were no longer together because of his sobriety issues, and his trust issues, but they were apparently taking things slow, which Owen interpreted as his chance to make a move before it was too late. He not only longed for their passionate encounters, he missed their sleepovers and all night conversations. But he knew he had to be careful and intentional this time around; he did not want to lose her.

There was a slightly awkward silence for a moment before Owen spoke again. "So, it's been really cold this December, huh? Coldest and snowiest I've ever seen."

"Well," Amelia said, looking up at him briefly before turning her attention back to the appearing scans, "I've only been here for six months, so I wouldn't know. But the lake in the backyard of my house is currently frozen hard, so yeah, pretty chilly this year."

"Frozen you say?" Owen asked, twirling in his chair a little. "That sounds like the perfect conditions for an ice skating day."

"It is," she agreed, nodding her head, "I was actually going to take Ryan one day and teach him how to skate. I'll probably wait until the ice gets a little more frozen, just to be safe. So maybe next week I'll take him."

"Sounds like fun," he commented, leaning back in his chair. "My mom used to take me ice skating every year. I think I still have skates just in case she calls me up one of these Christmases." The thought of Owen and his mother ice skating together made a hearty laugh escape Amelia's lips, and he delighted in hearing it.

"You should come with us next week, then," Amelia suggested as casually as possible, "If you're not on call, that is."

"Oh?" Owen said, shocked that she'd invited him over to such a personal family event, "Nah, I don't want to get in between your bonding time with Ryan."

"No, no," Amelia said too quickly and excitedly, "Ryan loves you. He's always asking when next you're going to come over."

"Really?" Owen questioned, his heart fluttering at the thought of her son asking for him. It filled him with a sense of belonging and pride that he'd never felt before, "Well, I guess I can't decline now."

"No, you can't," she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows at him. "Do you remember the address?"

"I think so, but maybe you should write it down, just in case," Owen lied.

She scribbled down the address on a corner of her notepad, along with a phone number, and handed it to him, "So, next week Thursday around 1?" He nodded at her and took the piece of paper when she ripped it out of her notepad. "That's the house phone. Call if you get lost." He grinned at her and nodded, sliding the paper in between his phone and the phone case.

Realizing how weird she sounded, Amelia corrected herself quickly. "I mean you don't have to call, I don't need you to call or anything. I'm just being polite. I'm saying you could call, if you wanted to, or if you needed any...yeah." There she went, word vomiting again.

"I'll call," he assured her, "To be polite, you know?"

She smiled, relief washing over her face.

———

Owen had been looking forward to the day since Amelia had suggested it. He'd been staring at the tiny piece of paper every day since she'd given it to him. He'd stocked up on hot chocolate packets, marshmallows, popcorn, Christmas movies, blankets, everything and anything he'd need to make this day with her, and Ryan, the best they'd ever have. He even packed a change of clothes and a toothbrush in case Amelia let him spend the night. To say he was prepared was an understatement.