Ice Cold Love

Part 21

Summary of the last chapter for those that chose to skip it:

Amelia was invited to attend a swimming charity event. She was called into the student affairs office to be paired with her student; she was told to contact the student. She was harassed by Conner, and he told her to not help Ronan. She then left for work and her car broke down, so she called Veronica to pick her up. While she was waiting, she texted the student she was supposed to tutor and found out it was Conner.

Warning: language

Ronan's POV

"Can we please get ice cream, Ronan?" Isabelle whined for the third time today as we pulled up into the hockey house's driveway. Once I parked and switched the ignition off, I twisted in my seat to face her.

"Izzy, you know the rules," I tried telling her, but she already put on her best puppy eyes and pout. Damn it, someone really needed to write a book about how to not fall for those.

In my defence, I tried to withstand the look for as long as I could, and I lasted a whole minute, which was a new record. I sighed, defeated. "Alright fine," I gave in. "But," I added, "only after you've had some actual food, deal?"

When I noticed her facial expressions twist in disapproval, I knew exactly what she was going to say. "Isabelle, we've talked about this; ice cream does not count as actual food," I clarified for what felt like the hundredth time.

Izzy crossed her arms over her chest and shot me an annoyed look. "Ice cream is real food, it has milk, and Talia told me milk is a good thing," I couldn't hold back my laugh. Why were six-year-olds so stubborn?

Ignoring her comment, I asked, "Deal or no deal Izzy?" I even stuck my hand out in an attempt to convince her. It took her a moment, but eventually her small hand grasped my large one. "Deal," she grumbled.

Relieved, I helped Izzy out of the car and grabbed her things from the boot to take inside. Izzy was going to have a two-day sleepover with me, and though it was the middle of the week, I wanted her to have fun. Or, as much fun a child could have after school in a house full of adults.

"Vicky!" Isabelle screeched in joy when she skipped into the house. Veronica jolted at the sudden noise, but when she saw Isabelle, she crouched down and held her arms out. "Isabelle!" she squealed back with just as much excitement.

Isabelle ran to embrace her with such force, she almost tackled Veronica to the ground. "Vicky, Vicky, I have so much to tell you. Remember that girl in my class, Leah? She stole my pencil, again! And it was my pink one, I love my pink pencil. Talia said she'll get me a new one, but I don't want a new one, I want that one. And Leah stole it!"

Isabelle was breathless after her rant, and when she looked ready to continue, I quickly cut her off. "Hey Izzy, how about you go put your things in my room? Then you can catch up with Vicky," I suggested, hoping to buy Veronica a little more time before she had to spend the rest of her visit keeping up with an overly energetic child.

"Okay!" Isabelle agreed and quickly ran out of the kitchen. "I'll be right back Vicky," she shouted over her shoulder as she went. Both Veronica and I shook our heads at my sister. She was something, alright.

Veronica's smile dropped when I turned to her. "What's wrong?" I asked, sensing something was bothering her. Veronica was an easy person to read. Though she was considered shy by most people, once you got to know her you realised that she wore her feelings on her sleeve.

She bit her lip, pensive, before letting out a small breath. "I'm just worried about Amelia," she admitted, and the mention of Amelia immediately grasped every ounce of my attention. "She called me just before you got here, her Jeep broke down and she asked me to pick her up."