Love on Ice

Chapter 34
It is now 3 months later

Rick had been in New York City for two very long weeks having conversations with his agent and Gina of Black Pawn. Rick called Kate every night to keep her informed. He tried to keep his being tired of being in this city from her but she could hear it in his voice.

Gina and Black Pawn were asking for more than Rick was willing to commit to. Then Gina began adding in words that had ulterior meanings that a judge or jury might use against him.

"When's my daddy coming home?" Alexis whined; she missed him terribly. Kate had tried so hard to be home for dinner or at least before Alexis's bedtime. Today happened to be one of those days. She had read to Alexis and had even tried to do a little singing to her.

"Just as soon as he can, sweetheart. He really is trying. And I know that he misses you, too." Kate kissed her forehead and tucked her into bed. "Maybe Daddy will come home tomorrow." Unfortunately Kate had no idea just when he would be home.

Kate retreated to the kitchen and found Maria cleaning up after dinner. "She's in bed but not asleep. Rick really needs to come home soon. Alexis isn't going to put up with him being gone much longer." Kate opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of wine, and snagged a glass.

"Mr. Rick doesn't much care for the city so he'll leave as soon as he can."

Kate tried not to take it personally since she still loved the city. Why they couldn't trade him back to the Islanders escaped her. She could get her old job back. Rick could find a new place to live and keep playing hockey which he loved. But no, they had to trade him to Columbus.

"What's in Columbus anyway?" Kate shook her head then jumped when her cell phone rang. "It's Rick!" She put him on speaker and set her phone on the kitchen counter. "Hi babe, you're on speaker," she warned him in case he started phone sex and embarrassed Maria.

"Hello, Mr. Rick." Maria was happy to hear from him as well.

"I have good news. We finally agreed on a contract. I don't know why Gina was being so difficult but we finally made it." Kate could hear how tired he was in his voice.

"That's great! If Alexis is still awake I can tell her you are coming home. So when will you be home? I'll take time off work to come get you." Kate had gone without sex for two weeks and she was losing her mind.

"I made reservations for the day after tomorrow. I'm scheduled to arrive at 5:43 pm." Rick waited for Kate to find a pen and paper and gave her the details.

"So what did you finally agree on?" Kate couldn't help but be curious.

"First, we're staying in Vancouver. For whatever reason Gina was reluctant to let go of not having me in the city. It's not like I really need to be in the city so I don't understand her problem." He was now a writer. He should be able to write from anywhere and that could include South Africa or even the Maldives.

"That will make Alexis happy." She got to keep her friends, stay in her school, and not make a change. "What else?"

"I have five years to write three books. I was given an advance of one point three million dollars. The advance for the following books is based off of the sales of the prior book as part of the three book deal. If all goes really well, the advance ahead of the third book could be three point three million dollars. Not what I was making playing hockey but it's not peanuts, either." Rick was happy with the numbers. "There are also various numbers based on sales of each book. Basically the more that are sold, the more money I make. Black Pawn gets most of it, but I'm pleased."

Kate liked the sound of the word MILLION so she was thrilled. "Can Derek Storm last for three books?" She knew from reading his previous books that Derek Storm got himself into some really serious trouble and should have died by now.

Rick laughed. "Even if I have to have little green men grow a clone of him."

Kate smiled since he was being funny. But she was relieved that he wasn't worried.

"So what happens after you finish the three books?" Had they planned that far ahead?

"Pray that readers like Derek Storm and that I keep coming up with ideas for him. The better we do with book sales, the more money I could be offered when we do this again five years from now. We keep putting the money into Real Estate Investment Trusts and we just might end up rich." Rick was a saver, not a spender. The RV didn't count.

Kate thought they were already rich. Rick had more money than she was ever going to make if she lived and worked until she was a hundred years old. The more money he made the richer they got.

"Do you want to talk with Alexis?" Kate was willing to take the phone to her if she was still awake.

"No, let her sleep. I'll be home soon. Besides it's really late here so I need to get some sleep. I cannot wait to get out of this city." He'd had it with this place.

"What's wrong with New York City?" Kate was willing to defend her home city.

"I'm sick and tired of take-out." Maria had spoiled him and he knew it.

"I'll make your special the night you return," Maria promised him and smiled wide.

"I accept!" Rick said quickly which had both of them chuckling softly. "I'll be home soon. Take care out there. I love you," Rick told them. Kate just barely got in her "I love you too," before he hung up.

"He's almost home!" Kate raised her arms high and spun around. She was going to fuck his brains out the second she could.

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Kate had Alexis with her; they'd gotten to the airport far too early and thus far his plane was a little late. Kate hadn't brought anything to keep Alexis entertained and happy so she was improvising and using people to keep her entertained.

"Which one is an actress?" Kate asked her and watched her look everywhere but ended up shaking her head. Kate tried again. "Okay, which one is an alien from a different planet?"

This time Alexis didn't look for long and pointed him out. Kate almost burst out laughing since she'd found someone that was the most weirdly dressed out of everyone. Kate lifted her up into her lap so that Alexis didn't run over and ask him if he was a real alien.

Next came counting people in blue for her and red for Kate. However, to win Alexis had to actually count and not just point. Alexis won easily and not because she could count that high. It seemed almost no one traveled while wearing red.

"Okay, let's go. Daddy should be landing now." Kate carried her to a board to look at his flight then walked toward the security station to wait.

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"DADDY!" Alexis escaped Kate and ran across the white line and headed right for him.

"Sorry," Kate told the woman manning the line but she didn't try to stop Alexis. But she did watch to make sure she came back across the line. In this case in the arms of a very special man.

"Hi, babe." Kate did her best to wrap her arms around both of them and kissed him. Damn but she had missed his taste.

"Daddy!" Alexis wrapped herself around his neck. She'd missed him terribly. Yes, she had Kate and Maria but he was Daddy.

"Have you been a good girl for Mommy?" Rick questioned her.

"Alexis has been perfect. Haven't you, pumpkin?" Okay she'd been a pain, but Kate understood why.

"Yep!" Alexis chirped. "Potty, please." She suddenly had to go.

"I'll take her." Kate reached out, took Alexis out of his arms and into hers, then made her way to the closest women's restroom she could find.

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Alexis had questions all the way home and since Kate was doing the driving because it was her car, Rick had to answer all of them.

Alexis was back inside the house. "DADDY'S HOME! …DADDY'S HOME!" She was off at a run to find and tell Maria.

"So why was Gina being a bitch?" Kate wanted a real answer now that they were alone for the moment.

"Partly it was her really wanting me to live in the city. She was also a little taken aback when she was told I was married. I hadn't told her, but I didn't think it was any of her business. She got really cold and picky about every little thing after that." He still couldn't figure her out.

"What has you being married got to do with anything?" Kate didn't understand.

"Part of the contract calls for me to have three book signings in each of the five years. I had to fight to keep them within either Canada or the US. Gina is a..." Rick didn't want to use the word for any woman.

"Bitch is the word you're searching for." She knew next to nothing about Gina but she strongly disliked her already.

Alexis was back. She took Rick's hand and pulled him so he would follow her. They ended up in the kitchen and the closer they got the more Rick could smell Maria's cooking. She had indeed fixed his favorite and he knew it was going to taste great.

Rick closed his eyes and savored the marvelous smell in the kitchen. "You're the best, Maria. I can't tell you how much I've missed your cooking. Thank you so very much." He was ready to eat.

"Thank you, Mr. Rick." Maria loved cooking for her family.

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Rick spent almost an hour reading to Alexis, hugging and kissing her until she finally went to sleep. From her room Rick went to their bedroom where he found Kate waiting for him, naked and on their bed.

Kate used a finger to beckon him closer. "Get over here, babe. I'm fucking your brains out. It's been two very long weeks and I'm tired of waiting." She smiled as Rick took very slow steps and unhurriedly stripped off pieces of clothing the entire way.

"GET OVER HERE NOW, MISTER!" She was tired of being teased even if she had enjoyed the show.

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Rick woke up to Kate touching him to get him hard again. "You're going to be late for work if you keep that up," he warned her. He wanted her just as badly. After all, he had done without for two long weeks as well.

"I have the day off. I'm on call tomorrow, though, so I have all morning." Kate then took him into her mouth to get him nice and hard so she could fuck him.

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Kate was back from taking Alexis to preschool like she had for the last two weeks then went looking for Rick. She eventually found him in the computer room. "What are you up to? Writing about Derek Storm already?" Three books in five years didn't sound all that hard to her. So long as he dedicated himself to a few hours each day.

"Trying to think of a weekend trip we can make using the RV. You don't have any vacation time and I can write from anywhere. We have an RV and need to put it to use. …Got any ideas?" Rick questioned her since he couldn't think of anything.

"Drive out and spend the night then drive back the next day." Kate tried to think. "What's the closest lake? Dad taught me to fish so I could teach Alexis. Though fishing is rather boring." And boring definitely wasn't something Alexis did.

"Lake, lake." Rick tried a quick search. "There's a large lake really close to us but they don't have any RV sites we can use." He widened his search. "How about Anmore Camp and RV Park? It's on the southern tip of Buntzen lake. The lake is maybe a little small at three miles long but it's close. Fifty dollars will reserve us a space. Just need to know when." Rick turned to look at her.

Kate put her finger on his screen. "What about here? This lake is a lot bigger."

"Pitt Lake, let's see." Rick did some searching. A few boat ramps, some tent camping, and lots and lots of hiking trails was all he found. He shook his head but told Kate about it.

"You win, Buntzen Lake it is." Kate didn't do tent camping and wasn't willing to subject Alexis to it. And something might happen to Snow. "I'll try and find out when I'll have two days off and call you so you can make reservations.

"I'm going to go shopping; you and Alexis are on your own." Kate kissed him and left him to it.

"Shopping?" Rick asked and couldn't think of anything she needed.

"Maybe a couple of bras, some panties, shoes, tops, a light coat. My closet has some empty space." Empty space meant it needed to be filled. "Anything you need?" She would get him something if he asked.

"Blue jeans, maybe."

"Blue jeans, it is." One thing meant she had more time for shopping for her items.

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It is now 3 months later

The little weekend trip in their RV had been a hit. Alexis got to run with Snow on trails in the woods. There had been a brief moment where Alexis had almost wandered too far while Kate was trying to show her how to fish and forgot to keep at least one eye on her. Thankfully Snow was now too big to hide.

It had gone so well that they'd done it again just last week. What they needed was a plan for another weekend RV trip. Some place different.

"What are you smiling about?" Kate had found him at his computer as he was writing about Derek Storm so he could fulfill the obligations of his contract. It was technically his off season from playing hockey so he didn't mind doing this much writing. The challenge was going to be when hockey season started and he was still writing. Hockey had been a huge part of his life and he could find it to be difficult not to be on a team anymore during game season.

"I caught our killers." Kate was happy. Her cases were really bad ones; they had been in the papers and on the news a lot.

The owner of Store Street Bakery, Agnes Bings, age 44, was killed while walking across Johnson Street. She was on her way home where she lived with her young son and her invalid husband. Her body was found the next day, naked and disemboweled, in a nearby park.

Then two days later two men attacked 39-year-old Mike Powers, operator and owner of Garrisk's Head Pub. He was knocked down and kicked outside of his own home on Forth Street. He died three days later from internal injuries.

Just one day later the body of Danny Brent was found on the 10th green at UBC's golf club. He'd been shot once in the back and twice in the head. On the night of his murder Danny had finished his shift at the Press Club and went to a restaurant for supper. He'd been seen leaving with a woman and two men through a back door.

Four days later the police found the locker Danny had a key for and found thirty ounces of heroin with a street value over C$175,000. It was quickly apparent that there was more to Danny than bartending.

"You really are good at your job!" Rick never had any reservations but it was great to have evidence that she was good at her job.

"And you doubted me." Kate fake pouted at him then squealed when he grabbed her and planted her in his lap with his arms around her. Kate had no choice but to put her arms around his neck.

"NEVER! We can celebrate tonight by tying you to the bed," Rick offered since they hadn't done that in a while.

"With the video camera working? You have yourself a deal." Kate kissed him. "So what's Derek Storm up to now?" Kate was curious. She got to read each chapter before it was sent to Gina and reached out to wake his screen so she could read.

"An aircraft carrier! Interesting. I'll read it later. Right now I need to go find Alexis." She needed to put on her mommy hat. Kate got out of his lap and began to walk away only to have Rick goose her which had her squealing yet again.

She gave him a stern look for that but was smiling when she left him. They were both very much in love and she couldn't believe that she hadn't screwed this all up yet. Of course she'd been trying very hard not to. But she didn't know that many people that loved like they did even this far into their marriage.

That had her stopping and going back to him; she placed her hands on his shoulders from behind. "When are we renewing our vows? Dad still needs to walk me down the aisle and we have lots of friends to invite."

OOPS! Rick had forgotten about that. He deftly put it in her court. "Just as soon as one of us finds a venue that we can both agree on."

"Good!" Kate was satisfied with that. She kissed his cheek and went in search of Alexis.

She didn't make it when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Kate yelled to stop Maria from answering it from wherever she was.

"May I help you?" Kate hadn't seen her before and had no idea who she was.

"Who are you?" was the question she got back from a voice that was clearly hostile.

"I'm Kate. I'm an investigator for the Vancouver Police and this is my home. Who are you?" Kate made it plain that if this lady gave her trouble she knew how to handle herself.

"Where's Ricky?" she demanded instead of answering her question.

"I don't know any Ricky," Kate informed her coldly. "You must have the wrong address."

Maria's voice could be heard coming from behind Kate. "OH MY GOD!"

"Maria!" The woman at the door clearly knew who Maria was.

"You know this woman?" Kate looked at Maria and saw a sincere look of shock and perhaps dread on her face.

"I'm Alexis's mother. Where is my daughter?"