Tending Tara (Alaska Blizzard Book 8)

by Kat Mizera

  This felt pretty normal. It was normal. Nothing had changed. He was still sexy, hilarious Donovan, and despite their upcoming nuptials, absolutely nothing had changed. Not yet anyway.

  She didn’t know why she was so relieved, but she was. It was also kind of nice to be on another group date. Not because she didn’t want to be alone with him, but because it gave them time to settle into the new normal. The two weeks he’d been away had been great in that regard because he’d opened up a bit. He’d told her about his emotional struggles being the back-up goalie and how he’d had to shift his focus now that Aaron was hurt. She’d had no idea he was having a hard time with that aspect of it, and it felt good to know he trusted her enough to talk to her about things like that. Like the relationship was real.

  Donovan’s fingers tightened around hers, and Tara glanced over at him. The theater was dark, and the movie scene was taking place outdoors at night, making it even darker. Donovan leaned over and gently brushed his lips across hers. It was gentle and chaste, but there was no mistaking the promise of more. His lips lingered on hers, warm and tender, though he didn’t take it any further. Instead, his eyes met hers, and he smiled before turning back to the movie.

  By the time it was over, he’d kissed her a few more times. Always chaste, always gentle, but also with passion burning just below the surface. He didn’t say much, but there was a lot of meaning behind the things he didn’t say. His touch was always tender, and when he looked at her, there was no doubt she was the only thing he was thinking about. The kisses they’d shared at the party promised a lot of passion, but his willingness to wait for the time to be right told her he genuinely liked her.

  There was a lot to the man beneath Donovan Legori the goalie, and she wanted to know more. Especially since he was going to become her husband in less than a week.

  “I’m starving,” Dani announced as they walked out to the parking lot. “Where are we going for dinner?”

  People started suggesting different restaurants, but Tara waited to see what Donovan would say. If it were up to her, they could leave and go somewhere on their own, but she wasn’t sure what he wanted to do.

  “I think Tara and I are going to take off,” Donovan said after a moment, sliding an arm around her shoulders. “You guys are married, but since we aren’t, we don’t get much alone time together.”

  “Have fun!” Charli called with a smile.

  “See you later!”

  Everyone waved good-naturedly, and Tara grinned as they walked to Donovan’s SUV hand-in-hand.

  “I hope that was okay,” he said once they were out of earshot. “I like those guys, but you and I haven’t had any alone time at all. We’re either out with other people or at a party.”

  “Or drunk,” she mused.

  “Exactly.” He opened the passenger side door and let her get in before going around to his side. “What do you feel like eating? We could go to a steakhouse nearby or Italian or something else?

  “I like Italian.”

  “Okay, let’s do that.”

  They got a table in the back and had just sat down when the rest of the gang from the movie arrived. Tara took one look and snickered. Donovan followed her gaze and rolled his eyes.

  “Did they follow us?”

  “I don’t know.” She laughed, waving to Miikka, who narrowed his eyes at her and then came strolling over to the table.

  “This is why you want to be alone? For Italian food?

  “I thought you guys were going for steak,” Donovan said, shaking his head.

  “I thought you were going home for a booty call,” Sergei chirped, having followed Miikka over to them.

  Tara bit back a laugh as Miikka shrugged. “You sure you don’t want to eat with us?”

  Donovan chuckled and looked at Tara. “Lady’s choice.”

  “Well, now that they’re here, we might as well.” She squeezed his thigh under the table before getting to her feet, and Donovan called to the waitress, explaining they were going to join their friends.

  “I’m sorry,” Tara whispered to him as they walked over to where the others were waiting to be seated. “It felt rude to say no once we were all in the same place.”

  “It’s all good. I don’t mind.”

  “Is there a game tomorrow?”

  He shook his head. “No, the next day. And we have three this week.”

  “But you’re not traveling.”

  “No.” Their eyes met meaningfully.

  “Then I guess we’ll have lots of time for it to be just the two of us.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  13

  Initially, Donovan had been a little disappointed when the whole gang showed up at the same restaurant he and Tara had chosen, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t that big of a deal. They weren’t traveling again until after Thanksgiving, so he had just over two weeks at home to spend time with her, which was a good thing since they were about to get married. He was trying to be cautious because he didn’t know how to keep something so big a secret. The team’s upper management knew, Miikka and Charli either knew or would know soon, and Gage and Laurel knew. Somehow, that felt like a lot of people.

  The weird thing was, that was the only thing he was a little unsure about anymore. He wanted to do this with her, no matter how crazy it was. It wasn’t love, but it didn’t feel like a burden, either. Although anything was possible, it couldn’t be worse than his actual marriage to Jane, so why not enjoy it while he could? With a prenup, he’d be protected financially, and that was really the only risk he would have been uncomfortable with. The rest was emotional, and he’d never been an overly emotional kind of guy.

  “I’m sorry, what?” he asked, when he realized Tara was talking to him.

  “Do you already have plans for Thanksgiving?”

  “Oh. Not yet. Why?”

  “We’re hosting a big shindig at our house,” Aaron called to him. “You’re more than welcome to join us.”

  “Thanks. I’d like that.” He nodded.

  It was really tough competing for the starting spot on the team against someone he genuinely liked. That was one of many reasons he’d been trying to get traded, but times like this made him second-guess that decision. He was about to marry someone he really liked, he had friends and a social life, and was playing his ass off. Maybe he needed to stop worrying about being a starting goalie and just enjoy what was in front of him. His life was about to change in a big way, whether it was public knowledge or not, and he needed to wrap his head around that.

  Tonight, however, he had his gorgeous fiancée at his side and a great group of friends, so he was going to enjoy it. If he and Tara could have some quality time later on, it would be even better.

  “Are your parents coming for Christmas?” Sara was asking Miikka as the conversation went on around them.

  “I think yes,” he said. “My father has to change his work schedule, but we’re going to try to book the flights next week. It will be fun to have them all here for the holidays. We haven’t been together for Christmas in several years.”

  “Did Tara tell you guys about the amazing job opportunity she got?” Charli asked. Everyone looked at Tara expectantly and when she started talking about the coaching job, her entire face lit up.

  “You didn’t tell me!” Miikka said, almost accusingly.

  “You were gone,” she protested. “And it’s not like you called me while you were away.”

  “But this was important,” he protested.

  “What a great opportunity,” Sara said, ignoring their playful banter. “I’m almost jealous. Almost.”

  “You know Cassie Whitehead, right? She introduced me to the head coach, and we hit it off. But nothing can be done until I get a visa, so I’m trying not to be too excited. I can’t work without it, and so far we haven’t heard anything.”

  “Still?” Sara shook her head. “Well, at least there’s an opportunity. Good thing you heard about it.”

 
“Donovan told me about it. He saw an ad somewhere.”

  Donovan smiled, sliding his arm along the back of Tara’s chair, enjoying listening to her talk about hockey and coaching. She was genuinely excited about it, which made him happy, and it occurred to him Tara would be the kind of woman who would be happy here in Alaska. Unlike Jane, she didn’t want to rush home to Finland where everything was comfortable. In fact, she was going out of her way to build a new life here, and it seemed unfair she had to work so hard to make it happen. He appreciated that about her, though, even if he had to marry her to help.

  “Okay, guys, this pregnant old lady has to go to bed,” Dani said, getting to her feet. “Tonight was great—I hope we can do it again soon.”

  Within fifteen minutes, they’d paid and headed out, and Donovan glanced over at Tara as he started his SUV. “What do you want to do now?”

  “You want to come back to Gage’s house and talk?” she asked. “We can go into the library and have Wenda bring us a nightcap. Gage and Laurel usually go to bed early because Matthew is up at the crack of dawn.”

  He’d wanted to bring her back to his place since she’d never been there and would be moving in soon, but she was probably more comfortable at Gage’s for now, so he was okay with going home with her.

  “Sure. Sounds good.”

  “Do you like to read?”

  “I do when I have time,” he admitted. “I like spy stuff, suspense, like Tom Clancy and Ken Follett. What about you?”

  “I like the classics, but I’ve been reading romance lately. I needed something to remind me that just because my ex wasn’t romantic that there are romantic men out there. I know it’s fiction, but fiction is at least somewhat based on reality, right?”

  “To a degree, sure.”

  She hesitated, chewing her lower lip. “Did you feel betrayed? By the end of your marriage, I mean?”

  “Maybe a little,” he said slowly. “It was hard because I opened myself up to this woman, showed her everything about myself, and she just walked away when things got complicated. That’s the part I’ve struggled with, but I’m past it now.”

  “But you’re still careful.”

  “Well, yeah. Aren’t you?”

  “Yes and no.” She seemed thoughtful. “I liked being in love, so I’d like to feel that way again, but I stopped loving him a long time ago, even though I didn’t break it off right away. To me, it feels like I’ve been single for much longer than I actually have.”

  “Trust me, I get it. At least you weren’t married and didn’t have to go through an actual divorce.”

  “Was it ugly?” she asked curiously.

  “Not really. There was a lot of yelling in the beginning—her not me—and then a whole lot of tears. Then her family got involved and it was all sad and stupid.”

  “There was a lot of yelling when I caught Saku in bed with Jaana.” Tara smiled ruefully. “But I think it was warranted.”

  “Yeah, there would have been a lot more yelling on my part if I’d caught her in bed with someone else.”

  “That’s something I’d never do,” Tara said. “I’m not a cheater.”

  “Ditto.” He pulled through Gage’s gate and parked at the end of the driveway. He got out and took Tara’s hand as they walked. They went inside, and Tara led him to a set of closed double French doors that opened into a room he’d never been in, though he’d been to Gage and Laurel’s house many times.

  “Oh, wow, this is great,” he said, looking around. “I had no idea he had a library.”

  “Isn’t it wonderful? Someday, I want a smaller version of this in my own home.”

  “Why a smaller version?” he asked curiously.

  “Well…” She hesitated. “I guess since Gage is a billionaire, and I’m positive I’ll never be that rich, I assume I’ll never have anything quite this grand. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love it, but I’d also be happy with a smaller version. I mean, the fireplace alone probably cost more than I make in a year.”

  “I think you’ll like the fireplace at my house,” he said after a moment. “It’s not quite this grand, but it’s impressive. I think so anyway.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  She walked over to the fireplace and hit a button.

  “It’s electric?” he asked in surprise.

  “The one in here is—smoke and gas fumes aren’t good for books and Gage said he has many collectible first editions—but the others in the house are wood-burning.”

  “Yeah, that makes sense.”

  “Good evening, Miss Tara. Mr. Legori. Can I get you anything?” Wenda came in with a smile.

  “Hello, Wenda.” Tara turned to Donovan. “Hot chocolate? Hot tea? Something alcoholic?”

  “As much as I’d like something alcoholic, I’m not drinking for a few weeks. I’ll have tea.”

  “Same.” Tara nodded at Wenda. “Will you bring us a variety? Along with honey?”

  “Of course.” Wenda smiled. “And perhaps a few of those cookies you like?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Tara moved to one of the massive mahogany bookshelves and plucked a book from it. “This is one of my all-time favorite books.”

  “What is it?” he asked, going to stand beside her.

  “It’s called A Wrinkle in Time. They made a movie about it, but it’s not as good as the book series. There are four books in it, and I love them far more than the movie.”

  “Are you going to read it to me?” he teased.

  “No.” She gave him a bland look. “I was going to have you read it to me.”

  He laughed. “If you want me to.”

  She chuckled. “I’m kidding. I was planning to take it up to my room. I try to read a little while before bed each night.”

  “I usually pass out.”

  “If I played hockey for several hours each day, I’m sure I would, too.”

  “I find the travel more exhausting than the hockey,” he said, taking the book from her and opening to the first page. “What is this—a kids’ book?”

  “I think it’s called middle grade, but brilliant science fiction. I learned fancy words like mitochondria reading stuff like this.”

  “I don’t think I know what mitochondria is.” He laughed.

  “I didn’t, either, until I read this book.” They sank onto the leather love seat and Donovan thumbed through the pages, reading a few passages here and there. It was a lot more interesting than he’d initially thought it would be, and he hadn’t realized he’d started reading it until Wenda came in with a tray of hot water, china teacups, tea bags, honey, sugar cubes, and a small basket of cookies.

  “Thank you, Wenda,” Tara said.

  “You’re quite welcome. Just ring me if you need anything else. I’m probably going to bed in a little while, but leave the tray here or in the kitchen for me.”

  “Good night.”

  Tara poured the hot water while Donovan perused the different teabags. She’d chosen a variety of chai, so he picked the same. He wasn’t a big tea aficionado, but he didn’t mind it, either. A little sugar and a dash of cream made it bearable, and he liked the exotic flavor of the chai.

  “Are you playing hockey this coming weekend?” he asked her.

  She nodded. “Yes. Do you want to come watch?”

  “Depends on our practice schedule and what time you’re playing, but I’d like to.”

  “I’d like you to see me play when I don’t get my jaw knocked out of place.”

  “It happens. You think I’ve never been hurt?”

  “I’m sure, but it’s different since I play for fun and you make a lot of money.”

  “That’s true, but it doesn’t hurt any less.”

  “I’m guessing not.”

  “Let me see what’s going on this weekend.” He pulled out his phone to check his schedule. “We have a game at noon, which means there probably won’t be a morning skate.”

  “Yeah, our game this weekend is at seven in the morning because they
need time to get the ice ready for you guys and they want us out before any of you arrive.”

  “Well, I’ll come in early with you if you want. Chances are, you’ll be living at my place by then.”

  14

  Tara blinked and took a moment to absorb what he’d just said.

  By Friday, they’d most likely be living together.

  She’d known they would move in together, of course, but for some reason it seemed like something that would happen far in the future. Instead, it was happening this coming week, and she was mentally unprepared.

  “Is something wrong?” Donovan asked after a moment.

  “Not at all. I was thinking I could cook on Friday night, and I didn’t give much thought to doing it at your place.”

  He frowned. “I was thinking I’d take you out. We’ve haven’t really gone out on any dates. I mean, two group dates at the movies, a big-ass Halloween party, and now hanging out here. Unless you count me holding your hand while Doc put your jaw back in place, which technically would have been our first date.”

  “If that was our first date,” she said, shaking her head, “I want a do-over.”

  “Okay.” He laughed. “But I don’t want to have to worry about cooking and cleaning up when we first move in together. Let’s just go out somewhere.”

  “Oh! I think the Tudor women’s hockey team is playing—you want to go to the game? I’d like to see them play anyway.”

  He laughed. “Sure. I love going to hockey games on my nights off from hockey.”

  She grimaced. “I’m sorry. Never mind, I’ll go when you’re out of town.”

  “I’m kidding.” He leaned in to kiss her. “I love hockey, and if you want to go see them play, I want to do whatever you want to do.”

  “Right now, I think I want to kiss,” she breathed.

  He captured her mouth softly, one arm drifting around her waist and the other coming up to cup the side of her face. She didn’t know why he was taking his time and being a gentleman, but she loved it. She wanted him to make love to her, but this was okay, too, these nights of kissing and hand-holding and dancing and movies. The fireplace was the only light in the room, making it as cozy as it was romantic, and when his tongue moved between her lips, she sighed happily. No one had ever taken this much time to really get to know her before taking things to the next level, and she was enjoying it. Almost as much as she enjoyed his kisses.