Ten.
Joy
The park is a winter wonderland filled with people and activities. There is ice skating and sledding, a snowman-building contest, games for the kids, holiday music playing over several speakers, and multiple food and craft vendors lined up.
My jaw drops at the sight of an amazing sculpture made of ice in the center of the rink. It’s a plump Santa waving with a sack of toys hauled over his shoulder and his lower half stuffed in a chimney top—and it is huge !
I can’t stop smiling.
As an avid lover of all things Christmas, I’ve dreamed of finding a place like this. I used to sit at home and watch cheesy Hallmark movies and get lost in the spirit of it all. I was so jealous of those actors living my dream .
Now, here I am, about to enjoy the Christmas of my dreams with the man of my dreams.
My cheeks burn under the thick knit scarf Nick insisted I wear to help keep my face and neck warm. I’ve got two pairs of socks on, a thermal long sleeve (at his demand), his hoodie (also at his demand), my new long winter coat, boots, hat, and two pairs of mittens borrowed from his sister.
Meanwhile, all he has on is a hoodie, jacket, hat, and gloves. “ I’m used to the cold ,” he said. I argued that he lives in Texas now and should bundle up, but he seems to be doing fine.
I shift in place. My toes are already getting a cold bite to them and we just got here.
Nick’s low chuckle catches my attention as he steers us toward the rental skate booth. “I take it they don’t have anything like this in LA?”
“Not even close.” I smile over the scarf tucked around my chin. “This is amazing. There’s so much going on.”
He grins. “Don’t worry, we’ll walk around afterward and see everything. We usually do ice skating first before it gets too crowded on the rink.”
I nod, holding his hand as we move up in line. My head is still on a swivel taking it all in when I see a certain someone talking to Mr. and Mrs. Davis. Or should I say, a ‘couple’ someones.
I squeeze Nick’s hand. He was so stressed yesterday and last night. I want today to be fun for him. I admit, Eric is…strange, but Darcy is the one who reeks of trouble in my opinion. Yet, Nick hasn’t seemed to say much about her. Although, his face says it all. I wonder how close she was to the family after their breakup? Close enough to meet Eric, I assume.
“Joy?”
I’m pulled from my thoughts to Nick’s voice. I peer up at him. “Hm?”
“What size shoe are you?” he asks with a smile, making me think that wasn’t the first time he’s asked in the last few minutes.
“Oh, an eight.”
He huffs. “Eight. Right.”
I lean into him. “I won’t hold it against you for not remembering.”
“This time,” he muses, and I smile.
Next in line, we gather our skates and head to the covered area beside the rental booth with direct access to the rink—and somewhere dry to keep our boots. We walk toward the bench where Leah is perched with a steaming cup between her gloved hands, while her husband ties his skates.
“Not joining us on the ice this year, Lee?” Nick asks, gesturing for me to take a seat. He kneels on the chilly rubber floor, loosening the laces of my skates as I take off my boots.
“Pregnant and clumsy. Not a good combination,” she replies, giggling as Rich attempts to stand. He wobbles, his arms darting out to either side for balance .
“And…I’m off,” Rich says, making his slow, inching way to the entrance of the rink. “I’ve got a max of three falls this year!” he calls over his shoulder.
My brow furrows. “A max?”
Nick grins, handing me one skate at a time to put on. “He tries to fall less and less every year. Last year he fell four times. This year, he’s aiming for no more than three.”
Oh. I suppose falling is a part of the learning process with this sort of thing, right? A spike of nerves floods my belly at falling flat on my butt in front of so many people. “Is it hard? For a beginner, I mean.” I ask quietly, leaning down to tie my laces.
“Tighter,” Nick tells me, brushing my hands aside to take over. He peers up at me as he pulls the laces as tight as they’ll go. Near painfully so. How am I supposed to move my feet when they’re this snug? Reading my mind, he says, “The tighter the better. Trust me. You won’t roll an ankle and slice open your pants like a certain someone…” He side-eyes his cousin-in-law.
Leah huffs. “Three years ago, Nick. Three! And that kid pushed me. You saw.”
Nick chuckles, glancing up with a pat on my locked feet. “It’s not hard once you get the hang of it,” he says, sitting down to put his skates on as well. “And I’ll stay with you the whole time.”
I nod, the tension in my shoulders easing at his promise.
“There you are.” Darcy bounds in our direction. Pristine, pearl white skates on her feet—the complete opposite of the tattered tan rentals I’m wearing. She’s walking with an ease I can only assume comes from a lot of practice. “Beautiful day, isn’t it, Nicky?” She eyes me from head to toe. Her left eye twitches.
A cloud of steam puffs from his lips as he spares a glance from tying his skates. “Where’s your boy toy?” he asks bluntly, pushing to stand before turning back to take my hand.
“Busy,” she says, her chin raised. “Business stuff.”
Nick snorts. “Sure.”
I opt to take both of his extended hands to help steady myself on the thin blades.
“He’ll be here later for the light show,” she adds. Nick ignores her.
My feet wobble as I take a tentative step forward. I can see why he made them so tight. The control is better. “You got it,” Nick encourages, releasing one of my hands that I end up using the same way Rich did—outward for balance. He leads me across the rubber flooring to the rink and we wait patiently while a father and son duo step out ahead of us. The dad goes first, turning so he can help his son. The transition was seamless, and I let myself get excited again. If a kid can do it, surely so can I.
“I’ll go first,” Nick says. “Hold the sideboard and we’ll go one foot at a time.” I watch his feet as he glides onto the ice, angling his toes to turn and face me.
I gape. “You made that look way too easy.”
He grins. “It is. Now, come on.” He holds out his hands as if I’m a child, but I don’t care. My pulse is thrumming with excitement at watching everyone skating in circles and laughing. It looks too fun not to try.
I take Nick’s hand in mine, the other clutching the short wall as I put one foot on the ice. So far so good . It’s slippery, of course, but my confidence is already building. I bring my other foot out and—
My first foot flies out from under me. I yelp.
My knees hit the ice and my face collides right into Nick’s, ahem, crotch.
“Woah—” Nick is quick to correct me. Strong arms slide under mine and hoist me to my feet. I cling to him while I try to get my feet to face forward. Not an easy task.
When I finally do, I look up…and burst into a fit of laughter.
A grin splits his bristled cheeks and he chuckles. “Let’s try that again, angel.”