Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Kat
I stare up at Asher, feeling breathless and almost giddy.
The late afternoon sun is starting to sink lower in the sky, and it catches his dark hair in a way that makes the strands look almost black instead of dark brown.
It’s messier than normal after all the skating, sticking up in places where he’s run his fingers through it.
His blue-gray eyes almost seem to shift color depending on the light, and right now, they have that deep hue of clouds that are heavy with rain.
He reaches down and takes my hand, lacing our fingers together, and my heart stutters at the feel of his palm against mine.
A little rush of heat shoots through me, starting where our skin touches and spreading up my arm.
His hand is so much bigger than mine, rougher from years of gripping hockey sticks and whatever else professional athletes do to develop calluses like that.
“Want to do a couple more laps before we call it a day?” he asks, lifting his brows a little in question.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice a little breathless. “That sounds good.”
We turn and push off together, and I try to remember all the tips he gave me earlier. Keep my knees and hips bent. Push off from the inside edge of the blade. Smooth out the strokes.
But honestly, all I can really focus on is the warmth of his hand in mine. How big and strong it feels, how he tightens his grip a little every time we make a turn.
I’m barely aware of the two laps we take.
My body just moves on autopilot, following his lead without overthinking every single step.
The ice passes beneath us, the other skaters fade into background noise, and all I’m really conscious of is him.
The way he moves beside me, the occasional pressure of his arm against mine when we get close, the sound of his breathing in the cold air.
When we finally come to a stop near the exit, a sudden realization washes through me, startling me out of my thoughts.
“I actually skated better that time. Way better.” I shoot Asher a wide grin. “I guess you were right about not overthinking it. I wasn’t thinking about skating at all that time, and it was so much easier.”
He meets my gaze, a curious look passing through his eyes. “What were you thinking about?”
Heat creeps up my neck, and I look away quickly before he can see it in my face. “Uh, nothing, really. I just got out of my own head that time. Stopped worrying so much about falling and just let my body do what you taught me.”
It’s technically true, even if it’s not the whole truth. But I’m not about to admit that I was too busy thinking about his hand in mine to worry about proper skating technique.
We make our way to one of the wooden benches at the edge of the rink and sit down to unlace our skates. My hands are getting cold from the wind and all the time spent outside, and I grimace as I fumble with the laces, which are stiff from the chill as well.
“Here,” Asher says, kneeling in front of me. “Let me.”
He picks up one of my feet, resting it on his knee, and starts working on the laces with quick, efficient movements. His fingers are much more dexterous than mine despite the cold, and he has the first skate unlaced in seconds. Then he does the other one, untying the bow and tugging at the laces.
“Thanks,” I say, touched by the gesture in a way I probably shouldn’t be. It’s such a small thing, but something about seeing him on his knees helping me with my skates makes me feel… taken care of.
“I should be thanking you,” he says, glancing up at me as he finishes with the second skate. “This was a great idea.”
“Yeah?”
“Hell, yes. You were right that having something to look forward to made my day so much better.” He stands up and moves back to his spot on the bench. “So, thanks.”
I get my regular shoes on while he takes care of his own skates, trading the rigid boots for the soft comfort of my sneakers. My feet are a little sore from the unfamiliar footwear, but I’m not sorry about it. I think I may even have become a convert to skating. It is pretty fun.
We return the skates to the rental counter, then head out toward the parking lot. The temperature has dropped noticeably now that the sun is lower, and I pull my coat tighter around me.
My phone rings as we’re walking, and I tug it out of my pocket to see my grandmother Beverly’s name on the screen. I smile automatically as I swipe to answer.
“Hi, Grandma,” I come to a stop, pressing the phone to my ear.
“Kat, sweetheart! You sound a bit out of breath. What are you up to?” Her voice is vivacious and bubbly as always. My grandmother has more energy at seventy-eight than most people have at thirty.
“I just went ice skating,” I tell her, unable to keep the smile out of my voice. I glance at Asher, who came to a stop beside me and is watching me with a small smile of his own. “It was actually a ton of fun. I didn’t fall once.”
“Ice skating! That’s amazing. I’m glad you’re getting out and enjoying yourself while you’re home instead of just hiding away working on your illustration projects.
” She clicks her tongue against her teeth, chuckling.
“Though I do hope you’re still finding time to draw.
I know how you get when you’re inspired. ”
“I am, don’t worry. Plenty of time for both.”
“Good, good. I just wanted to remind you that my Christmas party is coming up this weekend. I hope I’ll see you there? I need to catch up with my favorite artist!”
“Of course I’ll be there, Grandma. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.
” I smile fondly. My grandmother’s holiday party has become an annual tradition.
She goes completely overboard with decorations and food and invites pretty much everyone she’s ever met.
“Honestly, half the reason I came back home is to go to your party,” I add. “It’s the event of the year.”
She laughs, clearly flattered even though we both know I’m exaggerating. “Oh, you’re sweet to say so, even if you’re being a bit dramatic.”
“I’m serious! You always throw the best parties.”
“Well, I try. And I’m hoping you’ll bring that young man of yours. Asher, isn’t it? I’ve heard so much about him from your mother and Josephine, and I’m dying to meet him properly. Please tell him he’s welcome too.”
I start to say something vague, not wanting to commit him to anything without asking first. My grandmother doesn’t do anything by halves, and the party will be a lot, especially for an out-of-towner who doesn’t really know anyone but me and my family.
But before I can get the words out, Asher nods.
He clearly heard enough of the conversation to figure out what she’s asking.
A rush of gratitude floods me, and I mouth “thank you” to him before turning my attention back to the phone.
“He’ll be there too, Grandma. I’m sure he’d love to meet you.”
“Wonderful!” I can practically hear her beaming through the phone.
“Can we bring anything? Food or drinks or something?” I offer, knowing she’ll turn me down but wanting to ask anyway.
“Absolutely not. I’ve been stocking up my fridge and freezer and pantry for weeks now. You should see it all! I had to buy an extra folding table just to hold all the appetizers. I’m more than ready.”
I laugh at that, picturing her kitchen overflowing with food. She really does go all out for this party, treating it like she’s hosting royalty instead of just neighbors and family. “Okay, but if you change your mind, let me know.”
“I appreciate that. But you just bring yourself and that handsome young man of yours. That’s all I need.”
We chat for another minute about the party logistics and when we should arrive, and then I promise to see her soon and hang up.
“Thank you for that,” I tell Asher as we walk the rest of the way to his car. “I know going to a party with my entire family and half of Maplewood probably isn’t high on your list of fun activities.”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” He unlocks the doors and holds mine open for me, then slides into the driver’s seat. “I’m looking forward to meeting your grandmother, actually, after everything you’ve said about her.”
My heart does a little stutter in my chest as I buckle my seatbelt. “I’m sure you’ll like Grandma Beverly. Everyone does.”
“She sounded impressed that you were out ice skating,” he says, starting the car and backing out of the parking spot.
I grin wryly, leaning back into the leather seat. “She probably thinks it’s a miracle I didn’t break something. I’m not exactly known for my athletic prowess in my family.”
“You did really well for your first time. Well, basically your first time.”
“Were you as wobbly as me when you first started?” I ask curiously. “Or were you one of those natural athlete types who just picked it up immediately?”
“Oh, no way. I was much worse than you.” He chuckles, something nostalgic in his voice as he remembers.
“The first time my dad took me to a rink, I couldn’t even stand up.
He basically had to carry me around the entire time, his hands under my armpits.
I’m not sure my skates were even touching the ice most of the time. ”
“Really?” I find the mental image of tiny Asher falling all over the place kind of adorable. “How old were you?”
“Four, maybe five. I don’t really remember it that well, but he told me that story for years.
” There’s something in his voice when he mentions his dad, but it’s not as heavy as it usually is.
Almost wistful instead of bitter. “It took a long time before I could make it around the rink without falling at least once.”
“But you kept trying?”
“Yeah. Because despite all the falls and bruises, I loved it.” He glances over at me briefly before focusing back on the road. “I remember that part for sure.”
There’s never really much traffic to speak of in Maplewood, so it doesn’t take us too long to get back to the cabin.
We roll to a stop in the driveway, and Asher engages the parking brake.
As we get out of the car, I find myself wanting to invite him inside.
I had such a good time today, and the thought of going into the cabin alone and spending the evening by myself feels oddly disappointing.
But I’m not sure how to ask without it seeming like I’m overstepping. We’ve already spent a big chunk of the day together, and he might be tired of my company or just want some space to decompress.
“Well,” I finally say. “I’d better head in. I guess I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah. See you later, Kat.”
He heads toward the guest house while I walk to the main cabin, unlocking my door with fingers that are still slightly cold from the skating. I give him a little wave before I go inside, and he raises his hand in return before disappearing into the other building.
Once I’m in the cabin, I stand in the entryway for a moment, second-guessing myself. Should I have been braver? Should I have just asked him to come in? Would he have said yes if I had?
I shake my head and try to let it go, heading to the kitchen to make coffee. No point dwelling on what I should have done. He’s probably glad to have some time to himself anyway.
After grabbing a quick bite to eat, I settle in at my makeshift art station by the living room windows where my sketchpad and pencils are spread out and waiting for me.
Drawing has always been my refuge, the place where everything makes perfect sense when the rest of the world feels chaotic and unpredictable.
I lose myself in working on a new character that’s been kicking around in my head for a while—a beagle with a bowtie and an intelligent expression on his canine face, his droopy ears giving him an adorably hang-dog look. I grin as I work, mulling over names for him. Hector, maybe. Or Hugo.
The familiar scratch of pencil on paper settles my mind, the creative flow taking over as I lose myself in my work. This is my happy place, my element.
Just like the ice is clearly Asher’s.