Chapter 6 #2
Damn, okay, that was…amazing, sweet, kind. I shoved those thoughts away. Just because he did something nice didn’t mean he was a nice guy. I met plenty of men that claimed to be great but turned out to be the worst.
“They looked like they were having fun when I walked in.”
“Some aren’t spectacular at hockey, but they love to skate and see their friends. Plus, it keeps them busy and out of trouble.”
We skated another lap, and Mateo switched the subject to me.
“So, you know what I do for a living. What about you?”
I hesitated to answer. It always seemed weird and cocky telling people I was an Olympic figure skater, and like I said before, people made it a whole thing when it didn’t need to be.
I decided to tell him anyway. “I’m a figure skater.”
“Oh, wow, that’s impressive.” I waited for him to ask more questions but none came. I slowed as I stared at the side of his face in surprise. There was always follow-up questions. Being a figure skater wasn’t exactly a normal job.
As though he could read my confusion, his eyes found mine. “I know what it’s like to have people pry into your life,” he said softly, his tone heavy with understanding.
I hadn’t looked up Mateo’s name, but now I was suddenly wishing I had.
We were silent as we skated around the rink, the only sound was our blades cutting through the ice. I should have been pushing him to go so I could be alone, but instead of doing so, I kept pace alongside him.
From the corner of my eye, I watched how he easily glided with every push. His strides were long and sure, like someone who felt comfortable. Erin’s words about who his brother was came to mind, but I circled back to wanting to know more about him.
“So, the Titans, huh?” I said after a few minutes. “Were they your first choice?”
“I actually didn’t have a first choice.” I raised an eyebrow at that. The was surprising. Most athletes had a dream team they wanted to go to when they got drafted.
“No top team you wanted?”
“I mean, there’s tons of teams I would have loved to be drafted for, but I was just honored to be picked in general, so it didn’t matter where I went.”
A scoff left my lips unintentionally.
“What?”
I shifted so I could skate backward in front of him, hands on my hips. “That was the most scripted response I’ve ever heard.”
“It was not.” Mateo shook his head.
I made my voice low as I mimicked him. “I was just honored to be picked. Give me the real answer.”
“First off, that was a pretty good impression.” He pointed at me. “Second, I’m being honest.”
“That can’t be your answer. Come on, there had to be at least one team you’ve always wanted to play for,” I pushed.
“I always wanted a team close to Toronto and my family, so maybe I secretly wanted either Buffalo or New England.” Mateo shrugged.
“See, knew it,” I boasted.
“Plus, I get to play under Coach Reggie, which is a win in itself.”
My stomach twisted at the mention of my dad. Mateo played for him, and if he ever found out I was the coach’s daughter, he’d probably treat me differently. Not that anything was going to happen between us, but dating your coach’s daughter was basically off-limits.
I really should have told him and put a stop to whatever this was, but when I opened my mouth to do just that, I couldn’t get the words out.
“What’s the look for?” Mateo questioned.
“You’re a good guy, aren’t you?”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing,” he joked.
“It’s not.” I shook my head. “Just new.”
I’d only ever known assholes. Finding a good guy in this day and age was like finding a needle in a haystack, so when you stumbled across one, it was a shock.
“Sounds like you’ve been hanging out with the wrong guys,” he stated.
“Hmm,” I hummed, not arguing with that.
We lapsed into silence as we skated. Mateo’s arm grazed mine as we moved. I was hyperaware of him beside me. It was hard to ignore his big frame and the space he took up.
“Did you come here to practice a routine?” Mateo asked after a few minutes.
“My coach told me—well, more like demanded—that I needed to take the weekend off, but I had to get on the ice.” It sounded stupid saying it out loud.
“Hard to stay away, huh?” He didn’t say it in a judgmental way. Out of everyone, he would be the one to understand the visceral need that came with being an athlete.
“Yeah, it is. I have a competition coming up, so I’ve spent most of my time here.”
“Is it a big one?” Mateo asked, his eyes once again on me as I skated backward in front of him.
“Kind of. It’s regionals, which is basically the first one of the season to scout out the other competitors.”
“Ah, kind of like preseason for football.”
I nodded. “Pretty much. We test out the routine and see what needs to be fixed, added, or taken out.”
“It’s impressive you can do that.”
I don’t know why the compliment startled me. I’d gotten plenty of them on my skating from Marcy, judges, fans of the sport, but the way he said it and meant it felt different. Hell, he never even saw me skate and knew absolutely nothing about me, and yet, here he was, saying it with such certainty.
“Uh, thanks.”
Needing a moment to get my head straight, I turned back around and pushed off the ice with a bit more force, propelling me farther away. I felt his eyes on my back as I skated. Oddly, I was self-conscious with his attention on me. It was a new feeling, one that never claimed me on the ice.
“So,” Mateo said as I came back around beside him, “do you have any other plans for the day?”
I thought of tonight's dinner with Erin and the others, fighting a grimace. “Um.”
“If you’re free, want to grab a bite to eat?”
I came to a stop, Mateo following suit. “Are you asking me out?”
“It’s just food.” Mateo shrugged. “Unless you want it to be a date, then you’d need to ask me out officially.”
The teasing smirk on his face had me rolling my eyes, but my own lips twitched.
“I’m not asking you out.”
“Not yet, you aren’t.”
“If you’re trying to get me to go eat with you, you’re doing a piss job at it.” I crossed my arms.
“Do you have anything you need to be doing?” Mateo asked again.
I stared at him as my mind went blank. Getting something to eat together would just make things complicated, and I didn’t need any complications. Least of all in the form of a man as handsome as Mateo Boone. And I really did have plans tonight.
Yet, despite all that and the voice in my head telling me I would only get hurt at the end of this, I found myself shaking my head. “No, I don’t. What do you have in mind?”