Chapter 41
MATEO
“I take back ever making fun of you for being so nervous watching Wyatt at The Cup Championships,” I said to Josie, who sat on my right. Nerves wrecked my stomach. My legs urged me to get up and pace, but I couldn’t exactly do that in the stands at the Olympics.
“Aw, I love seeing you like this.” Josie put her hand on my knee and squeezed.
“Too cute,” Tasha echoed from behind me.
“Nervous Mateo is adorable,” Mila added as well.
“Geez, thanks for making me feel better, guys,” I deadpanned.
Josie just grinned. “You’re welcome.”
“Hey, you can’t be mad at a pregnant lady,” Tasha remarked. I turned in my seat to look at her, still surprised she was pregnant.
“Shocked Trevor let you fly to come watch them play.”
“Oh, he tried to tell me I couldn’t.” Tasha shook her head. “But I wasn’t about to pass up going to the Olympics to see both Emmie skate and the guys play. Plus, I’m carrying his child, the least he can do is let me do what I want. I’m only thirty-two weeks along, I’m just fine.” She waved it off.
You’d think after this many years of being together, Trevor would have learned that Tasha did whatever she put her mind to. And that included being here to support everyone.
“This is the coolest thing we’ve ever done,” Mila gushed. “First, we get to see Emmie win gold. Then in a few hours, we get to watch the guys play their final game for gold. I’ve never felt so patriotic in my life.”
I nodded in agreement. Here I thought The Legacy Championship was insane, but that had nothing on this. Being in a place filled with the world's best athletes was indescribable. I couldn’t lie, it made me feel I was a nobody compared to everyone here.
Coach Reggie appeared at the end of the aisle. “I didn’t miss her, did I?”
“Not yet, there are still two more skaters before her,” I said as he took his seat on my left. He let out a sigh of relief.
“We have your sign.” Mila leaned over, handing Coach a poster that said Emmie is #1 on it. He took it with a soft grin, one he only gave Emmie and the girls. I swear they had secret powers to get intimidating men to like them.
A voice came overhead, announcing the next skater, which ironically was not Keira. After the short program, Keira ended up in sixth place. During her long skate, she made quite a few mistakes and fell at one point, which dropped her even further.
If only Erin was here to cackle at that. Funny how karma worked like that on both sides. Keira not getting a single medal, and Duncan Jennings not being picked up by a team.
My mind wandered during the person's skate. I didn’t particularly care about anyone other than Emmie. After today, she had to skate two more times for the team event, but that would be a walk in the park after this.
The crowd around us applauded as the skater finished. I clapped along as my nerves skyrocketed again. After this next skater, it was Emmie’s turn. Since she was currently in first, this skater would determine if Emmie got gold, silver, or bronze.
How the hell did she handle this when she watched me play? I felt like I was going to be sick at any moment. I couldn’t begin to imagine what she was feeling right now, waiting for her turn.
“You look worse than you did before your first championship game,” Coach said from beside me.
I glanced over, caught between a laugh and a groan. “Feels worse. I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous before my own game.”
Reggie nodded. “Welcome to my life for the last thirteen years.”
That pulled a small laugh out of me. If anyone got it, it was Reggie. Watching his daughter skate all these years couldn’t have been easy.
“You’re good for her,” he added, eyes on the ice, but he wasn’t really watching the skater. “She finally has someone who supports her no matter what.” He paused. “Someone who actually shows and means it.”
My chest tightened. “I’ll always show up for her.”
Reggie didn’t even hesitate. “I know.”
Neither of us said anything else. We didn’t need to. Coach was a man of few words, but those right there? That was enough for me.
The announcer’s voice rose again.
“And now…representing the United States—Emmie James.”
I shot to my feet, the others following suit. Josie, Tasha, and Mila waved their signs above their heads, screaming at the top of their lungs like this was a hockey or football game. Even Coach let out an ear-piercing whistle that caused heads to turn our way.
When Emmie glanced over at us, it felt like the ground fell out from under my feet. She was the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on.
Her black dress for her routine made her red hair pop, the loose ponytail a bit different then her usual tight bun. She flashed us all a smile, but her eyes never left mine. I put my hand to my chest, tapped my fist three times, and then pointed to her.
We came up with our own little sign to say I love you during games and her competitions. A thing that only the two of us knew and understood.
She brought her own fingers up, lightly tapping her chest three times, and flashed me a grin. Man, I loved her.
I sat back down in my seat, along with everyone else, as she glided across the rink. With her black dress and red hair, she stuck out against the pearly white ice, forcing everyone here to look at her.
She had this. The two months leading up to worlds really helped her. Marcy agreed to give her a month off to get her mental health on track. It also helped repair her relationship with her dad, as well as ours.
When worlds came, she performed the best she ever did. The moment she stepped on the ice, it was like she was finally skating for herself. Not for Marcy, not for her father’s approval. Hell, not even for me. Just her.
Because of that, she outscored everyone, securing her spot in the individual event as well as the team event at the Olympics. And now, she was here and ready to prove that she really was the best in the world.
As she got into position in the middle of the ice, I took a deep breath. Three minutes. That was all it took for her to achieve the one thing she always wanted. Gold.
When the opening piano notes of “Wait For It” by Hamilton played, my hand moved on its own and snatched Josie’s, not taking my eyes off of Emmie for even a second. I held Josie’s smaller palm in mine, squeezing in anticipation.
Watching Emmie skate was…indescribable. It was like watching someone be exactly who they were meant to be. Emmie was meant to skate. She was meant to be out there, ruling the ice like a queen on her throne.
I tightened my hold on Josie’s hand when Emmie skated backward, ready for her first jump of the routine. One second, she was on the ice, the next, she was flying and twisting in the air three times. She landed each with precision, not a single wobble in sight.
“That’s new,” Coach remarked. He was right. She never did a triple axel right out of the gate.
I couldn’t look away as she glided down the ice, almost as if her skates weren’t even touching it. Every flick of her wrist and sweep of her arm was perfectly in time with the music. It was like the music itself was speaking through her. It was mesmerizing.
I was spellbound as she went from move to move. Every jump, she landed with control. Every spin was like gravity didn’t even exist. And somehow, with all that pressure on her shoulders, she made it look effortless. Showed every person in this stadium that she belonged here.
The music shifted, the peak of the song about to hit, and the crowd around us seemed to hold their breath. Mine was stuck in my chest as I watched.
As Emmie skated into her last spin that defied all sort of physics, I moved to the edge of my seat. This was it.
The final notes of her music rang through the arena as Emmie fell to her knees, gliding across the rink, head thrown back, fingers barely grazing the cold ice. It was a new move I hadn’t seen her do before.
Just as the last note played, Emmie came to a stop, still on her knees with her eyes directed upward.
Utter stillness followed. Like every single person in here needed a second to comprehend what they just witnessed. Then the place erupted. The sound hit like a wave, cheering and screaming, as I stared at the woman in the center of the ice.
Emmie straightened slowly, blinking like she was coming back to herself. Her cheeks were flushed. One hand flew to her mouth as if the reality of what she’d just done started to sink in.
The crowd knew it. I knew it. She knew it.
There was no way that wouldn’t secure her the gold medal.
I was on my feet, shouting as loud as the girls around me, unable to hold back the tears that ran down my face. I turned to my left to find Coach with teary eyes as he stared at his daughter.
Emmie turned in a slow circle, taking in the roaring crowd, eyes glassy as her shoulders shook. Off to the side by the boards, I could see Marcy clapping and crying. No matter what, every single person in Emmie’s life was proud of her at this moment.
When Emmie looked up, eyes finding mine, I was a goner. I tapped my chest three times again. Fresh tears fell as she mouthed the words back. I didn’t need to hear them. I love you.
Emmie moved to get off the ice, only to pause when a voice came through the overhead speakers. It was the quickest the judges came back with scores this entire time. I only caught two words.
My whole body went still.
First place.
Gold.