Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
DREW
Iknew it was a long shot, taking the scenic route from the convention center back to the delivery van just for a chance to catch a glimpse of Chloe.
But today, luck was on my side. She was out on the rink skating alone.
And man, is she like a swan out there. Even though she was just skating in slow circles, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
I probably looked like a total creeper lingering near the rail, inching closer for a better view. But I didn’t care. After spending the morning running around like a headless reindeer delivering trees and arrangements, I figured I’d earned a few minutes for myself.
I glance down at the skates in my hands and exhale. The deliveries are going to be behind schedule after this, and I really hope my parents don’t notice. Technically, I shouldn’t have agreed to this skating lesson. But the second Chloe asked, I wanted to say yes. I want to be near her.
Last night, I went down a Chloe rabbit hole watching competition videos and old interviews.
I didn’t mean to stalk her, exactly. I just couldn’t stop watching.
And sometime between one and two in the morning, when she was talking to an interviewer about why she wears mismatched socks before a competition—for superstition reasons—I realized that my feelings for Chloe run way deeper than I thought.
As I finish tying the laces of the rental skates together, I glance up and find her biting back a giggle. “What?”
“You, um, aren’t supposed to wrap the laces around the boot if they’re too long,” she says, failing to contain the laughter any longer.
I blow out air. This is exactly why I didn’t want to skate in the first place. I’m already making a fool of myself. “What are you supposed to do?”
“You tie them normally. They should be tight, but comfortable. Then you tuck the ends into the skate.”
I glance skyward. “Somebody needs to invent skates with Velcro.”
“They exist.”
“Then why don’t I get to use a pair?”
“Because they’re usually for kids. They’re not sturdy enough for adults.” She steps off the ice and toward the bench where I’m sitting. “Do you mind if I help?”
I shrug, trying not to look too grateful. “Knock yourself out.”
She kneels in front of me, and her hands move fast and confidently. “How many thousands of times have you done this?” I ask.
“Hmm . . .” She glances up at me. “Well, I started skating when I was five. So if we multiply that by three times a week until I was ten, then bump that up to four practices a week, plus lessons twice a day . . .”
I groan. “Right. I forgot you were a math major.”
She grins as she goes back to tightening the skates. “Let’s round up and just say the number’s somewhere close to ten thousand times.”
“I’ve always wondered, why did you pick math?”
“I thought I’d become a high school math teacher when I was done with skating. It’s my favorite subject and I love being around kids.” In less than a minute, she’s done. She gives the laces one final tug and leans back, looking satisfied. “Alrighty. Looks like you’re all set.”
I watch her for a beat longer than I probably should. Of course she’d want to become a teacher. It’s so Chloe. She’s always thinking about how she can give back. She doesn’t just skate circles around people. She outshines them. It makes me fall for her even more.
I stand. My legs wobble like spaghetti noodles, but somehow, I manage to follow Chloe onto the ice without face-planting. It’s a small victory, but I’ll take it.
She skates backward in front of me. “Not bad. But you need to loosen up. A band of ninjas isn’t going to pop out and attack you. Bend your knees. Relax your shoulders.”
“It won’t be ninjas taking me out today. It’ll be gravity.” As if on cue, my skate catches on a rough patch and I stumble, arms flailing.
Before I hit the ice, Chloe loops her arm through mine and steadies me. Her fingers wrap around my sleeve, and I swear I feel a spark of electricity shooting straight through me. My breath catches.
“Good thing you’re not wearing figure skates,” she says lightly. “Otherwise, the toe picks would’ve sent you flying.”
I glance down with a frown. “Toe picks? That doesn’t sound hygienic.”
She snorts. “Not a literal thing to pick dirt out of your toes. I’m talking about this thing.” She points to the sharp, jagged metal at the front of her skate blade. “We use them for jumps and spins.”
My eyes travel to my skates. They don’t look like any skates I remember using. “Mine don’t look like yours. Or have that thing.”
“That’s because they’re hockey skates. I thought they’d be easier for you to start with. The boot isn’t as stiff, and the blade is rounded.”
“Oh, gotcha.” That’s another dumb thing I’ve said. It should’ve been obvious they’re a different kind of skate than hers.
“Drew, don’t be embarrassed. It’s totally normal to not know the difference.” She giggles.
I shift my weight, trying to find the right balance.
“Okay, I think I’ve got it this time,” I say, focusing hard as I even out over the blades.
Chloe lets go of my arm, and although I’m glad I’m balancing on my own, I miss the warmth of her hand in mine.
I push forward a few strokes. I’m wobbly but still upright.
I glance at her for approval. “How am I doing, Coach?”
“You’re skating like a champ.”
I pump my fist in mock victory. “Does that mean I’m ready for a . . .” I rack my brain, trying to remember what the commentators called some of Chloe’s jumps last night. “Quadruple Lutz?”
“Not yet, but maybe after a few more lessons, we can try a bunny hop.” She laughs. “For now, we’ll stick to gliding forward.”
Oof. There goes my ego. “Brutal.”
We fall into an easy rhythm, slowly circling the rink. My movements are still stiff, but each lap feels a little less like a disaster waiting to happen.
Chloe looks at me. “I’ve been meaning to ask . . . Why were you working on the aquarium yesterday?”
“Oh, Emma asked me to. She knows I won’t turn down a fish in need. I’ve been into aquascaping since I was a kid.”
Chloe tilts her head. “Aqua-what?”
“You know . . .” I gesture vaguely in front of me. “Designing fish tanks to look like little underwater worlds. Coral, plants, driftwood, rocks. Think interior design, but for fish.”
“That sounds awesome.”
“It is.” I grin. “Growing up, there was this little aquarium shop in downtown Winterbrook run by a guy named Mr. Ray,” I say as we continue skating side-by-side.
“I was obsessed with the place. Every time we were anywhere near downtown, I’d beg my mom to let me stop by.
I couldn’t get enough of the tanks and all the colorful fish.
It felt like stepping into a different world. ”
She glances at me, intrigued.
“We went so often that Mr. Ray adopted me as his honorary grandson. On weekends, Mom would drop me off and I’d spend the day with him.
He’d explain things to me like how the tanks worked, how to keep the pH of the water balanced, and which fish got along as community fish.
Keeping aquariums became my hobby. And when I was old enough, he gave me my first real job. ”
“You were getting private lessons in fishkeeping as a kid,” she teases. “That’s kind of adorable.”
“Mr. Ray was an amazing man. I was sad when he retired and moved to Denver. None of his kids wanted to take it over, so unfortunately, it went out of business.” I sigh. “The only way to get fish nowadays is to order online or drive out to Vail or Denver.”
There’s a beat of silence between us, filled only by the sound of our skates cutting softly across the ice. “It’s too bad somebody else hasn’t opened a new shop,” Chloe says.
“Yeah.” My chest tightens a little. “If someone ever opened a new place, I wouldn’t mind working there. It’d beat my parents’ shop. I mean, it’s not the worst, but I’m allergic to half the inventory.”
“That sucks.” Chloe wrinkles her nose. “Emma mentioned what happened with Pacific Skyways. I’m so sorry. Do you miss it?”
“Yes and no. I miss living in LA. The weather, the food, the beach, and the aquarium stores were all great.” I force a smile.
“But the job? Not so much. It paid well, but it was mind-numbingly boring. Half my department barely did anything. I could take a four-hour lunch break, and no one would notice.”
Chloe’s expression softens, and I suddenly feel exposed. I glance away, pretending to focus on my feet. “Getting laid off was a blow, but now that I’ve had more time to think about it, it was also a huge relief. It gave me the perfect excuse to walk away.”
“Have you thought about what you want to do next?”
“A little. I know I don’t want another corporate job.
I want to do something with my creative side.
But other than that, no. I’ve spent a little time looking through some job sites, but for the most part, I’ve been hoping something would just fall into my lap.
But so far, it hasn’t. It’s up to me to take the bull by the horns and get going.
After New Year’s, I’ll start searching more seriously for something.
” I sigh. “Sorry for turning this into a therapy session. This is not what you signed up for. Feel free to charge me by the hour.”
She smiles softly. “You’re not the only one whose plans got flipped upside down, you know. I haven’t told this to anyone, but I was actually planning to retire from competitive skating after Nationals and join the touring company Dreams on Ice.”
That throws me. “Retire? But you’re only twenty-three.”
“I am,” she says slowly. “But figure skaters don’t have long careers. We peak early, kind of like gymnasts. Before this year, the best finish I’d ever had at Nationals was fifth place. With all the up-and-coming juniors, I figured by next season, I’d be lucky to crack the top ten.”
“So you wanted to go out on a high note?” I guess.
She nods. “Uh-huh.”
I pause. “But then you won.”
“Exactly.” Her face falls. “And now everything’s about training for the Olympics, fulfilling obligations for my sponsors, and putting in media appearances.
I should be thrilled, right? But sometimes it still feels like this is somebody else’s path.
Like any second, someone’s going to come over, tap me on the shoulder, and say, ‘Oops. Sorry. We picked the wrong girl.’”
I shake my head. “Chloe, no. You earned that win. It wasn’t luck. You’ve worked your butt off to get where you are.”
“You sound like Emma,” she says with a knowing smile.
“We are related.”
She laughs softly. “Fair.” Then her expression shifts.
“Anyway, what I was trying to say is sometimes the paths we end up on aren’t always the ones we imagine.
” Her gaze meets mine. “As cliché as this sounds, you’ll know what’s right for you when it’s time.
I don’t think you should be in a rush. Figure out what you truly want to do. ”
“Thanks,” I murmur. “That means more than you know.”
She gives a tiny nod, then clears her throat and nudges my elbow lightly. “Okay, sentimental break’s over,” she jokes, though there’s still softness in her tone. “Let’s get back to your lesson. Relax more. You’re still skating like a two-by-four.”
I let out a short laugh. “Yes, Coach Chloe.”
She holds out her hand, and I take it without hesitation.
We skate the next lap together, and she talks me through how to do a forward crossover.
Her voice is warm and patient. I can’t help but feel like something has shifted between us.
And I wonder if maybe I should push everything aside and ask her out on a date. Would she even say yes?