CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Lexi finished curling her hair, then checked to make sure the partial updo she’d created would hold for skating. She was used to securing her hair for competitions, but she usually put it all up. This time, though, she’d left part of it down, and she’d found a Christmassy headband, so she slipped that on and fastened it in place so it wouldn’t fall off as she skated.
Her outfit was in a garment bag, ready to go. She planned to get dressed closer to the time of the fundraiser, just in case she needed to help out beforehand.
Once she had everything she needed, she left the apartment. As soon as she turned on the car, Christmas music poured out of the speakers. Even though she hadn’t really been in the mood for Christmas, the fundraiser had helped shift her attitude. So now she had the music of the season playing whenever she was in the car.
She spotted Wilder’s car when she pulled into the parking lot, and his parting words from the night before came to mind. Not that they’d ever really gone away.
It had been a moment that had left her speechless with her heart thudding heavily in her chest. This man…
He’d brought her so much joy that she’d never realized was missing in her life. He never took himself too seriously, which meant that even though he knew that she had a very talented skating partner in Mik, he had no problem partnering with her for the fundraiser.
Some men might have been intimidated by her and Mik’s abilities, but Wilder had no problem accepting his own skill level and having fun with it. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to be that carefree, but today would definitely be a step in that direction.
With butterflies of anticipation fluttering in her stomach, Lexi got out of the car and retrieved her stuff from the backseat. Snow crunched beneath her feet as she walked to the door of the rink. They had cleared most of the snow, but it looked like a bit more had fallen overnight.
Though the rink was usually kept a bit on the cold side, it still wrapped her in warmth as she stepped inside. Christmas music and conversation greeted her.
“Hey there,” Wilder called out when he spotted her. He immediately walked in her direction, a broad smile on his face, making his warm brown eyes sparkle. “Ready for a great day?”
“I am.” Her smile came more easily than it ever had before. It wasn’t the smile that she gave when she was in the kiss and cry area or talking to reporters. This was the smile she gave her mom, and now, it was the one Wilder seemed to draw from her with little effort.
“So am I.” He motioned to the tables that had been set up the day before. “We have a lot of baked goods to sell, and I think the auction items are going to bring in a lot of money.”
“That’s great.”
Together, they walked toward the area where most of the things had been set up. Lexi briefly detoured to her office to drop off her bags.
“Good morning, Lexi,” Wilder’s mom said as they joined her and Wilder’s dad at one of the tables.
“Good morning.”
“This is going to be so exciting,” she said, her smile rivaling her son’s.
“We’re in charge of the silent auction,” her husband said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the generosity of everyone. I know they’re going to come through.”
Lexi could see where Wilder got his optimism. When she’d first met his parents, she’d been surprised at how friendly they’d been toward her. She was sure that Wilder had told them about her past, but it didn’t seem to matter to them.
Mrs. Halverson’s gaze moved past Lexi, and her smile grew. Turning, Lexi spotted Kayleigh coming towards them with Hudson and Alexander. Now that she knew they were father and son, she could see the similarity between them. It was so strong that she was surprised that she hadn’t picked up on it herself.
She was used to seeing both men in suits, but that day, they were each wearing jeans and thick sweaters under their jackets. Kayleigh was also in jeans that she’d paired with an oversized sweater. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. She didn’t look like the polished manager of the resort.
Mrs. Halverson greeted them each with a smile and a hug—even Alexander. While Mr. Halverson shook hands with the men and hugged his daughter, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
As she watched the two interact, Lexi felt a pulse of pain in her heart. She missed her dad. Not the man who had stolen from people. Not the arrogant businessman.
She missed the man who’d gone to all her competitions. Who, even though he’d been busy a lot of time, had hugged her and kissed her when he’d been around. He’d been the one to help make her dreams come true.
But it was all gone.
And she had to wonder if any of it had been real. He’d said that everything he’d done had been for her and her mom. As if placing the responsibility for his theft on them made it better. All it did was increase her guilt.
Thankfully, she’d had money of her own earned through endorsements so that she hadn’t been left completely destitute. Her mom had had plenty of money because she’d inherited a large sum of money when her grandfather had passed away. So they’d been okay financially.
But Lexi had lost her dad, and her mom had lost her husband because of his actions.
Pushing aside those thoughts, she focused on the conversation going on around her. Kayleigh, Hudson, and Alexander walked with the Halversons to the silent auction and baked goods.
“You okay?”
Lexi turned to Wilder and forced herself to give him a smile. She was okay. And if she could get rid of the thoughts about her father, she’d be even better. “Yep. I’m fine.”
Wilder looked like he didn’t believe her, and for a moment, she thought he might push. But instead, he just gave a nod.
“Are we putting on our costumes before everything starts?”
“We probably should,” she said. “I’ll put my skates on as well since I’m used to walking around in them.”
“Plus, they make you taller.”
She chuckled, feeling some of her sad thoughts ease away. “Yeah. They do. But still not as tall as you.”
Charli and Blake’s arrival with the girls interrupted their conversation. Mrs. Halverson made a beeline for them. She greeted them all with hugs and kisses, even Blake, then she took the car seat and carried it over to one of the tables.
“How was Charli this morning?” Lexi asked as she watched the family follow Mrs. Halverson.
“She seemed better,” Wilder said. “Janessa, on the other hand… She probably won’t show up until this afternoon. She wasn’t feeling so hot.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Wilder shrugged. “All part of the joy of being pregnant, I guess.”
“Are we getting changed, Uncle Wilder?” Layla asked as she came up and grabbed his arm.
“Do you want to spend the afternoon in your elf costume?”
She grinned. “Yep. That would be cool.”
“Then go ahead and get changed.”
“You can use the bathroom or my office,” Lexi told her.
With a nod, Layla skipped over to where Amelia stood with her hand in Blake’s. After a moment’s conversation, Charli picked up a bag and followed the girls into the bathroom.
More of Wilder’s family showed up, most of them carrying boxes which apparently held more baked goods and a few more things for the auction. There was also a table that held a stack of pamphlets, along with a display board with pictures and information about the orphanages.
The café was open, and George was there for the skate rentals. They’d agreed to let kids have skates for free, though adults had to pay, with the proceeds going to the fundraiser.
There was a spot on the far end of the rink that they’d decorated for Wilder to take pictures with the kids. It wasn’t the conventional picture with Santa setup, but Lexi thought the kids would have fun with it.
As one o’clock neared, Lexi headed for her office to get changed. It didn’t take too long to put on the pieces that made up her costume, then she sat down to put on her skates. She didn’t have a mirror in her office, so she made her way to the bathroom to check that everything looked okay.
“You look so pretty!” Amelia exclaimed as she ran up to Lexi before she could reach the bathroom.
Lexi smiled down at her. “So do you.”
“Should I put my skates on?” she asked.
“If you want. We’re not skating until one-thirty, so you’ll have to walk around in them.”
“I can do it.”
“Then ask your mom or dad to help you tie them,” Lexi said, making sure to emphasize your mom so Amelia knew that’s what she considered Charli.
As Amelia ran off, Lexi slipped into the bathroom and checked herself out in front of the mirror. She was used to wearing costumes, but this one was definitely a first. Not much sparkle, and it definitely covered more of her body than any of the other ones she’d worn.
When she left the bathroom a couple of minutes later, she saw immediately that people had already started to arrive. The Christmas playlist she’d set up on her tablet played over the sound system.
Looking around, she spotted Wilder. Or rather, she spotted Santa. If she hadn’t known it was Wilder, she wouldn’t have recognized him as he walked around with a bit of extra padding and a white wig and beard.
“Look at you!” Wilder exclaimed, spreading his arms wide. “Santa is one lucky man.”
Lexi felt her cheeks flush with uncharacteristic heat as she gave an exasperated shake of her head. “The costumes seem to be working for you and the girls.”
“Yep.” He turned in a circle. “I think I could get some use out of this in the future.”
“You could get a job as a mall Santa next year,” she said.
“Maybe. But I think we should make this fundraiser a yearly thing.”
Lexi hadn’t thought much about where her future might take her, or if Wilder would continue to be in it. It made her feel a little sad to think that she might not be there in a year’s time. Or that Wilder might not be in her life anymore.
Pushing aside the pain, she said, “That’s probably a great idea because it already looks like people are excited to be here.”
Wilder turned to view the rink and the groups of people milling around the area. Some had apparently taken advantage of the café and were already sitting at the tables on the far side of the rink.
“Santa!”
A little boy came running toward them, his arms spread wide. Wilder didn’t falter at all. He dropped to one knee and allowed the little guy to hug him. The boy’s parents quickly approached them, apologizing for their son’s action.
“Don’t worry about it,” Wilder said as he got to his feet, still holding the boy’s hand. “It’s what I’m here for.”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
Somehow, the couple managed to pry their son away from Wilder. As they walked away, the little boy expressed his displeasure but didn’t pull away from his parents.
“Maybe we should circulate before we get on the ice,” Wilder suggested, offering her his arm.
After a moment’s hesitation, Lexi slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. Even though her skates added a couple of inches to her height, she still didn’t match Wilder’s height.
Alexander grinned when he spotted them, which Lexi took to mean he was pleased with the events of the afternoon so far. Layla and Amelia joined them, skipping alongside her and Wilder as they circled around the rink. They stopped frequently to talk to kids who wanted their attention.
The parents and other adults who’d shown up to support the event—many even appeared to be guests of the resort—lingered at the tables, checking out the auction items, the baked goods and other items that were offered for sale. They’d rented out a few tables for people to sell homemade items. Everything about the rink—from the decorations to the music—screamed Christmas.
Though she hadn’t ever been a big fan of Christmas, it was clear that Wilder was, and she was catching his enthusiasm. As a skater, she was used to going into character for programs, so she easily slipped into the role of Mrs. Claus.
When it was time for them to get on the ice for their little program, she felt a new sort of excitement. She always had a level of nervous excitement when preparing to skate a program. But this time, it was more of a fun excitement.
Using the speaker system, Hudson let people know that Santa was going to be skating, and by the time the song started, people had gathered all around the edge of the rink.
Wilder picked up his hockey stick and then, with the girls on either side of him, he skated around the rink, the three of them performing the turns and jumps they’d practiced. When it was time for Lexi to join them, Wilder handed off the hockey stick to Layla and held out his hand to Lexi.
She took it without hesitation, then they got into the waltz position. As she faced Wilder, he smiled at her. Lexi relaxed as he guided her around the ice, trusting that even though the program wasn’t being judged, he took it seriously. Still, they managed to have fun, and everyone watching seemed to enjoy it.
The program flew by, and soon it was over, and she was perched on Wilder’s knee, their arms stretched wide with the girls standing beside them. People around the rink clapped and cheered, and soon, kids were joining them on the rink.
Rori also came onto the ice, carefully making her way around to where there was carpet and a decorated chair set up for pictures. After Wilder had skated with the kids for a bit, the four performers joined Rori, and the children whose parents had paid for pictures lined up to have them taken.
Kayleigh was standing on the other side of the rink, coordinating the line up of kids. She and Rori would work on emailing the pictures out in the next week.
It seemed to all be going smoothly, which made Lexi happy and grateful, considering the mess they’d had at the start. Where they’d ended up was sure to be a success for raising money for the orphanages, and that was the best they could hope for.
Halfway through the afternoon, just as they’d finished skating the program for the third time, she spotted Mik and Irina standing at the edge of the boards, watching them. Lexi narrowed her eyes at them, but then she decided she needed to just ignore them. She still had stuff to do.
She had no idea how long they’d been there, but they didn’t appear to stay long after she’d seen them. By the time they were done with the pictures for that time around, the pair had disappeared.
As the day neared its end, Hudson wrapped up the silent auction. From the sounds of things, people had been generous with their bids. Lexi had never heard of a silent auction, and from the bids Hudson read out, it seemed that people were actually willing to pay more than what the item was worth. Significantly more.
It would have driven her dad mad. He always harped on about value for money. The last thing he’d have done would have been to bid more for something than it was worth. Although, if it would have made him look good, he might have considered it. Plus, he would have liked to look like he had money to spare.
Lexi hated when thoughts of her father crept into her mind. She wanted to get to the point where she didn’t think about him at all, but something told her that wasn’t ever going to happen.
Once it was only the volunteers left—which was made up significantly of the Halverson family—Alexander announced that he’d arranged for a meal to be served in one of the small convention halls at the hotel. With so many people helping out, it didn’t take long before the rink was back to how it normally was, and people began to make their way to the hotel.
Charli and Blake had left earlier, but the girls were still there, apparently riding with Wilder. They’d wanted to keep their elf costumes on, but Wilder and Lexi had both changed out of their outfits.
“Want to ride with us to the hotel?” Wilder asked as he and the girls pulled on their jackets.
“I have my car,” she reminded him.
“I can drop you back by here after we’re done.”
It seemed senseless for him to have to come back by the rink later when she could just take her car right then. However, it didn’t stop her from accepting his offer.
After the rink was locked up, they piled into Wilder’s car, with the girls getting into the back seat. It only took a few minutes to get to the hotel, where Wilder pulled around to the front door to let her and the girls out before going to find a parking spot.
“Are we waiting for him?” Layla asked.
“I want to look at the decorations,” Amelia said.
“Why don’t we do that while we wait for him to come back?” Lexi suggested.
The hotel lobby had been decked out with huge Christmas trees, and festive greenery covered every surface and hung in swags above the windows. Warm white lights twinkled from amongst the branches. The large stone fireplace was blazing, spilling warmth and the scent of burning wood out into the space.
The girls were exploring the trees, each of which had a different theme, though the color schemes were all the same. It was a very beautiful space. The people who’d been hired to decorate the resort had done a great job.
She’d already seen that in the decorating at the rink, but they had gone over and above in the hotel. It was beautiful.
Wilder appeared as she and the girls were looking at a tree with lots of red bows and pinecones on it. He smiled at her. “They did a great job in here, didn’t they?”
“They really did.”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” Wilder said. “Let’s go eat.”
As they walked to the room where they were to eat, Lexi realized she should have just gone home. After a day of not training, she really shouldn’t be eating anything but her meal prep.
However, it was too late to back out now. If she did, it would mean Wilder would have to take her back to her car, and she wasn’t about to ask that of him.
Hopefully, there was some food there she could eat. If worse came to worst, she’d eat just a little, and then have her meal prep when she got home.
When they reached the room, Lexi saw a couple of long tables set up, along with a buffet. Wilder guided her to one of the tables where Kayleigh, Hudson, and Alexander stood.
“That was truly wonderful,” Alexander said when he spotted them. “You two were the perfect Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Did you have fun?”
“I always have fun,” Wilder said with a grin. “How about you, Lexi?”
“I had fun too. It was one of the least stressful programs I’ve ever skated.”
“I’d like to talk to you more about your programs,” Alexander said, then tipped his head toward the buffet. “Let’s get some food first.”
As they made their way through the buffet, most of the guys piled food on their plates, while the women took a little less. Lexi focused on protein and complex carbs, which, of the food there, included a grilled chicken breast, mixed vegetables, and a salad. She skipped the desserts altogether.
Back at the table, she set her plate on the table, then sat down, glad to be off her feet. When Alexander settled into the chair across from her, she was grateful that Wilder took the seat beside her. She’d already come to appreciate how comfortable he made situations and conversations that she found a little stressful.
And when a man of Alexander’s stature wanted to talk to her, she was glad to have Wilder nearby. Thankfully, Kayleigh and Hudson joined them as well.
“So tell me how your training is going,” Alexander said as they began to eat.
“I think it’s going well,” she told him. “Mikhail had to relearn to skate with me, since his last partner and I have different body types. Once he’d managed that, we were able to be much more in sync.”
“Are you going to Nationals?” he asked, making it clear that he’d done some research on competitive figure skating.
“That’s the plan.” Irina had let them know that she’d notified the skating officials that Lexi and Mikhail were back together again. Now they were on their way to Nationals, and then hopefully, the Olympics.
“Are you training tomorrow?”
“For a few hours in the morning. We’re usually there from five until the rink opens, but on Sundays, we go from five until ten. It’s our lightest day.”
“I might stop by, if that’s okay.”
“Yes. That would be fine.”
“Also, I’d like to propose something for you,” he said.
Lexi gripped her glass in both hands. “I’m listening.”
“When you’re back from the Olympics, if you’re interested in pursuing a coaching career, I’m offering you the use of the rink here to do that.”
“How would that work?”
“Don’t worry about that yet. Just know that it’s an option.”
“Why would you do that for me?” she asked. “Why have you done any of this for me?”
“Your mom and my wife were friends, and your dad wanted me to be your godfather. When we heard what happened with your dad, Candace insisted that we step in to help you.”
“I appreciate all you’ve done. It’s made a world of difference for me.”
Alexander’s smile was genuine with warmth. “I’m glad we could help you, and I think staying here in Serenity will do you a world of good.” He turned to clap Hudson on the shoulder. “After all, it’s been great for Hudson.”
“Can’t argue at all with that,” Hudson agreed.
Once they finished eating, they didn’t linger, and soon Wilder was driving her back to her car.
“Do you have plans for Christmas?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. Mom wants me to go to France to be with her, but I’m not sure I want to deal with jetlag in the midst of training. We’re limited on time as it is.”
“Well, if you’re here, you’re welcome to join us,” he said. “Our Christmas always includes a lot of people, so we’d be happy to have you.”
She wasn’t sure about spending Christmas with Wilder and his family. But if she didn’t go to France, she would be completely on her own. Mikhail and Irina had already said they were going back to Maine for a couple of days over Christmas.
“And I’d like for you to be there, too,” Wilder said. “So give it some thought.”
Oh, she would. The question was, would she let logic or emotion lead her to a decision?
As she drove home, Lexi realized that she needed to embrace logic, and logic said that she needed to back away from Wilder and their friendship. It was a distraction that she didn’t need right then, given that training was going to ramp up even more now that the program was over.
Her emotional response to him was something she’d never experienced before, and her feelings for him were even more intense than what she’d felt for Mik. Which shouldn’t be the case.
But Wilder had drawn her in, and while he might be able to keep his feelings in check, she wasn’t so confident about her own ability to do the same.
So it was best all around that she just back off and focus on her skating.