“Can I?” Sam plaited her hair, then grabbed her gloves. “Won’t the team have something to say about it?”
Maya shook her head. “Uh-no. I know the rules inside out, back to front. You are obliged to wear the kit for all competitions, events and anywhere else you’re representing the team, but your own free time is catwalk time, baby! You can wear what you want then.” She hopped up and down. “I have had the best idea ever. You are going to love this.”
Sam laughed; Maya’s energy was contagious. “What now?”
“Let’s make this a moment. A photo shoot—me, you, and that Slay Queen of a ski suit.” She snapped her fingers in the air. “This outfit is too good to not be seen.”
Sam’s heart raced a little. “But why? You can’t post it to the team socials.”
Maya’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “No, but you can post it on your own page—take some control of things for yourself.”
Sam bit her lip. “Oh, okay.”
“And no one can say a thing, and what’s even better is that your page has almost as many followers as the team page,” Maya burbled. “And it’s brilliant. I’ll accept yourthanks now—you’re welcome!” She dipped into a quick bob of a curtsey.
Sam scrunched her nose up.
“Well, I do look pretty damn good in this …”
“That’s my girl!” Maya ran to the window. “Now come on. This light is great.”
Standing in front of the mirror Sam couldn’t help but grin. Her father was going to hate this, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that for the first time in months she was feeling like herself again. Maya was right. She needed to take back her own power, and everyone needed to see her do it.
“Are you done yet?” Sam tried to not laugh at Maya. She was lying face down in the snow, awkwardly angling the camera up at Sam.
“Shhhhh! Hold that pose. Don’t move! Do it for the grid.” Maya’s voice was muffled. “Got it! Look at this—man, I am good, and I don’t get paid nearly half as much as I should.”
Sam breathed out as Maya staggered to her feet, snow stuck to her coat and hair. Brushing her friend down she spontaneously hugged her.
“Thanks for this, Maya,” she said. “I didn’t realize how much I needed it.”
“No biggie,” Maya said, her eyes warm. “What are friends for? And speaking of friends—I promised Finn I’d call in this morning and make him my famous smoothie. You coming with?”
Sam shook her head. She wasn’t ready to face Finn yet even though the right thing to do would be to go and apologize for being such a diva.
“Sam.” Maya sounded slightly sad. “It’s his final today. You should come with me—wish him luck.”
“I’ll catch him later,” Sam said quickly. “I just don’t want to show him this.” She glanced down at her ski suit.
Maya squinted at her. “Did something happen between you two?”
“No,” Sam was quick to answer.
“Because I think he’d love to see you in that particular ski suit.” Maya grinned. “Your ass …”
“No.” Sam poked Maya before pulling on her gloves. “But I’ll walk you to his hotel. I need to stretch my legs.”
“Damn, I’ve lost one.” Maya pulled on one of her mittens and double-checked her pockets as they walked. “Well, that’s annoying—they match my coat perfectly.”
Just as they reached the hotel, Sam saw Gabriel, standing to the side, holding something and looking a little on edge. Sam tilted her head. It looked like a satsuma-colored mitten that could only belong to one person: Maya.
“You forgot this?” Gabriel’s deep voice was low but clear. There was a softness to his tone that made Sam’s throat constrict. Her chest tightened. She recognized that kind of tone. Love. Gabriel was giving off a quiet affection that was hard to ignore, while Maya was sparking like a firework on the Fourth of July.
“Aren’t they adorable?” Sam said, flashing a grin. “Perfect together—the mittens—I’m talking about themittens.” She raised an eyebrow, watching them both as they smiled at one another.
Maya flushed, a subtle shade of pink spreading across her cheeks as she shot a look at Gabriel. “Look at you,” she blustered. “Keeping my mitten hostage.”
Gabriel’s cheeks reddened, but his eyes twinkled at Maya. “Your … mitten …” He held it out to her, and Sam held her breath. It was like some kind of alternative Cinderella scene, and she was here for it. The way their eyes lingered on each other for a moment made her heart flutter.
