They took a few easy strokes around the rink to warm up.
“So, I was thinking . . . I don’t think we necessarily need a full-time coach, but what would you say about having my friend Fernando from Dreams on Ice step in on a part-time basis? He wouldn’t be able to be here all the time at first, but he’d be able to coach us virtually. He’s hinted that he’s looking to retire at the end of the DOI season,” Frankie said.
Charlie gripped her hand. “He was your partner on tour?”
She nodded.
“If you think he’s a good fit for us, let’s give him a try.”
Frankie pecked him on the cheek. “I love how open you are to new ideas.”
“I wasn’t always that way, but as you’ve showed me, sometimes, the rules are meant to be broken.”
They shared a laugh. “There’s something I wanted to ask you,” Charlie said.
“Oh?”
“If we’re going to give regionals a go, what do you think about us upping our difficulty in the side-by-side jumps to something like triple loops?”
Frankie shrugged. “Why not? Everything we do is a bonus anyway.”
They looked at one another and smiled widely, knowing that with hard work and a little bit of luck, dreams could come true.
EPILOGUE
Three Years Later
The stadium was packed to capacity. The sound of cheering for the hometown team from Italy, who was sitting in the “Kiss and Cry” area, was deafening.
Charlie gripped Frankie’s hand tightly as they skated a few last-minute warm-up laps around the ice. She found comfort in the feel of his other hand resting on her back.
“I still can’t believe we’re here.” Her gaze traveled to the Olympic rings plastered on the ice and on the banners all around them. “I never would’ve imagined we’d make it this far.”
Grinning widely, Charlie threw back his head and laughed. “I told you that together, we’d accomplish great things.”
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Our big accomplishment was supposed to be making it to nationals, not winning the bronze in our first season together.”
Charlie and Frankie had won the top prize, the national title, the last two years running. Their experience and commitment to artistry gave them a large advantage over their much younger competitors.
“You’re forgetting our bronze medal from the World Championships too.” Charlie winked. “What can I say? The judges love me.” She cleared her throat. “Did I say me? What I should’ve said is us.”
“That’s more like it.”
As the children serving as ice sweepers cleared the last of the flowers and stuffed toys, Frankie and Charlie skated over to the boards, received some last-minute encouraging words from their coach—Frankie’s former partner from Dreams on Ice, Fernando—and sipped from their water bottles.
The scores for the Italian team were announced. They had moved into the lead ahead of the teams from China and Russia.
“Our next competitors represent the United States of America. Please welcome to the ice Francesca Tomlinson and Charlie Welch.”
Nodding to one another, they fist-bumped and stroked out to the center of the ice.
“Are you ready to do this one final time?” Charlie asked softly.
“As long as it’s with you.”
She’d be sad when they retired from competitive skating, but neither of their bodies recovered like they used to. Her hip and Charlie’s back were going to be happy to have a respite from all the extra practices after this.
Skating the team competition might have been too much, but they had no regrets. They got to represent their country at the Olympic games—and even won a silver medal. Tonight was the icing on the cake.
