“That’s the beauty of this project. The kids have heard about how fun it is from their friends and siblings. If they want to participate, they know they have to behave.” Tim smirked. “But on the off chance I have a rebel on my hands, I have the school principal hang out in the classroom during the setup. They’ll behave when he’s around. He gives them a speech on proper hygiene and handling techniques. He used to be a biology teacher at the high school, so this is right up his alley.”
Gemma eyed him with a newfound appreciation. “I can’t believe how thorough you are. You’ve literally thought of everything.”
“Not everything, but I have a pretty good idea of what to expect.”
She sighed. “I hope I can be on your level if I end up becoming a skating coach. It terrifies me that people are going to trust me to teach their kids.”
“That was my biggest fear when I was student teaching,” Tim shared. “But I’ll give you a spoiler alert. With some practice, that fear goes away.”
That’s good to know.
He squinted. “Is that the pumpkin that’s lit up behind you?”
Sliding off the bed, Gemma made her way to the balcony and gave him an up-close look at it.
“Wow. That looks fantastic. I wouldn’t be able to tell in a million years that you’d never carved a pumpkin before,” he mused.
“I had a brilliant time doing it.” Gemma’s face flushed. “I can’t thank you enough for sending me the Halloween care package. It was so thoughtful of you.”
“I just wanted to make you smile,” he said quietly.
“Well, you definitely succeeded in doing that.”
“Your smile is one of the things I admire most about you, especially your dimples.” His voice dropped even lower. “When I saw you at Hobby Land, you had this angelic look on your face while you were studying the wings. It literally took my breath away. I left the store that day kicking myself for not getting your number. All I had was your name.”
Why didn’t you ask me? I may have given it to you.
“I’m glad Suzy brought us together.” She stared at the flickering candle. “Talking to you is one of the things I look forward to every night.”
“Me too.”
The past couple of days had been especially tough. Knowing she’d be able to talk to Tim at the end of the day had kept Gemma going.
They spent a little time discussing the first episode of the currentCupid’s Arrowseason and the purpose of toe picks, which Gemma explained assisted a skater with jumps.
An hour later, Tim reluctantly said, “I had better finish this up if I hope to get home before midnight tonight. Is the same time tomorrow okay for you?”
Gemma ran through the schedule in her head. “That’d be perfect. I’ll be free after four.”
“It’s a virtual date.” He winked.
Disconnecting from the call, Gemma hugged her mobile to her chest.
Tim called it a date! Should I get dressed up for the occasion? Or are things going to be like they usually are? Or was he just calling it a date and it’s not really a date? I’ve never been so confused.
Chapter 10
Another week slipped away. Halloween was over and Thanksgiving was around the corner. The mood among the Dreams on Ice cast shifted to discussing what everyone was going to do over the long weekend. Some people, like Fernando, were planning to travel home. Others, like Lisa, were planning a skiing trip.
“Should I count you in again this year, Gem?” she asked as they collected their newly-sharpened skates from the equipment manager.
“What resort have you guys picked?”
“Snow River Run in upstate New York.”
Gemma hadn’t given it much thought. Her family had always gone straight into Christmas once the calendar changed to November. Although she enjoyed the idea of people’s families getting together, American Thanksgiving didn’t hold much meaning for her.
“Can I get back to you?”
