“Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah…” I trail off. “I think it does.”
Winter is beginningto wrap its icy fingers around Haulton as October gives way to November. The wind whips through myhair and sends a chill down my spine. I’ve lived in cold places my whole life, but the tolerance to those early chilly days never builds.
The parking lot is almost entirely empty, dimly lit by a few streetlights. Only Alice’s and my car remain in the lot as I quickly stride toward it. The night air is quiet with only the brush of the wind wrapping around the naked trees and buildings.
That’s why it’s so startling to hear the door to the rink slam shut behind me. I glance over my shoulder, expecting to see Alice locking up, but no.
Lennon stuffs a hat over her long hair, and the wind blows a few strands across her delicate face. What’s she still doing here?
I stop in my tracks and burrow my hands in my coat pockets, never bothering with gloves. “We ended practice an hour ago,” I call out. Lennon turns my direction and gives a small wave.
“I know,” she yells back. “But I wanted to get a couple miles in on the treadmill.”
I shake my head, and we each take a few steps toward each other, closing the distance of the parking lot. “You’re going to burn yourself out.”
“I know my limits.”
Ignoring that, I ask, “How are you getting home? Are you parked somewhere else on campus?” Maybe she left her car by one of her classes and walked to the rink after it was done.
She cups her hands and blows in them to warm them up as she bounces on her toes. “I don’t have a car.”
“Then how are you getting home?” I ask, already feeling like I know the answer.
She points to her feet as if it’s obvious.
“You can’t walk home. It’s late.” And dark, and cold. Haulton’s in a safe area, but still, she should know better.
“It’s not far, I’m fine.”
“Then it’s not far out of my way to drive you.” The offer is out of my mouth before I can think better of it. But it’s not breaking any sort of rules giving her a ride…right? If Alice knew she was walking home, she’d understand.
Lennon tilts her head to the side and lets out an exasperated sigh. “I do this a lot.”
What the fuck? How haven’t I noticed that before? Sometimes our evening one-on-ones last until 10:00 pm. “You always walk home by yourself at night?”
“Most of the time. I usually catch a ride with Grace after practice, but since we started doing workouts after, I don’t want to hold her up.”
“Not anymore.” I stalk back toward my car and click the locks. When I reach the passenger door, I hold it open and motion to Lennon. “Get in.”
“It’s really fine?—”
“Just get in the damn car. It’s freezing.”
She opens that smart mouth of hers to argue, but I can see the yearning for the warmth and comfort a car ride is going to give her over walking on this chilly night. Her steps are heavy as she walks over, and only when she’s climbing into the car do I notice the circles under her eyes. Exhaustion weighs her shoulders down as she settles into the seat, and I close the door.
Once I’m in, I crank the heat and turn on the seat warmer for her. “What’s your address?”
She punches it into the GPS on my dashboard, and I glare at her when I see that it’s over a mile and a half away. She shrinks in her seat and mutters something I can’t make out.
I throw the car in reverse and drive out of the parking lot. “You’re not walking home alone again, got it?”
“You’re my coach, but you can’t tell me what I can and can’t do.”
“Watch me.”
She stews silently after that, and it’s hard to focus on the road. Jasmine and something else I can’t quite name fills the car, and I discreetly inhale, trying to decipher it. It must be her perfume or lotion she put on after showering. The heady scent goes straight to my brain.
