“Nope.” Sergio slowly shakes his head. “Not even close.”
“There you go with those smooth lines again,” Jeremy says. He lets go of Henry’s hand and skates away, but there’s a playful lilt to his voice, and he does a series of turns on one foot that suggests he’s not completely turned off by the idea.
“That wasn’t a no!” Sergio yells after him.
“It’s not a yes either!” Jeremy yells back, then comes to an abrupt stop before gliding back towards Sergio. “But seeing ashow you’ve already watched me, and there supposedly is no tomorrow, I guess there’s no harm in skating for you again.”
Jeremy’s playfulness warms Sergio from the inside. He bends down and places his hands on Henry’s shoulders to help guide him to the low ledge. Once there, he sits down and places Henry on his lap to look out onto the ice.
“Is Jeremy gonna skate for us?” Henry asks.
“He is,” Sergio says. “’Cause he’s the best.”
“The best after Mommy,” Henry says in his quietest voice. It’s as if even he knows there’s something special lingering between Sergio and Jeremy. A bubble not to be burst. But he is five after all, so it’s only natural he’d maintain an allegiance to his mother despite the tension hanging in the air around the rink.
“Of course.” Sergio hugs Henry a little closer to his chest and rests his chin on top of his head. “The best after Mommy.” His words are as quiet as Henry’s were, and they’re barely audible asWicked Gamebegins to play through the barn’s speakers.
From where Sergio sits with Henry on his lap, they watch Jeremy skate in rapt attention. Each three-turn Jeremy makes, every deep edge switch from inside to outside and then back again, all the slow spins and loops and the occasional single turn in the air has Sergio mesmerized. Jeremy makes it look effortless. Which is even more impressive given how much effort Sergio knows Jeremy needs to put into his every movement. It’s not even so much the physicality that Sergio has assumed that makes it hard for Jeremy to do. It’s more so the mental. These moves are ingrained in Jeremy’s body. His muscles have them memorized, even if there are days when his body wants to act as if they don’t. It must be terrifying to wake up each day not knowing what to expect. Not knowing what will be easy and natural, like it should be, and what will require extreme concentration. But here he is, despite all of that, skating for Sergio and Henry. Gliding across the ice to the melody of themusic that encapsulates Sergio’s growing desire for the man floating across the frozen water like a bird in flight.
Content and happy, Sergio lets out a low hum that is abruptly interrupted.
“Hey, guys!” Holden yells out, announcing his arrival. Jeremy puts a pause on his moves, and Henry waves so enthusiastically from his seat on Sergio’s lap that he falls onto the ice, laughing. Sergio quickly picks him back up and places him back onto less slippery ground, where he runs immediately to his father, who picks him up, swinging him onto his shoulders. “Routine is looking good. Legs feeling alright today?”
“Yeah,” Jeremy says, smiling at him, a slight blush on his cheeks. “It’s a good day.” And Sergio can’t quite figure out if he’s only talking about his legs, or maybe, hopefully, whatever’s growing between them as well.
“Good,” Holden says, and takes a look at the ice. “Looks like you guys made good use of the rink today. I’d offer to Zamboni for you, but I gotta get ready for this party. Is tomorrow morning okay?”
“Oh yeah, we’re done for the day,” Jeremy assures him and starts putting on his blade guards. Sergio rises to help him off the ice, taking one of his hands. Holden eyes it and grins. “Besides, I should start getting ready as well. Might do me some good to take a quick nap if I have to stay out late tonight.”
“We could not go,” Sergio says in a rush. The thought of leaving this barn and going to this New Year’s Eve party again utterly exhausts him. “Stay in. Have a quiet New Year.”
“I’m being paid to host this party,” Holden says with a clap onto Sergio’s shoulder. “But you don’t have to come.”
Sergio looks at Jeremy, asking a silent question.
Jeremy lets go of Sergio's hand, takes a seat on a nearby bench, and starts taking his skates off. He smiles at Sergio, holding hisgaze as he says to Holden, “If you and Rose don’t mind. I could be persuaded to sit this one out.”
“Yeah. It’s no problem,” Holden says and smirks at them. “I’ll make up some excuse.”
“You can’t tell her they were kissing,” Henry says. “Because that would make us tattletales.”
“Thanks, Henry.” Sergio groans and hangs his head.
Henry gives two thumbs up. “No problem, Uncle Sergio.”
Holden starts laughing and claps Sergio on the shoulder once more. “Don’t worry, lovebirds,” he says, walking away. “Your secret’s safe with me. I’ll see you both tomorrow morning for New Year’s Day breakfast.”
With any luck, you will.
“I’m ashamed to say I don’t have anything flashy to make us to eat,” Jeremy says as he rummages through his refrigerator.
“I’ve eaten nothing but rich and indulgent foods every time I’ve lived this day. Trust me when I tell you there is no need to try to impress me with something gourmet,” Sergio says from where he’s standing at the counter of Jeremy’s small kitchenette, holding another cup of tea in his palms to warm them after his afternoon on the ice. He takes a sip and marvels at how much he enjoys this simple elixir. He’s never pegged himself to be a tea guy, but now he understands the appeal. It’s simple and warm and feels like home in his hands. It’s also so unmistakably Jeremy that he’ll never be able to drink another cup of tea without thinking fondly of him.
“That’s presumptuous of you to assume I wanted to impress you,” Jeremy teases as he turns around with a handful ofvegetables. He shuts the refrigerator door with his shoulder, then places the vegetables down on the counter beside Sergio.
“Can I help at all?”
“Nah.” Jeremy waves him off with his hand, but bumps him away with his hip. “I’m gonna throw together a stir fry.”
