“Iusedto be a world-class figure skater,” Jeremy corrects. “I’m not anymore, and I’m only going to get worse.”
“But you’ve given me so much knowledge,” Allison protests. “About feeling the music and how to make the program my own. You’ve given my skating so much more depth.”
“And the way you describe things,” Rose says. “You’re much better at explaining the small technical adjustments than I’ll ever be. You have patience.”
Jeremy blushes slightly at the praise, and Sergio wishes he could reach across the table and brush his fingertips across his rosy cheeks. Jeremy appears not to know what to say. Especially considering that Allison, and though Sergio’s loath to admit it, even Rose, are right. Jeremy, no matter his physical abilities, is invaluable to the sport. Olympians and beginners alike can learn from him.
“It’s all true,” Sergio says. “You’re a brilliant coach, no matter who you’re teaching.”
Rose narrows her gaze back onto him. “And how wouldyouknow?”
Sergio stares back at her equally as hard. It’s a good old-fashioned standoff of wills. “I saw him yesterday working with Allison, remember?” he challenges, raising one of his eyebrows before she gets a chance to level him with hers. “And Henry toldme today how much he loves learning to skate from Jeremy.” It’s a half lie, as Henry hasn’t had a chance to tell him that yet on this version of the day. But that’s irrelevant. Besides, Sergio does have first-hand knowledge about how good Jeremy really is when teaching Henry how to skate. He’d like to experience it today, but it’s becoming abundantly clear that spending the afternoon with Jeremy is likely going to have the kibosh put on it by Rose, no matter what he does.
“Is that true, buddy?” Jeremy gently asks a near sleeping Henry in his lap.
Henry nods his head, mumbling something along the lines of, “You’re the best teacher.”
“Well, I guess we could talk about expanding our coaching program,” Rose concedes. She tightens her ponytail. “But that will have to wait until after the Olympics are over.”
“Please, though, whatever you do,” Allison says, her eyes flitting back and forth between Jeremy and Rose, “don’t team up with Chadwick Levinson. That man is such a creep.”
After lunch, outside the lodge, Sergio ignores every want, wish, and dream he’s come to have about afternoons spent alone with Jeremy. He opts, instead, for continued time navigating the slopes. He bids his farewells, gives one last lingering glance at Jeremy, who is looking at him back with warmth, then muscles his way in between Holden and Rose, pushing his best friend to the side. “If you don’t mind, Holden, I’d like to steal your wife for this first run.”
“It’s your funeral,” Holden says, then calls out to Adrien, “Hey, Adrien! You want to go hit that double black diamond?”
“Yeah, alright!” Adrien yells back.
“I’ll be on the bunny hills,” Allison says, and skis off with grace.
“You’re wasting your time, Sergio,” Rose says as they hop onto the chairlift.
Sergio resists the urge to laugh. What does she know about wasting time? She hasn’t been reliving the same day over and over again, essentially wasting days upon days upon days of time. Though that isn’t entirely true of Sergio either. He is learning a little something on each of these repeated days.
“Listen,” he says as their skis leave the ground and dangle off their feet in the air. “I’m sorry about this morning. We didn’t start off on the right foot today.” But really, have they ever started off on the right foot at all? He supposes they’ve come close once or twice but have never actually had success.
Rose takes a deep breath. She straightens out her legs, then bends them again, so they hang loose. “This trip didn’t start off on the right foot. It wasn’t only about this morning.”
He slumps in his seat. “Yeah, last night wasn’t a great showing for me either.”
“It’s not only last night.” She pauses and looks over her shoulder at Sergio. “Though that didn’t help,” she says and turns to look away again. “I tried to get Holden to cancel this week.”
“What? Why?” Sergio asks, incredulous. This is their tradition. And, furthermore, Holden is Sergio and Adrien’s family. Why would she want to keep them apart?
“There’s just so much going on,” she says, exhaustion clouding her voice. “There’s so much pressure with Jeremy and me making our coaching debut on a grand scale. And Henry is becoming a handful.”
“Yeah, but Adrien and I can help. Especially, with Henry. Let him wear us out for a change. Hell, I can stay longer if you want.”
Rose lets out a bitter laugh. “Have you not been paying attention? I didn’t want you to come in the first place. Why would I want you here for longer?”
Sergio starts to feel anger rising in him. He swallows it down as he recognizes it isn’t going to be helpful to explode. “Are you saying Adrien and I aren’t welcome anymore?”
“No. Absolutely not. You two are family, and you are always welcome,” Rose clarifies, twisting back to look at him. “I only wanted Holden to postpone this until after the Olympics. The pressure would be off. Allison, Jeremy, and I would be on a break. And …” she pauses again, looking sheepish, “… maybe Jeremy wouldn’t be here for you to mess around with.”
“What? Are you planning on kicking him to the curb when the Olympics are over?”
“Absolutely not!” Rose defends. “Jeremy is family. I would never.”
“Well, it kind of seems like you would. Especially since I’m family and you just said you didn’t want me here.”
