“None,” I say, taking her hand and lacing our fingers together. “Come on. We’ve got a reality show to win.”
“Trust on Ice,” she repeats, rolling her eyes as we start walking. “You know how to skate, Becker… right?”
I wink at her.
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’ve got a thousand talents.”
She rolls her eyes—smiling.
67
Ice, Way Too Much Pink, Wobbly Balloons, and Major Wipeouts
Cohen
The outdoor ice rink at Elm Hollow Mountain doesn’t look like a place meant for sports.
It looks like Cupid himself threw up glitter and pink paint all over a slab of ice.
There’s a heart-shaped gazebo serving hot chocolate, red fairy lights hanging from the trees like romantic vines, and ice sculptures of couples kissing—which, if you ask me, are deeply unsettling.
It’s supposed to be the pinnacle of romance.
Instead, it feels like a gladiator arena… with rental skates and wildly unrealistic emotional expectations.
I’m sitting on the bench lacing up my skates, watching Sloane from the corner of my eye.
She’s different.
Ever since we kissed—ever since we actually talked and cleared the air—there’s a new light in her. Like something finally unclenched.
She’s wearing a tight white thermal set with tiny red hearts running along the seams (courtesy of the sadistic wardrobe department) and a red knit beanie pulled low over her hair.
She manages to be adorable and insanely hot at the same time.
Which feels illegal. And dangerous.
“Stop staring at my ass, Becker,” she mutters without looking back as she tightens her laces.
“Can’t,” I reply easily. “It’s my favorite panoramic view. And those hearts on your cheeks are basically an invitation.”
She laughs—real, light—and something in my chest loosens. The tension. The edge. Just a little.
I lean in and press a quick kiss to the curve of her neck, right under her hairline. She leans into me for half a second, like she’s recharging.
“ATTENTION, LOVEBIRDS!”
Aunt Tina skates—literally, and with alarming lack of control—into the center of the rink.
She’s wearing a red dress with a high Elizabethan-style collar, a crown of fake roses, and she’s holding a scepter topped with a glowing heart.
Pedro is perched on the head of an ice sculpture, watching us with deeply unsettling curiosity.
“Welcome to today’s challenge: Trust on Ice!” Tina announces.
“Skating hand-in-hand is cute, but we want more. We want to see just howstuck togetheryou really are!”
Production assistants hand each couple a red, heart-shaped balloon, inflated to the absolute edge of danger.
