“Yeah.”
“Am I missing something? You gave up skating for acting ten years ago. Why on earth do you want to start up now?”
Noelle can see me, and as good an actress as I think I am, she knows me better than anyone.
I sigh. “I need help for an audition.”
“Laura, I love you, which is why I’m going to be honest and say if you are going anywhere near an audition that involves ice skating, you need to run.” I open my mouth to say something, but she stops me. “It’s not that I don’t think you’re extremely talented and can do anything you put your mind to. You can, but if you already need to know how to skate, I can’t teach you that in an hour.”
I take in a sharp breath because all that hope I had is slowly starting to deflate. “I know, but it’s forEvermore on Ice.They’ll have a Princess Blanca role.”
“Oh. Well, that changes everything. You were born to sing her songs, sis.”
“I know, right? I already know her inside and out from all those princess parties. I have the voice. I just need to learn enough skating basics to get through the audition.”
“When are they?”
“In a month. I'm not aiming to be Olympic level,” I assure her. “Just good enough not to fall on my face during the audition. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to dazzle them with my singing and charisma.”
She snorts. “Your singing, maybe. Your charisma could use some work.”
Flat-lipped, I glare at her. “So could yours.”
She shrugs. “Difference is, I don’t need to schmooze people in my line of work. I get to body check them.”
Yeah, that probably is the better role for the Conners sisters.
“Okay,” she finally says. “I'll help you, but be warned, I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're my sister.
“I wouldn't expect anything less,” I say with a laugh, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders.
“And you’re still going to be terrible by the time I leave. That’s not something I can fix, but maybe I can speak to the rink and get you a teacher.”
“Thank you, Noelle. Seriously.”
“What are twins for?” She smiles. “Besides, it'll be fun to finally have you in my world for once. Love you, sis.”
“Love you, too.”
After we hang up, I smile.
This is definitely a sign, and there’s a spark of something in my chest. It’s small, but impossible to ignore.
Hope.
With Noelle’s help, this might be the role I was meant to play, and I’m not going to let anyone stand in my way of getting it.
Chapter 16
“Come on. Come on. Come on,” I whisper under my breath, watching the play in front of me, and desperately wanting to be out there.
My knee won’t quit bouncing, and I’m counting down the seconds until I’m called back onto the ice. I rest my chin on the stick, watching Henry, our newest center who transferred at the end of last year, run Brooks through another ridiculous play.
The guy makes me sweat. He’s good—reallygood. On one of my off days, he could probably outplay me, and that thought alone is enough to remind me to never be complacent.
Yeah, I’ve earned my spot as one of the top centers in college hockey, but that doesn’t mean I get to relax. There’s always someone coming for your place. Always someone hungry enough to take it.
He can try, but I’m not giving up a damn thing. Not when I’ve fought this hard to get here.
