Thenshekissed Kirby. A quick press of their lips together. Then a longer one.
Mara stepped away from the door, spun them around so Kirby was against it, and deepened the kiss. She took over. And Kirby melted for her.
A knock on the door they were crushed against made them both jump.
“You guys have to go,” Jordan said, and Mara laughed against Kirby’s mouth.
Kirby stole one more kiss. “Come on, princess.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT
“Didyou know that the melting point of gold is 1,948 degrees Fahrenheit?” Mara asked as they waited to step onto the top of the podium.
“No, Mara, I did not know that,” Kirby said, laughter in her voice.
But Mara did.Gold, gold, gold.
Once, it had consumed her.
Kirby’s hand was warm in hers. Their names were announced, and they took the big step up onto the top together. They waved at the cheering crowd together.
Together, together, together.
The threat of tears pressed against Mara’s chest as she leaned down for the medal to be placed around her neck. After they straightened up, Mara looked at Kirby, who was beaming at her. And those tears welled up and escaped, sliding down Mara’s cheeks one after another. There was no stopping them. She didn’t even try.
Mara had cried more that day than she had in her entire life. It felt like she was rewriting everything she’d ever known and believed about emotionality in their sport. She wanted to bevulnerable. For herself. For those watching. And for Kirby. They deserved her true emotions.
And it did feel different, that Olympic gold medal around her neck. Different than the silvers and bronzes.
She smiled at Kirby. She could barely take her eyes off Kirby.
It felt so fucking different.
The national anthem played, and Mara tried to listen. She mouthed the words and watched the flags ripple.
And then it was over.
She lifted the bouquet up and waved it at the crowd.
Kirby hugged her, her hand sneaking to the back of Mara’s head and briefly into her hair, which was down and wild and still a little damp.
They released each other to hug the skiers from Norway and Italy. It had been the three teams’ race from the beginning, and Mara suddenly felt such an affinity for their competitors, for the strong women who she’d been racing against all over the world for years.
The medal ceremony ended, and they were ushered around, following where handlers pointed them. Mara started to feel a bit lost like she was observing herself float through the experience rather than feeling it.
And, God, she wanted to feel every moment of it. She wanted to enjoy it without worrying about the next race. Or what she’d do in retirement. Or what the heck was going to happen with her and Kirby.
But it was muscle memory for her to be thinking about the next win. Chasing the next accomplishment.Goal drift. And for once, Mara wished she didn’t care so much.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Kirby whispered in her ear.
Mara grabbed Kirby’s hand and let Kirby lead her until they were back in the Olympic Village. First to Kirby’s room, where Jordan was asleep, then to Mara’s room.
Lindsey was gone. She’d left them a note that she wouldn’t be back that night. All night.
Such a good teammate.
