And now I’m watching him become an Olympic champion… something very few people get to see.
When he looks up again, I smile.
He laughs, his eyes bright, and all I can think is I can’t wait to kiss him later.
Chapter Sixteen
Nico
After my performance, everything is a blur. The only thing I remember clearly is Roman standing in the crowd, watching me proudly. Like he already knew that I was getting the gold before I did.
I knew once I saw the score. There’s no way the last two skaters were beating that number. The others were too far behind, and the ones after me aren’t the best skaters.
But again… not getting too cocky.
Well, I’m trying. But that’s really hard to do when youknowyou just won a gold medal at the freaking Olympics!
Pictures are taken. I’m congratulated. Hugged too many times. Smiled at even more. I wait anxiously as they set up the podiums on the ice. I’m handed my medal and announced as the goldmedal winner, and I can’t believe it. The crowd cheers and goes wild. The three of us up here hold our medals up, congratulate each other, take photos…
Once again, I find Roman’s gaze on me. Only on me. Only ever on me. Even when someone else is on the ice and I’m watching in the stands, his eyes are on me.
Media is crazy when I get off the ice. I do interviews and photos and meet and greets. I’m in a fog and I can’t tell how much time has passed. My phone gets passed to me, and I note there’s an ongoing call. It’s my family, screaming and crying, telling me how proud they are of me. My mother is bawling because she couldn’t be here.
I feel like I’m floating.
I’m just a twenty-one-year-old guy from Montreal who loves figure skating, and here I am… winning the gold.
“You did it!” Étienne screeches for the hundredth time. “I can’t believe you did it.”
“Yes, you can,” I say with a smirk.
He rolls his eyes.
“This is going to be so bad for your ego.”
“I disagree. I think it’s going to be great for my ego.”
Things finally settle down, which gives me time to change and get ready to leave.
Just like that, the night is done. Roman only has a few games left himself. The Olympics are almost over. It’s almost time to go home.
Far, far away from him.
And I don’t like the thought of that.
“Hey, you okay?” Étienne asks.
“Huh?” I glance up at him.
“I don’t know,” he says with a frown. “You just looked like someone kicked your puppy.”
I perk up. “You know, that’s the perfect ‘winning the gold present.’ Buy me a puppy.”
“Cause that’s what your house needs—another thing to take care of.”
“Don’t call my grandparentsthings.”
“Oh, you know what I mean.” He slaps my arm playfully. “And they’re my grandparents too.”
