I never thought it was just twirly stuff. I knew all the work and dedication that Kaia, Cam, and Harlow had put in over the years.
“That was...” I shook my head, genuinely at a loss for words. “That was incredible.”
“Your turn,” she said.
“My turn?”
“Show me something. A hockey thing.”
I laughed. “Hockey isn’t exactly graceful.”
“Neither are you, but I’m trying to be supportive here.”
“Ouch. The insults. I’m wounded.”
“You’ll survive.” She tilted her head and waved her hand. “Come on. Show me what all those years of skating in circles chasing a rubber disc have taught you.”
I huffed out a laugh. “It’s a puck.”
“Same thing.”
“It’s really not…” I stopped, shaking my head at her smirk. “Fine. You want to see hockey?”
I retrieved my stick and the puck, then took off across the ice. I wasn’t showing off exactly, okay, I was absolutely showing off. I pushed my speed, crisscrossing through imaginary defenders, and ended with a hockey stop right in front of her, sending a spray of ice shavings toward her skates.
“Hey.” She jumped back, laughing. “You got ice on me.”
“Sorry.” I grinned, not sorry at all. “Hockey thing.”
“Hockey thing, my ass.” She brushed at her legs, still smiling. “You did that on purpose.”
“Maybe a little.”
We were standing close now.
“Teach me something,” I whispered because I didn’t want this to end.
Her eyebrows rose. “Teach you what?”
“A figure skating move. Something basic.”
“Owen, you’re wearing hockey skates. You can’t figure skate in hockey skates.”
“Then teach me something I can do.”
She studied me for a moment, a crease forming between her brows. Then she held out her hand.
I stared at it.
“Take it,” she said. “I’ll teach you crossovers. Properly, not the sloppy way hockey players do them.”
“Our crossovers are not sloppy.”
“They’re functional. That’s not the same thing.” She wiggled her fingers impatiently. “Are you scared?”
I dropped my stick and slid my hand into hers, positioning us side by side with our joined hands between us.
The contact vibrated through me, and I was suddenly hyperaware of every point where our skin touched. She didn’t seem to notice, or if she did, she hid it well.
