We make it out of the house and pick up bagels and coffees on our way to the rink. I wasn’t really expecting her to suggest this, but I’m game.
Lake Spark is lucky that the Spinners’ training center here also has a small public rink. It’s where Lori has her lessons. Fortunately, it’s not busy either, considering it’s a Saturday. We should probably give it an hour or two before it picks up.
Lexi and I tie our skates on, and I follow her onto the ice.
“Here we go. Non-inappropriate activities here we come,” I say.
She throws me a glare.
And soon I know why.
Lexi skates away, and she doesn’t have one wobble. Instead, her speed picks up and then her body circles before skating more. It seems as though she’s warming up. I just slowly skate in observation. Then stop in amazement when she jumps off the ice in a turn. It doesn’t stop. Leg up, twirls, another turn in the air.
No fucking way. She’s not at all an amateur.
I give up on skating since I much prefer the show. She slows down with a smile and skates around me as if I’m a target.
“What’s the story, Lexi? I’ve heard mention that you used to skate. Yet, this talent you still seem to have, you did nothing with it.”
Lexi shrugs and tries not to look at me. “It’s nothing. Besides I gave up when I was a teenager. My mother wasn’t a fan. Felt I’d be better off going to college.”
“And your dad?”
“He wanted to go all out on the skating front.”
She brings her leg up while her body lines into an L shape. “And me? I guess fate ran its course.”
I take a few glides, and she skates away a little, as if I need to chase her, and I do. But then we both reach out and grab one another’s arms which knocks us to the ice. Nobody is hurt, though, and we burst out laughing.
We lie on our backs and stay there while our hysteria fades away. Staring up, we just freeze, but she reaches out her finger and invites me to link with mine.
“You still have skills,” I point out.
Lexi sighs. “I still practice sometimes for the old feeling. It’s been a while, though.”
“And how does it feel?”
“Liberating.” She sounds at peace.
My head angles to study her face that looks content. “How come you haven’t watched Lori, out of curiosity? She loves figure skating.”
Lexi meets my gaze and hesitates. “Simple. I wasn’t sure how much she hated her new houseguest and didn’t want another reason for her to.”
Creases form on my forehead. “That’s a silly reason.”
She shakes her head in disagreement. “Also… when you’re her age, the last thing you want is for someone to steal your limelight. Skating is her thing, so let her shine in it. I didn’t want to take that away.”
My entire body wilts from her thoughtfulness and the way she ignites wants and feelings that I imagined were always locked away.
I don’t care who is watching or the feeling of ice on the other side of my clothes. I lean on my side and kiss her softly on the lips then look down at her.
“You keep surprising me. In every best possible way. I’m not sure what to do.”
She lifts her head up to kiss me once more. “Me neither.”
We both lie back down, splayed out like two octopuses. Not a concern in the world that a few other skaters are circling the rink.
It’s a minute of our hands laced and relaxing breathing as we stare at the ceiling.
