I look at my watch. “Soon, I think.”
I twirl.
“Whoa!” Belle says. “Can I learn to do that?”
“Sure. It just takes practice.” I’m about to tell her I can arrange weekly lessons, but then I realize she only has two weeks left here. My heart does a dip, more dramatic than any move I could make on the ice. Maybe I can talk to Ronan about getting her lessons in LA.
“How did you learn to skate?” she asks.
“I took classes,” I say as we glide slowly along the ice.
“Daddy lets me do art lessons. And buys me paints.”
“That’s because your daddy’s great. He wants you to be happy doing things you enjoy.”
“Hey! Poppy! Belle!”
I turn around to see Conner and Sasha skating toward us. “Hi! What a surprise.”
Sasha and Poppy look at each other and giggle.
“Something tells me this wasn’t exactly a surprise.”
“Did you two girls cook this up?”
“Belle told me she was going ice-skating tonight, so I asked if Daddy could bring me,” Sasha says.
“Can I skate with Sasha? Please?”
I smile. “Sure. But keep using Mr. Penguin until I’m there to hold your hand, okay?”
“I’ll help Belle. I’ve been skating for years,” Sasha assures us with a breezy confidence that belies her age.
“Have fun,” Conner calls to the girls’ departing backs before turning to me. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
I tense. I hope he won’t ask a personal question about Ronan. It’s the first thing people ask me lately.Hi, how are you? What’s Ronan Masters like? Are you really just the nanny?
“I have the listing on 24 Main Street. The building that’s next to Sadie’s. She told me you were interested in it. So I thought I’d check with you.”
“Oh,” I say, nerves making butterflies take flight in my stomach. I’m not sure if I’m ready for this step. Having a business and a mortgage, being self-employed. But I’ve run the numbers, and they seem sound. I have Ronan’s ridiculously generous salary to help me get started.
I straighten my reindeer antlers. I can do this. “I guess it won’t hurt to check it out.” Excitement builds at the thought.
“The upstairs apartment has been recently renovated. It’s not huge, only a one-bedroom, but it’s pristine, which is unusual for these older buildings,” he encourages. “I think this could be great for you. That’s a prime Main Street location, and they don’t come around very often. Sadie says you want to open an art studio, so I have a vested interest in your buying it. Sasha loves your classes.”
Hearing Conner talk about my dream in a serious way, as if it could be a legitimate enterprise, gives me a confidence boost.
I stand up straighter. “I’ve been considering it,” I say, testing out the words.
“It’s a great idea, Poppy. And we’ll be your first customers.”
I’m flush with pleasure. “When can I see it?”
Conner pulls out his phone and looks at his calendar. “How is Thursday? At noon. I can send over the property details later today for you to look over. What’s your email?”
I give him my information, and he types it in his phone. “I’m looking forward to Thursday,” he says with a warm smile.
“Looking forward to what?”
