But there was no way to do that and still do her job.
With a sigh, Amelia got out of her car. She looped the strap of her purse over her shoulder, then slid her phone into her back pocket.
When she got to the office, she found Marian still there. After greeting her, Amelia put her purse into a drawer in the desk, then locked it.
“I hope the afternoon goes well,” Marian said as she gathered up her things. “It was quiet this morning. Though that’s not too surprising since it’s summer.”
“I’m sure it will be fine.” Amelia picked up the laptop and the notebook she used for notes as she worked. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She made her way through the quiet halls of the church and the school until she reached the table outside the gym. There was a folder already on the table. The cooler of drinks was there too, along with a box that she knew held the snack packs for the break later.
“Hey, Amelia.”
She looked up, her stomach fluttering at the sight of Ben. He wore a loose tank top and a pair of long basketball shorts. The lanyard with his name on it hung around his neck.
His tan and highlighted blond curls made him look like a California surfer boy. But she knew he was so much more than his good looks. He was a genuinely good person.
She set the laptop on the table, curling the cord on top of it. “Hey.”
“Ready for another exciting clinic?”
“Not so exciting for me, but I’m sure the kids are very excited about it.”
“Does it bore you?” Ben asked. “Sitting here?”
“Not at all.” Amelia touched the laptop. “I’m able to do my regular work here, so I’m not bored.”
“It’s not too noisy?”
Amelia couldn’t help but give a soft chuckle. “Noise has never interfered with my focus.”
Ben paused for a moment, then grinned. “No, I suppose not.”
It had never been outward things that had interfered with her focus. The only times her focus had been fractured had been when she’d been experiencing internal turmoil.
Like when she and Ben had broken up.
Thankfully, her long program that year had been skated toBroken Vowby Lara Fabian, which had been about a couple who’d gone their separate ways. It had been the perfect song for her because she’d been able to pour all her emotions into the skate.
It had been somewhat therapeutic to skate to it at each competition, and it had been very popular with the fans.
“Did you enjoy your weekend?”
“Sure. It was quiet, which is what I like.”
“Hey you two.” Cole joined them, clapping Ben on the shoulder. “Ready for another clinic?”
“Yep,” Ben said.
Cole picked up the folder and flipped it open. “These are all the teens participating today. The nametags are all ready to go.”
Amelia took the file when he held it out. “Thanks.”
The kids began to arrive, but Ben didn’t go into the gym right away. He lingered at the table, chatting with a few of the teens as they arrived, asking about their weekends. His easy way with them made Amelia both envious and nostalgic. She'd once been comfortable around him like that too.
"I should probably head in," Ben said finally, glancing at his watch. "Cole will be looking for me."
"Probably," Amelia agreed, settling into her chair and opening the laptop.
