Because I blacked out.
So, I have no memory of actually finding my phone or of what I did next.
But I woke up in the morning with a confirmation email from Castle Cruise Lines.
2.ALI – MAGICAL
“Just come up to the deck and thaw out with me. That practice turned me into a fricken popsicle,” I complained into my phone to Desi, one of my closest friends out here on tour. She was an ice dancer from England who declared she’d tour ‘til she was eighty, which made us fast friends. There were always skaters who came on tour for only a year or two, sometimes using it as a gap year between high school and college, and then there were skaters who made touring a way of life—me included.
“Ugh, girl, I told you I was meeting with Brandon to go over some lifts. I’m gonna make this boy a pairs skater or die trying,” she said under her breath. “You don’t want to come watch? I think Brandon likes you,” she sing-songed.
“Well, I thinkAlyssalikes him,” I countered, which I knew to be true. Her eyes went directly to him each time he entered the room.
“Alyssa? Really?” Desi asked. “Tell memore, babes.”
“You are such a gossip, Desi Franklin,” I said with a laugh.
“Uh, of course I am, so give me all the details, let’s go.”
I laughed. “I’ll tell you when you come up here on deck. I found a good spot for us in the shade. I’m gonna nap. Come find me whenyou’re done, yeah?”
“Ugh, fine, but just so you know, if Brandon drops me, it’s all your fault.”
I struggled to keep in my laugh. “How could you put that on me? I’m not even there.”
“Exactly, you’re not here, and you’re the best coach of us all.” She let out a dramatic sigh.
“Oh come on, I don’t believe that for a second.” While I really did love coaching, I was way too cold and tired to keep going today. “You’ve got it. But if youreallyneed me, call me again.”
“Fine, fine, fine,” she said before hanging up.
I plugged a headphone into my right ear and cued up some music before dropping my phone in my beach bag and laying back on the lounge chair to enjoy the beautiful July day.
“Um, excuse me,” a woman beside me said, making me slightly jump. She gave me a sheepish smile above her baby’s head, who was slumped up against her shoulder, fast asleep.
“Hi,” I said awkwardly, pulling out my headphone to hear better.
“I didn’t mean to overhear your call, but I’m nosy and couldn’t help it,” she said with a little laugh. “And now I have to ask.” Her eyes lit up with expectation and she lowered her voice to ask, “You mentioned practice, are you one of the ice skaters from last night’s show?”
I grinned to myself. No one in the figure skating world ever really called it “ice skating.” Adding the “ice” to the front of skating or hockey flagged someone as an outsider real quick. “Yeah, I’m skater number five,” I answered her.
Her smile fell a little.
“The one who plays Marilyn Monroe in the show,” I added in a whisper.
Her entire face lit up. “I knew it! My daughter and I absolutelylovedthe show. We were so obsessed,” she gushed. “She started asking if she could take ice skating lessons.”
My face split into a smile. “Thank you, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it. Which one is your daughter?”
She proudly pointed to a little girl who had to be around four-years-old in a frilly pink bathing suit in the pool next to a handsome man who looked like he just walked straight off Wall Street. “That’s my Sophia, and that’s my husband, Mark.”
I flinched at the name. “Very cute,” I said, quickly trying torecover. “You should get her in some lessons. I’m sure any local rink would have some Basic Skills classes. I used to coach them back at my home rink.”
“Really?” She bit her lip and looked me up and down. “Wait, okay, not to be rude, but can I ask how old you are?”
“Yeah, thirty-two. Is it that obvious?” I asked with a forced laugh.
Her eyes widened in apology. “Oh my God, no! I’m so sorry if that came off as rude.” Her hand landed on my arm, making me stiffen. “I’m also thirty-two, and I cannot imagine throwing my body around the way you did last night.” She shook her head and let out a little laugh. “If I evensleepslightly weird I have back problems for days.”
