“They’re a hard act to follow,” Ava said, “so we’ll just say hello and talk to you inside.”
Without a word, Micha took her hand, and they stepped toward the door.
“That Micha is really the strong, silent type, isn’t he?” Kinsley asked.
“Makes him seem kind of mysterious,” Jada said.
“Nah,” Dev said. “He’s just a regular guy who doesn’t like to talk much, but when he speaks, we listen.”
“Now, Sydney’s the exact opposite,” Kinsley said. “She’s the perfect woman for Russ. She gives him as good as she gets from him.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Dev lifted his hand, and she slipped hers in his.
Jada shivered. “Is that everyone? I’m turning into a Popsicle and would love to get inside.”
Dev snorted. “It’s not that cold out here.”
“Listen, buddy.” Jada poked her brother in the chest. “You’re talking to a transplanted California girl now. Anything below seventy is freezing.”
“And here I thought you were a tough Navy sailor.” Dev flashed her a wry smile, but there was humor in his eyes. “So let’s see. That’s Ryan and Russ and their parents, and Reid and his family got here early. So did Colin and Brooklyn. Mom’s inside and Micha just arrived so that’s everyone we’re expecting. Time for us to go in.”
“I thought you’d never suggest it.” Jada bolted for the door, wobbling on her platform shoes and not looking back or waiting for them.
Dev followed, and since Kinsley was holding his hand, she had no choice but to go with him. They stepped into the dark space. The first things that hit her senses were the loud sixties music pounding over large speakers and a disco ball spinning over the circular roller rink as it radiated multi-colored sparkles throughout the space.
“This really is a blast from the past,” Dev said, looking around. “Doesn’t look like anything has changed except the carpet.”
She looked at the black carpet with streaks of turquoise, purple, yellow, and orange running along a low, deep purple wall that surrounded the rink. The same orange tables and turquoise benches from her childhood butted up to the wall.
To her right were yellow benches with black iron legs, lockers in matching yellow, and the skate rental counter. To her left, the kitchen and snack bar took up the whole area. The air held a mixed scent of stale socks and pepperoni. Right now, the pepperoni was winning, and her stomach grumbled.
She was hungry for sure, but she would do whatever Dev wanted to do first because he was uncomfortable even thinking about getting on the skating rink. And not just from the pain in his hip, which she knew was still a problem, but from his lack of success in skating when he was younger.
She looked up at him. “Do you want to get some pizza before we skate?”
He stared out over the rink where some of their guests were skating. “I’d rather get some skating over with before everyone finishes eating and the rink is too crowded.”
She hated to ask but… “Is all of this uncertainty because you weren’t a very good skater?”
“Ouch.” He mocked pulling a knife out of his chest. “You’re not messing around, are you?”
“Hey, roller skating is serious business.” She grinned. “And I should’ve said that in a better way. Not so blunt.”
“No, you’re right. I wasn’t very good, and getting on that rink is something I’ll do just for you.” He took her hand and led her toward the rental counter, where they each picked up a pair of worn, tan skates.
His gaze traveled to his brother, who was getting pizza. “I need to talk to Russ for a second. Be right back.”
He took off and held a quick conversation, then he returned, and they sat on the bench to put on the skates. Dev eyed his suspiciously, but he didn’t hesitate and slipped into them. She was proud of him for being willing to participate because she wasn’t exaggerating when she said he wasn’t a very good skater. She remembered him falling a lot and wanting to take his hands and help him around the rink. No matter how many times they’d come here, he’d never improved.
He stood, and his straight-legged pants got hung up at the top. He tried to pull them over, but the bottoms were too narrow to fit. “Not only will I embarrass myself when I fall, but with the color of my clothes, I’ll stand out. I look like Kermit the Frog.”
She resisted laughing. He was right. His knit shirt was nearly a perfect match to the lime green pants. She didn’t have the same problem. Her bell-bottom jeans easily fell over the top of her skates.
She stood and took a moment to gain her balance. “It’s been so long, I might take a few spills myself.”
He held out his hand. “Let’s do this together. One for all and all for one, I say. At least when it comes to me getting out on that rink. You don’t know how many times when we came here, I wanted to ask you to help me learn to skate.”
“And I wanted to help you.” Kinsley shook her head. “All that time wasted, but we have to figure that God had a plan when Jada made us promise not to get together. Everything is in His timing.”
