Then I’d remember Mom telling me he was stable and I forced myself to breathe again.
Luka’s hand tightened around mine, and I knew that was for me, telling me he saw my pain. Then he pulled free of my grasp.
“I should go,” he said, a note of reluctance in his voice. “We have practice.”
Except he hadn’t even finished his coffee.
“Norway is out, so I’ll be watching you from the stands tonight.” Ingrid pointed her fork at him. “But I’ll see you on the fifteenth.”
Luka blinked. “For pairs.”
“Yes.” She grinned. “I’ll be the one in the scandalously sparkly blue dress.”
Noah huffed. “I always think it’s so unfair that the guys don’t get to wear the dresses.”
His ice dance partner, Sasha, let out a loud snort. “Sorry, babe, but you really don’t have the legs for it.”
“I’m with her,” Ethan said with a grin.
Ingrid’s eyes sparkled. “Magnus tried on one of my dresses once.”
Keisha nearly choked laughing. “No.”
“Oh yes.” Ingrid nodded solemnly. “He split the seams during warm-up.” Her hand clutched at her chest. “It was very traumatic for everyone involved.”
The entire table dissolved into laughter. Even Luka smiled into his coffee.
Ingrid’s expression softened as she looked back at him. “Seriously, though. Skate well tonight.” Her voice became gentle. “I know there’s a lot riding on it.”
Luka’s smile faded for a heartbeat before returning. Then he nodded. “Thank you.”
I pulled my phone into my lap beneath the table and typed.
Meet me at my room later? After practice?
My heart lurched the second I hit send.
Luka’s phone buzzed. He glanced down and flushed, the color rising sharply into his cheeks.
And of course, everyone noticed.
“Oh my God.” Noah’s eyes widened. “Was that Mila?”
Luka looked upsofast. “No.”
Ethan made a sound that suspiciously resembled a cough covering laughter, and Luka shot him an abrupt glance. Then he stood, collecting his tray with far too much dignity for someone whose ears were still red.
“I should leave now.”
“Coward,” Keisha called cheerfully after him.
Luka paused to look at me, not an obvious, lingering glance, butenough. Then he disappeared into the flow of athletes crossing the cafeteria.
Keisha watched him go before sighing. “He’s ridiculously pretty.”
“I know, right?” Sasha and Brooke intoned at the same time, before staring at each other and laughing.
“Join the queue,” Noah muttered. “Half the girls on the US team have been sighing over him.”
