The second we stepped behind the boards, Mila came straight for us.
“You were amazing.” Her voice shook and her eyes were suspiciously bright. She wrapped Luka in a fierce hug before giving me the same treatment. “Knowing what you were going to do and witnessing it were definitely not the same thing.” She shook her head, still smiling. “The two of you have managed to turn an Olympic gala into an international incident.”
I grinned. “I’m choosing to take that as a compliment.”
Mila laughed. “You would.”
A burst of applause rolled through the arena as the next introductionbegan. Nathan and Brooke appeared at the edge of the tunnel in full costume, both of them moments away from taking the ice themselves.
Brooke looked at us and immediately pointed an accusing finger. “How are we supposed to follow that?”
Nathan nodded in agreement. “We’ve spent days putting together our exhibition. Then you two go out there and decide to emotionally devastate an entire arena.”
I held my hands up. “That wasn’t the objective, I swear.”
“It may not have been the objective, but it was definitely the result.” An official appeared beside Brooke, motioning them toward the entrance. She groaned. “Fine. We’re going. But if nobody remembers our skate because they’re still talking about yours, I’m blaming both of you.”
I shrugged. “That’s fair.”
Nathan hugged Luka, then me. “Don’t leave. We have some serious partying to do tonight.”
“I’m not making any promises.”
He snorted. “You never do.”
A moment later they disappeared toward the ice while the announcer’s voice echoed through the arena.
The brief lull lasted all of five seconds before my team arrived.
Ethan reached us first, grabbed me in an exuberant hug, and nearly cracked a couple of my ribs.
“You tworock!”
Behind him, Mark Winton approached at a more dignified pace. He folded his arms, studied Luka and me for a few seconds, and then shook his head.
“I should have charged double.”
I laughed. “You loved every minute of it.”
“Except for the nights when I lost sleep.”
“You volunteered.” I glanced at Luka. “He did volunteer, right?”
Before Luka could reply, Mark guffawed. “Relax. Your boyfriend caught me on a good day.”
A week ago, none of this had existed. The program, the lifts, the transitions, the hours we’d stolen on empty practice ice… Mark had somehow managed to help us turn Luka’s reckless idea into something real.
His gaze moved from me to Luka. “It worked.”
Luka smiled. “It did. Thank you, Mark.”
“Am I allowed to offer my congratulations?” Helen Brooks had appeared next to Mark.
Luka stilled. “I’ve been meaning to call you.”
She nodded. “That’s why I’m here. If I can steal a moment of your time? Both of you? Because I’m assuming Dean needs to hear this too.”
We followed her along the corridor, where she paused.
