Page 7 of Date With Skates

We walk to our table together; the one the rest of the team is sitting at. Roman takes a seat while I go grab food. After dinner, we’re going to watch some of the games before we head to bed. We have morning skate first thing tomorrow, and then our first game later in the day. Saying I’m nervous is an understatement, but there’s something about being nervous that pushes me to go all in. Full steam ahead. And that’s exactly what I plan to do while I’m here. Every single day.

Chapter Four

Étienne

“I can’t believe you embarrassed me like that,” I complain to Nico as we walk back to our rooms. I hate it when he tells people the story of how I broke my ankle the first time I got on the ice. “I’m going to have to play a whole new game now. I had this whole plan in my head, and now… nothing. You’ve ruined it.”

I can’t even pretend I love ice skating or playing hockey now. He’s ruined part of the story I was going to use to talk to these hockey players.

“You think too much,” Nico says simply.

“It’s difficult not to with you around.”

“What does that even mean?”

I blink at him as my shoulders sag.

“I don’t know, it just came out.”

He rolls his eyes as I pull open the door for him to walk into the building. We make it to the elevator and up to our floor. I point out which door is his.

Had I not come with him, I don’t know how he’d get around. He’s such a poor thing. And it’s crazy because he doesn’t even care. How do people live like that?

The room I’m in has three bedrooms, just like Nico’s. I’m staying with Tessa and Hank, Jules and Andrew’s assistants. Jules and Andrew are Nico’s teammates. They skate in pairs.

The players stay together, and then the other people who are part of the team also stay together. Thankfully, I know Tessa and Hank so it’s not weird, but some of these athletes are in rooms with people they’ve never met before.

I have enough trouble sleeping; I don’t know how I’d feel trying to sleep with strangers in the other room.

So far, every night, they’ve been in bed early with their doors closed. I should probably be in bed earlier than I have been, but I’ve always been a night owl. I hate waking up in the morning. The complete opposite of Nico who is up with the sun, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed no matter how many hours of sleep he gets. I can be tired all day, dreaming about my bed, but the moment I’m in it, I’m awake. Like the silence is all I needed to not be tired.

I give Nico crap, as I usually do, because he’s my cousin and my best friend, and I love him. But I am here to fully support him in any and every way he needs. I want him to win the gold probably as badly as he does. He’s my family and I want him to do all the things he wants to do. He has brought our family so much pride with how far he’s come. And aside from the internal feelings, I enjoy the attention I get for being Nico Laurent’s cousin.

I get ready for bed, get in, and surprise, surprise. I can’t sleep. I toss and turn, but I feel like I could run a marathon. So, I get up, walk around, and try not to be too loud so I don’t disturb my roommates. I look out the window and see people walking around outside. Maybe a walk will help me sleep? Sometimes it does. With a sigh, I shove on my boots and grab my big fluffy red jacket. It’s freezing outside, and it’ll probably wake me up more, but maybe the exercise will do the opposite. All I can do is try. Staying here is getting me nowhere.

There is no one in the hallway or in the elevator. It’s not even eleven yet, but of course all the athletes are in bed, getting as much sleep as they should. They work hard, and I bet they’re exhausted. If I wasn’t terrified of the ice, maybe I’d skate around just to get tired. But no thanks. My ankle still hurts when I think about it.

The chill hits me, causing gooseflesh, but I confidently walk out into it and turn down one of the walkways.

I’ve explored a little, so I know where all the buildings are, but with less people around to distract me, I can really take it all in. The way each building takes pride in their country, with flags of all sizes hanging from windows.

There are some people walking around. Not big groups like during the day, but a single person or a pair of people chatting quietly. We smile at each other when we pass, and I wonder if they’re all struggling to sleep too. Excitement does that to you.

I can’t help but become giddy when I think about where I am and what I’m doing. I got lucky. Being related to Nico Laurent is not something I had to work for; it just happened. I know that, and I appreciate all the traveling opportunities I’ve had when it comes to what he does. I’m always the first person he asks to go with him because we’re around the same age, best friends, and he wants me there for support, even if he acts like I annoy him half the time.

To be fair, I do. And he annoys me, too. But we love each other at the same time.

Nico easily could have hired someone who is experienced to be here. That’s one of his faults though, and one that I will always take advantage of. He’s so confident that he thinks he doesn’t need a professional to help him. Maybe he’s right. Because he really is that good. And he has a big team to support him. Which is why I don’t feel bad reaping the benefits of being related to Nico.

The further I walk, the more excitement courses through me. The more I wake up. So, this was a fail. Whatever. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.

I walk the path, passing less and less people. At least out here I’m getting fresh air and exercise. In my room, I’ll lay in my bed like a log and probably end up scrolling social media, which never does good things for my mental health.

So I keep walking until I see someone sitting on a bench. My heart does a little flip when I realize who it is. I don’t hide that I’m walking right towards him, though he doesn’t pay me any mind.

His hands are shoved into his jacket pocket. He’s leaned back with his legs spread forward, ankles crossed.

As I get closer, I realize why he’s not paying attention to me.