Page 115 of Side By Side

“I’ll need to go to the hotel today to get something else to change into,” Chandler said when they got inside.

“Just bring it to my place.”

“Bring what to your place?”

“Your stuff.”

“What stuff, exactly?” Chandler asked, wrapping her arms around Belle’s neck in Belle’s office.

“Your stuff. Just check out.”

“Belle, we’ve had one date, and you want to move in together already?”

“I didn’t say anything about moving in together. But it’s a lot. I’m at my dad’s place. I have my apartment. You’re in a hotel. If you keep staying over, we’ll just have to go back and forth. It’ll be easier if you’re at my place. I also want you there.”

“Yeah?”

“Chandler, I know that you’ll have to go home. I don’t know when, and we’ll have to talk about it, but I want as much time with you as possible before you have to go.”

“I can stay, Belle.”

“Not forever. At least, not forever right now,” Belle replied and kissed Chandler’s forehead. “So, we’ll figure it out, but for now, bring your stuff to my place.”

“I can go get it all now, if you want, and check out. Then, I’ll come back here so we can leave and go to your place tonight after checking on your dad.”

“Yes. Do that. I’ll get everything going here.”

“Don’t count the money. That’s my favorite thing now. I want to do it.”

“That says something about you, I think,” Belle teased.

Chandler playfully slapped her shoulder in response and said, “Make the coffee, Elrod. I’ll be back.”

Belle kissed her goodbye and got to work. She wouldn’t skate that morning because she didn’t need to, but also because she’d gotten a workout already that morning, and it was much better than skating. She wasn’t sure how long Chandler had been gone, but when she walked back into Belle’s office, there was a look on her face that had Belle instantly worried.

“What happened? Are you okay?” She turned in her desk chair.

“I just got a phone call.”

“Your mom? Cat?”

Chandler sat on the cot across from the chair and said, “No, someone else.”

“Who, Chandler?”

“Lincoln Cates.”

“The skater?”

“The pairs skater, yes. His partner just got hurt. Yesterday. In training. It’s pretty bad.”

“Oh. That sucks.”

“Yeah. She’s out for months. Maybe longer. I don’t know exactly what happened, but he said her knee swelled up like a balloon before they could even get her to the hospital, and they had to take her back to surgery right away.”

“Okay. Why did he call you?” Then, it hit her, and Belle leaned back in her chair. “He wants you to be his new partner?”

“Yes. He said his coach had been looking at other possible partners for him since he saw that exploded knee, which, I realize, is insensitive, but it is a business. Everyone’s on a tight time frame right now. Anyway, he watched some video of me skating, and it included the video of you and me at that invitational.”

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