Page 12 of Recklessly in Love

It takes everything I’ve got to walk away from Joanie on Saturday night. Am I an asshole because “soon” wasn’t that same night? Maybe. But something is telling me to wait. To make her wait. That it’ll be worth it. And frankly, I’m kind of just enjoying her company.

Nate texts me that morning to let me know he and the girls will be at the skating pond after breakfast. I’m not sure what to make of him informing me of their whereabouts after his warning me off Mia’s best friend, but I’ll take the help.

I finish off a steaming mug of black coffee as I stare down my snowy driveway, and anxiety settles over me. Not because of skating. That part I’m looking forward to. It’s what comes after that.

Yakima. The Tyler clan. And my holiday visit-slash-annual report-in with my parents. Where I get to tell them all about what’s happening in Alpine Ridge, and they get to tell me how I’m wasting my life staying here. Good times.

As I throw my suitcase in the backseat of my truck and head out, I realize “soon” will probably have to wait even more. I can’t fuck and run with Joanie. Something tells me that I won’t want to stop for a while once we start. And I will seriously need my head in the game to survive this week.

* * *

I park in my usual spot at the community center, though a few other vehicles dot the small parking lot on the skating pond side of the building, Nate’s truck included. I go inside the building and grab my skates from the office.

As I head to the pond, the cold air does a much better job waking me up than the coffee, and I can hear laughter floating in the air. It breaks through the gloomy cloud hanging over my head, and as I get close, I can see that besides Nate and the girls, there isn’t anyone else out at the pond yet. It’s still early, I guess.

As I get closer, I can see Mia and Joanie spinning in circles, their hands clasped between them as they whirl around, heads tipped back while they laugh. The innocent joy on their faces is something to behold. It probably explains why Nate is stopped, watching them with a grin. Something like I’m doing right now.

I watch the girls break apart, Mia tumbling onto the ice with her momentum, still laughing, while Joanie catapults herself in a wide, graceful arc. She turns, then executes a perfect toe loop jump. And then, with confidence radiating out of her, she follows it with a double-toe loop jump.

I grin widely and advance to the pond’s edge while clapping, and she skids to a stop, startled at the sight of me.

“Where’d you learn to skate like that?” I say by way of greeting, sitting on one of the nearby benches as I change into my skates.

She glides across the ice and hobbles over the small strip of snowy grass to settle beside me.

“I’ve had lessons since I was six,” she explains, crossing her legs toward me. “So, I’m not shit at all winter sports.”

I lace up with a smirk. “Just snowshoeing, then?”

She narrows her eyes. “We can’t all be good at everything. Surely there’s something you’re bad at.”

I finish lacing the other skate, stand, and extend my hand. “I’m sure there is,” I agree. She takes my hand and lets me lead her onto the ice. I drop her hand and skate a quick, tight circle around her. “I’ll let you know when I figure out what that is.”

She rolls her eyes, and I skate away backward, saying hi to Nate as I pass him. Mia rolls her eyes as I glide by her, causing my grin to widen. Okay, so maybe I’m showing off a bit too much. I turn and stop right in front of Joanie.

“Cute,” she says. “But can you do any jumps?”

“No,” I admit. “I played hockey for years. I can skate, and I can handle a stick.”

“I’m not even going to rise to that bait, mountain man,” she says with a tilt of her eyebrow.

I tip my head back and laugh. “Then how about a spin around the ice instead?” I offer, holding out my gloved hand once more.

She takes it and lets me lead her around the pond. We do a few laps in perfect, silent sync, and I can’t help spinning her into a twirl as we go for our third lap. She laughs as we disconnect and then spins out, using the momentum to execute a loop jump.

I resist teasing her for being a showoff. I’m not exactly one to talk, especially around her. I can’t help it; something about this girl makes me want to impress her.

I notice that Nate and Mia have stepped off the skating pond and are putting on their boots.

“Where are you lovebirds off to?” I ask, skating to a stop nearby.

“Oh, noticed we were still here, did you?” Mia replies.

Nate shakes his head with a smile. “We’re going to go pick up some lunch. Want us to bring you anything back?”

“What, we’re not invited?” I joke.

Nate looks at me and says quietly enough that Joanie, still showing off her skills on the ice, doesn’t hear, “I figured we’d give you two some time alone.”

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