Page 56 of My Heart Before You

There must have been some pact that he secretly made with the sun. It agreed with all its powerful burning fury to give two tiny humans idyllic conditions whenever they were together. Colin lifted his face and basked in the slight warmth on this ice-cold afternoon. It was a strange thing to be so happy waiting on a park bench in the middle of a freezing, snow-covered landscape.

“Hi.”

Emilie’s voice brought a grin to his lips as he looked at the path. “Hey.”

She walked up to him with a slight swagger in her step. “Ready for our second date?”

He loved when she was like this, when a quiet strength emanated from her. He’d bet good money she had no idea how incredibly sexy she was.

Standing, he clapped his gloved hands together. “Absolutely, what are we doing today?”

A slight mischievous twist of her mouth let him know that he was either in for the time of his life or big trouble. Perhaps both. “Ice skating. Have you skated before?”

It was then he noticed that the large bag on her shoulder was not her purse, but an equipment bag.

A twitchy sensation ran down his arms. “Not really.” The one time he’d gone skating as a boy hadn’t gone well, but he was an athletic adult now. He'd figure it out. How hard could it be?

Colin wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a smirk out of the corner of his eye.

“You’re in for a treat then because we get to skate in the middle of the Commons.” Her face tilted towards the cloudless sky. “The weather couldn’t be better.”

“It is nice out,” he agreed, despite winter not being his favorite.

“There’s a coffee shop a block from where we met. Afterwards, I thought we could warm up and talk.” She shifted the weight of the bag on her shoulder.

“Sounds like a plan. What’s in the bag?” he asked, half knowing the answer.

“My skates.” That deliciously wicked smile touched her lips again as they arrived at the picturesque ice rink.

It was like a sight out of a movie. A low green-rimmed half-wall separated a well-maintained ice rink from the rest of the snowy landscape. He recognized the area as the low-lying pond he’d run past in warmer months. Trees stretched around one side of the rink still covered in the last bits of the snowfall from a few days ago. On the other side of the rink stood a large pavilion where he assumed he’d be renting his skates. Beyond the rink, the city expanded in all directions, the light reflecting off the windows of the expansive buildings.

She led him to the counter to buy admission to the rink and waved him off when he went to reach for his wallet.

“I planned this date, so it’s on me,” she said in a way that he couldn’t argue against.

Sitting to change into their skates, he was surprised when she pulled hockey skates out of her bag. His face must have betrayed his thoughts because she commented, “My dad’s from Rochester and played hockey growing up. Even played in an amateur league for fun while we were kids.

“He took me and my sister to the rink with him when we were little and taught us to skate. Unfortunately for him, neither of us showed any interest in playing hockey, but we always loved skating with him. We still go skating every winter.” A chuckle bubbled free of her mouth. “The three of us do anyway. My mom wouldn’t be caught dead on the ice.”

“Your mom and I sound like we’d get along.” He grinned.

After they locked all their things away in a locker, Colin walked the awkward skate-restricted steps to the edge of the rink. Several people were taking advantage of the beautiful weekend afternoon turning the circle of the rink over and over.

“Any tips?” He decided to just lay his ignorance bare.

She pushed easily onto the ice before turning around to face him. “Would you like a lesson?”

That teasing smile of hers was going to be his undoing today. “Please.”

“You’ll have to come on the ice first.”

Emilie was clearly enjoying this.

Carefully holding onto the wall with one hand, he placed his first skate on the ice. So far, so good. When the second one followed, he felt the easy give beneath his feet and grabbed the wall with both hands. He swore he heard a restricted giggle behind him before she skated up next to him.

“Get your balance first. Try to keep your weight over the skates evenly and bend your knees.”

He studiously followed her instructions.

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