Page 72 of Untouchable Player

Jesse’s pretending he’s not thinking about his dad the rest of the way, but I can see that he is. I wish there was something I could do or say to make him feel better, but there isn’t.

It isn’t until we get to the rink and out on the ice that he seems to forget all about it. His face lights up and he looks at ease as his skates make contact with the ice.

There’s lots of people skating around. From little kids to older people. But the rink isn’t crowded. Jesse skates backwards as he watches me with a big grin on his face. I’m a little wobbly at first, and I can see how much he’s loving this.

“What? I’m rusty okay?”

Jesse puts his hands up, “I didn’t say anything did I?”

God that smile… even with the chipped tooth, no,especiallywith the chipped tooth.Damn.

Jesse holds his hand out and I look around before taking it.

“There’s no one here,” he says.

“I’mnot worried about that, are you?”

He doesn’t answer, but he’s still grinning as he pulls me out into the centre of the ice.

“You’re actually really graceful.”

“What? You didn’t think hockey players could be graceful? Or was it just people from Philly?”

“Shut up.”

“Or D-men, is that it? Guys with chipped teeth?”

Jesse keeps hold of my hand as we start to pick up speed and I think one of the dads looks at us. I don’t care, but doesn’t Jesse?

Finally, he lets go, so he can skate in front of me and skate backwards again while he watches me.

“Now you’re just showing off.”

“Be quiet or I’ll make you do bag skates.”

“What’s that?”

“Jones never talks about bag skates?”

“Maybe, but I probably wasn’t listening.”

Jesse laughs before skating in beside me.

“It’s endurance training. Literal hell.”

“Like running laps in gym class?”

He laughs, “kinda, but on skates, wearing full padding. You ever skated at full speed before in hockey gear?”

I shake my head. “I’m a figure skater remember?”

“Ah, yeah, sequins and leotards, got it.”

“Don’t you skate at full speed during a game?”

“Yeah, that’s why you need to build up your endurance. But a hockey game’s usually played in stops and starts and you get pulled off the ice a lot so you’re fresh.”

“Why is hockey so complicated?”

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