Page 94 of Wilder

“Is this proposal just for me, or is it for Mik, too?”

“You’re a team, so he’ll obviously benefit,” Kayleigh said. “But this time, I think it’s best that it’s just for you.”

Lexi had no idea how Mik and Irina were paying their bills. She hadn’t asked, and they hadn’t volunteered any information. Mik probably had funding through the national skating organization, though it wouldn’t be as much as they’d received during their time on the top of the podium.

She had some doubts that they were going to achieve the success Mik and Irina wanted, unless she and Mik could really solidify their partnership. There was still distance between them. She didn’t trust him entirely, and that needed to change.

But that didn’t mean romantically. That ship had truly sailed. Sailed and sank. Never to be heard from again.

“When does the new schedule start?”

“Next Monday. We’ll need to find someone to replace you.”

“Talya might have some ideas. I wouldn’t be surprised if she knows other skaters around here.”

“Okay. I’ll give her a call and see what she thinks.” Kayleigh smiled at her. “We’ll get this worked out. No worries.”

Lexi appreciated her confidence, and for the first time since she’d started training again, she felt a clear sense of hope. Maybe they really could pull this off.

Back at the rink a short time later, she put her skates back on, then got to work.

Just after four, Wilder showed up. That had been the case every day so far that week, and Lexi had no idea what to make of it. Not that she was wishing he’d leave her alone. The opposite was true. She enjoyed spending time with him.

“How’s the ice?” he asked as he leaned up against the boards.

“Slippery,” she told him with a grin. “I’ve been told that a few times today.”

He stared at her for so long that Lexi wondered if she had something on her face. “Well, they’re not wrong.”

“How were the slopes?”

“Also slippery.”

“No broken bones?”

Wilder grimaced. “Yeah. Actually, we had someone injure their arm. Not sure if it was broken or not, but they were in pain.”

“That’s a shame.”

“It is,” he said. “Unfortunately, it happens. Usually when people aren’t paying attention to instructions given at the top of the slope.”

“I talked to Kayleigh today,” she said, glancing out over the rink, checking on the handful of skaters that were circling the ice. They appeared to just be enjoying skating laps to the music. A couple of them were even holding hands.

“What did she have to say?”

“She said Alexander was willing to sponsor us, freeing me up so I don’t have to split my time between work and training.”

That brought a wide smile to Wilder’s face. “That’s amazing. I’m glad you’ll be able to just focus on the training. I think that’s really what you need.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you have anything to do with this?”

He hesitated for a moment before he said, “I may have mentioned to Kayleigh that you were probably burning the candle at both ends, having to work and train.”

“I don’t need you fighting my battles for me,” Lexi said, trying to keep her indignation from her words. She appreciated that he wanted to do that for her, but she knew herself better than he did. “I am capable of knowing what my body can and can’t handle.”

She thought he might get uptight with her response, but he just nodded and gave her a small smile. “I know that. I was just stating a fact. I didn’t go to Alexander about anything. He doesn’t talk to me the way he talks to Kayleigh and Hudson. But what I do know about the man is that he makes his own decisions. He can’t be talked into anything he doesn’t want to do.”

Lexi clenched her hands together. “I just don’t want people to think I can’t handle things.”

---