Page 97 of Wilder

“Guess I’d better be prepared for the influx onto the ice,” she said, watching as the majority of the group headed for the skate rental. Only a couple of them went to the café.

“Have fun,” Wilder said as he backed away from the boards. “Talk later.”

She nodded, then watched as he strode toward the exit. Someone called out to him, however, so he veered in the direction of the group that were standing at the skate rental.

One of the women smiled and stepped closer to Wilder. Unfamiliar jealousy swirled through Lexi, making her frown.

She blinked, then turned away. Jealousy had no place in her life right then. Especially over a man she’d repeatedly shoved into the friend zone.

There was no reason she should get upset when other women paid attention to him, and when he paid attention to them. But it was there, nonetheless.

Interestingly enough, she’d never really felt jealousy over Mik. But then, they hadn’t had the time to spend with other people. Their parents and coaches wouldn’t have allowed it. Other female skaters might have been interested in Mik, but one look from Lexi had them keeping their distance.

Looking back now, she realized it hadn’t been because she didn’t want Mik paying attention to them. She just hadn’twanted him to be distracted from their skating. Distractions kept them from being able to perform at their highest level.

Wilder was different.

He’d offered her friendship and support that was completely separate and apart from her skating. Unfortunately, this time around, he was a distraction for her, and she wondered if she needed to shut down even their friendship.

She and Mik hadn’t cultivated friendships before, and they’d been at the top of their game. Was that what she needed to do this time around, too? Would the sacrifice be worth it in the end?

The thought of not having Wilder in her life hurt Lexi’s heart, which was probably a pretty good indicator that, yes, she should end their friendship. Continuing to hang around Wilder, even knowing the futility of hoping for something more, would only lead to heartache when he left again in the spring.

She couldn’t end things yet, though, because she’d made a commitment to the Christmas fundraiser. Plus, she wasn’t ready to not have Wilder in her life.

After Christmas, however… She’d need to focus completely on her programs.

Maybe it would have been better if she’d gone to Maine. Was it too late to suggest that?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“Back off, Mik,” Lexi said as she skated away from him, frustration bubbling in her stomach.

Conflict between them wasn’t entirely new, although they definitely clashed more now than they had in the past.

“It’s a waste of time,” Mik yelled after her. “Everything here is a waste of time.”

Lexi jerked around to face him. Narrowing her eyes, she headed straight for him, stopping in a spray of ice.

“This is my life now,” she hissed at him. “The one I was forced to build after my dad torpedoed my life and you walked away from me. So you don’t get to come in here and tell me that my life—the one I’m putting on hold to help you out, by the way—is a waste of time.”

“You’re overreacting.”

“No. I’m done.”

She skated for the exit where Irina greeted her with a frown, which deepened into a scowl when she looked past Lexi to Mik.

Good. Let him deal with her temper.

“The rink becomes unavailable in half an hour,” Lexi muttered. “Be off it by then.”

Lexi snatched her guards off the boards and shoved them on her blades before leaving the ice. She headed for her office, tuning out the yelling in Russian that was going on behind her. If she’d focused, she could have understood what was being said, but she just didn’t care.

Mik had sometimes been selfish before. But then, so had she.

Now, however…

He had gone past selfish to arrogant, telling Lexi that she should be thanking him for giving her a break and saving her from her pathetic life in a small town in Idaho. Like it hadn’t beenhimwho’d contactedher,begging Lexi to help him out.

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