Page 63 of Jesse and the Ice Princess
A goddess?
Charlotte: He did not say that.
Cassie: Well, no. But he won't shut up about you.
She smiled as she set her phone back on the table. Jesse just wanted her on his team. She turned over, trying to push thoughts of him from her mind.
Thinking of Jesse brought inevitable thoughts about tomorrow’s game.
Even if she didn't have the competition, there was no way her dad would let her join the hockey team. Her heart stuttered at the thought.
She stared at the ceiling, picturing her mom's face when she told her she wasn't going to the competition.
But she'd never see it, because she was Charlotte Morrison. Of course, she'd go to Tampa. She'd lace up her skates and don her frilly costume that was too thin for an ice rink.
And she'd give it everything she had, just like always.
* * *
The morningof the competition dawned too bright and cheery for Charlotte's foul mood. She rolled out of bed and stretched, loosening her limbs before running downstairs.
To her surprise, both her parents waited in the kitchen. She hadn't thought she'd see her dad before the competition.
Her mom handed her a smoothie, no doubt loaded with chalky protein powder. Gulping it down without tasting it, Charlotte pulled herself onto a stool at the counter.
"You ready for today, Charlie?" Her dad dropped a kiss on top of her head.
Charlotte shrugged. "Sure."
"Well, good luck. I have to get to the rink. You'll do great, honey." He gave her a final smile before leaving.
She tapped her fingers on the counter, trying to get ahold of the dark feelings swirling inside her. "Mom?"
"Yes?" She glanced up from where she'd been looking at her phone.
"What if I don't win today?"
"What?"
Charlotte won most regional competitions she entered, but this was different, bigger. And some part of her that never felt good enough rose to the surface. "If I like... fall or something, will you still want to train me? Will you be disappointed?"
"Oh, sweetie. I don't train you because you're good—though you are." She fixed her eyes on her daughter. "Skating is how we communicate. You and I... we're a team."
"We are, aren't we?"
Her mom nodded. "I believe in you, Charlie, and I truly think you can do this." She rarely called her anything but Charlotte. "If you don't win, we can celebrate how far you've come. I could never be disappointed in you."
Charlotte wiped away a tear and slid from the stool. "I'm going to get ready."
The competition was early in the day, but she didn't know the order of the skaters yet. If she was last, she wouldn't skate until near dinner time. Part of her hoped for that. Focusing on nailing her long program would occupy her mind all day. But if she went early, she could make it home in time to stream the hockey game.
A game she couldn't play in.
Weeks ago, she'd never considered that an option. She was a figure skater, nothing more. Then Jesse happened, and she didn't know what she was anymore.
But today... well, today she could only be one thing.
She had to forget about the game. It was the only way to get through this day.
