Page 46 of Just My Puck
We meander through the chalets until we find a lily candle for Aria. We also stock up on a ton of gourmet specialty food items for Gaby. Maple syrup, peanut butter cups, beef jerky, and a box of mac and cheese—all the things that will remind her where she comes from. Aria even finds a cute woven basket to put everything in, and we toss in a stars-and-stripes beanie for good measure.
“Well, that was easy,” I say, surprised we’re already done. “I was a lot more efficient with your help.”
She giggles, her cheeks pink from the cold. “Glad I could be of assistance. Now, we just have to arrange everything in the basket and make it pretty—oh, and wrap the other two gifts.”
“Before we do all that, how about some ice skating?” I suggest, motioning to the rink where families and couples are gliding across the ice. “We do have time now, after all.”
She furrows her eyebrows, lookingat the rink. “Really? You spend almost every day on skates. You’re not ready to hang them up yet?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Absolutely not. Skating for fun is even better. In fact, that’s where my love for hockey came from. I started really young, kind of like that kid over there,” I say, pointing at a little boy who’s pushing a skating aid penguin, his dad skating beside him.
“Wow. Isn’t that a bit dangerous for me, though? I have no idea whether I have any form of balance, or if I’ve even tried it before.”
“Nah, it’s not dangerous. Look at how peaceful everyone is, skating along. This will be fun, come on. You have to try, at least.”
She sucks in a deep breath. “Well, Dr. Stuart did encourage me to try new things, so why not? But remember, the inauguration of this ice skating rink was the reason why the hospital was so crowded the night of my accident.”
I laugh, pressing my shoulder to hers. “Don’t worry. You’re safe with me. I’m a pro hockey player, after all.”
We both wander over to the skate rental area and put on our skates. The minute I do, I regret not bringing my own skates with me. I should have anticipated this. These are probably the most uncomfortable skates I’ve ever tried, crippling my toes while feeling waytoo loose around my ankles.
“All good?” I ask Aria.
“Honestly, I’m not sure if they’re tight enough. But I feel good in them.”
I almost wince. The problem is definitely me, then. I lean down in front of her and tug on the laces to make sure her skates are tight. “How does that feel?”
She stares at me for a second, then nods before glancing off to the side. “Yep, all good.”
“Okay.” I do the other one, and after securing our belongings in one of the lockers, we head to the rink.
“Are you sure I don’t need one of those penguin thingies?”
I turn to face her. “I’ll be your penguin, Aria.”
Our gazes cross, and we burst into laughter.
“Okay, that came out weird,” I say with a chuckle. “What I mean is, you can hold on to me.”
Aria
The second I step on the ice, I know it’s my first time. My legs are so wobbly, it’s a wonder I’m even still standing. I’m gripping Caleb’s bicep like my life depends on it, my fingers clutching the fabric of hiscoat, but he doesn’t seem to care.
“You’re doing great,” he says, skating forward a little. “Just hold on to me, and try to move your feet.”
“I can’t,” I blurt. “I’m going to fall, I’m sure of it.”
He turns around in a swift movement, taking my hands in his. His touch is warm and comforting, but it also feels like I’m holding a ticking time bomb. “Move your feet forward, but don’t lift them off the ice.”
“You’re skating backward! Is that even safe?” I ask, looking around to confirm that everyone else is definitely skating forward. “Don’t crash into anyone.”
“I won’t,” he says, glancing over his shoulders. “Let’s keep going. Slide your feet, slowly but surely.”
I do as he says, probably breaking his fingers in the meantime. But before I know it, I’m moving. A laugh bubbles out of me. “I’m doing it.”
“See? It’s easy. We’ll circle around the rink like this so you can get more comfortable.”
I almost fall a couple of times, but Caleb’s hands steady me. After a while, I risk looking up instead of staring at my feet. Big mistake, because when I lift my gaze, I see Caleb’s deep brown eyes watching me intensely. How the ice is still frozen is a mystery to me.
