Crossing the Ice (35 page)
Authors: Jennifer Comeaux
He angled his head closer, and I bit my lip. “It’s all incredibly tempting.”
“I would be so honored to be your partner,” he said.
He looked at me with so much love and respect that my eyes welled with tears. I thought back to all our rehearsals and when we’d skated in the show. I’d felt so free and so inspired. I couldn’t turn down the chance to explore that further. I believed we could do amazing things together, too.
“My answer is…”
His eyebrows rose high with anticipation.
“Yes!”
He broke into a huge smile and enveloped me in his arms, lifting me off the ground. I laughed as he whirled me around and around.
“She said yes!” he shouted to the sky.
His phone rang in his pocket, and I slowly slipped out of his embrace so he could answer it. “Who dare interrupt our celebration?”
He glanced at the screen. “It’s my dad.”
I gave him a few feet of space and wrung my hands as he took the call. He was meeting his parents in a little while to tell them he wasn’t going to school, and I could only imagine their reaction to that plus the news of our partnership. He shouldn’t have to deal with it all on his own.
Josh ended the call after only a minute. “He needs to meet sooner because he has to see some client.”
“I really think I should go with you. Especially since you’ll be telling them about us skating together.”
He closed the space between us. “I love you for wanting to come, but it’s better if I do it alone. It’s not going to be a pleasant conversation.”
“Which is why I should be there to support you.” I touched his cheek.
He covered my hand with his and kissed my palm. “I don’t want you to get caught in the crossfire. Just knowing you’ll be here when I get back is the best support I can ask for.”
“So I guess I’m not changing your mind.”
“I won’t be long.” He hugged me tight. “Let me show you around the house so you’ll know where everything is.”
He took me through the living room to the expansive kitchen featuring top-of-the-line everything, and then we headed upstairs. On the top floor of the three-story house was the guest bedroom and bathroom along with a balcony and more spectacular views.
“Make yourself at home,” he said. “Call me if you need anything.”
I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him softly. “Good luck.”
After he left, I took a long shower and wandered around the empty house, wondering how I could pass the time to make it go faster. My stomach knotted just thinking about the things Josh’s parents were probably saying about me. I picked up a framed family portrait from a table in the living room and looked at Mr. and Mrs. Tucker’s practiced smiles. Would they ever accept me as part of Josh’s life?
Stephanie’s face stared back at me from the picture, and I could already hear her disgust over Josh and me skating together. She was starting fashion design school soon, so it wasn’t like she was planning to continue skating, but I was sure she’d be annoyed about Josh having a new partner. Especially when that partner was me.
I set down the photo and nervously fiddled with my phone. When I’d browsed every social media website and flipped through all four hundred of Liza’s Olympic photos on Facebook, I pulled up the dial pad and called Em.
“Hey,” she answered. “Quinn, can you hand me that pink sweater?”
“Are you busy?” I asked.
“I’m just packing. Quinn’s being a great helper.” I heard her squeaky reply in the background. “What’s up?”
I took a calming breath and tucked my legs under me. Hearing Em’s voice always helped settle me.
“You’re excellent at keeping a secret,” I said.
She paused. “Josh talked to you?”
“You think you can handle coaching the awesomeness of Carlton and Tucker?” I smiled.
“You agreed to skate with him!”
“We’re going to try it for a year and see how it goes.”
“It’s going to go wonderfully. I have the best feeling about this.”
I pushed my slightly damp hair over one shoulder. “Now that it’s sinking in, I have a really great feeling about it, too.”
“When you guys skated together for the show, I couldn’t get over how easily you fit as partners from day one. I loved watching you learn from each other. He brings out the softer side of your skating, and you bring out more power in him. I can’t tell you how excited I am to work with you as a team.”
The door opened and Josh gave me a little smile as he came inside, but he had a faraway look in his eyes like he was still reliving the conversation with his parents. I stood and walked toward him.
“Josh just got back, so I’ll talk to you later?” I said to Em.
“Yeah, definitely. We have lots to plan!”
“Have a good flight.”
I put the phone aside and gave Josh an immediate hug. “How did it go?”
He breathed deeply. “Not good.”
He held onto me as if he didn’t want to let go, so I rubbed his back and let him take all the comfort from me he needed. When he finally released me, I clasped his hand and led him to the long window seat next to the piano.
“Do you wanna talk about it?” I asked.
He raked his hand through his hair. “I knew they were going to be upset, but it was just… I realized they really have no faith that I can make it on my own.”
“I don’t think that’s true. I think they’re just disappointed you’re not doing what they want you to do.”
“My dad said, ‘You’re throwing away everything for what? You’ve already been to the Olympics. It’s time to start your life.’”
I winced as I pictured Mr. Tucker saying those harsh words. There were probably even harsher ones about our relationship that Josh would keep to himself.
“I told him it’s not about the Olympics. It’s about going after the things that are important to me, the things that make me happy.” He brushed my hair from my face and gazed intensely into my eyes. “This is the life I want.”
His lips met mine, and I felt his sureness in his kiss. I kissed him back with the same passion, giving him all the love I had for him.
“I have total faith in you,” I said. “You’re going to be amazing at everything you do.”
He kissed my forehead then the tip of my nose and then my mouth. “I’m so lucky to have the best partner on and off the ice.”
He reclined against the end of the seat, and I snuggled into his arms, my back to his chest. We were facing the ocean and the piano, and I remembered the fantasy I’d had many times the past few months.
“You know, ever since you told me about this place, I’ve been picturing you here playing the piano… for me.” I looked up at him with a smile.
“Are you asking me to play for you?”
“Yes, please.”
He nuzzled my neck. “I would love to do that.”
We slowly untangled ourselves, and when Josh took his place on the piano bench, I sat beside him.
“Part of my fantasy was sitting next to you so I can have a front-row seat,” I said.
“This fantasy sounds very detailed.” He grinned and squeezed my knee. “What else does it include?”
My eyes flickered to his mouth. “We can talk about that later.”
He tugged on his collar and couldn’t stop smiling. As he set his fingers on the keys, I put my arm around him and touched my fingertips lightly to the back of his neck. He closed his eyes and took a noticeable swallow.
“Am I distracting you too much?” I asked.
His eyes opened, and he turned to me. “You’re not going anywhere.”
He eventually put his attention back on the piano and began to play the piece that had become one of my favorites — “Your Hands Are Cold” from
Pride and Prejudice.
He leaned slightly forward, and his fingers flexed over the keys, so soft but so in control. I sat mesmerized by the ease with which he created something so gorgeous.
When he hit the final note, I said. “We should skate to that for our first program together.”
He gazed at me for a long moment. “I can’t wait. I’ve dreamt of skating with you since the first time I saw you on the ice. The girl in the pink dress with the golden hair and the sparkling green eyes. The prettiest girl I’d ever seen.”
I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder.
He lifted my chin, and his eyes roamed across my face. “Now the most beautiful woman.”
My lips parted, and he took the invitation, sending shivers down to my soul. His mouth lingered on mine then swept along my jaw to my ear.
“I love you,” he said.
I melted into his arms, and I sang inside with my absolute favorite melody, the most gorgeous one of all. The one Josh played on my heart.
About the Author
Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is travelling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing.
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Discover other titles by Jennifer Comeaux:
Life on the Edge
(Edge Series #1)
Edge of the Past (Edge Series #2)
Reaching the Edge (Edge Series #2.5)
Fighting for the Edge (Edge Series #3)
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Acknowledgements
So many people helped me along my journey to publishing this book. First, I’d like to thank my family and friends for their constant support. You’ve been my readers and my champions since day one! Sylvianne, thank you for insisting I attend the 2010 Olympics. I knew when we were in Vancouver I’d have to write about it one day. Our adventure on Grouse Mountain was too epic!
I can’t thank all my beta readers enough — Teresa, Rebekah, Sarah, Sylvianne, Debbie, Melissa, Heather, Elizabeth, Angie, Jessica, Melisa, Michelle, and Tia. I also have to give a big shout-out to my awesome proofreaders Marni and Christy. Special thanks to Rebekah and my friends Tiffany, Denise, and Kristin for helping me with toddler speak (and three-year-old Claire for giving me a line of dialogue for Quinn)! And Teresa, thank you for always listening to my rambling ideas and for helping me work through all my character and plot concerns.
I owe a huge thank you to my cover artist Sarah Schneider for stepping in when I was panicking over my cover situation. It was so great having someone who’d read the story design the cover! Thank you for all your patience and your hard work!
I also need to give a huge thank you to Alex Shaughnessy and Jimmy Morgan for posing for the cover and Ann Bowes-Shaughnessy for taking the photos. I can’t express how thrilled I am to have such a talented pair team on my book! You were all so incredibly generous to volunteer to help!
My final thank you goes to all the readers. When
Life on the Edge
was released I had no plans to do a series or write any more books. I just wanted to fulfill my dream of having a book published. But you asked for more and you inspired me to keep writing! Thank you for being so excited about my characters and for all the kind words you’ve shared with me. You all rock!