Breaking the Ice (9 page)

Cleo really
did
think she was a charity case. Now, in a desperate attempt to see Samantha with a man, Cleo was even telling the potential mates that she had dating issues. She didn’t have dating issues, she’d been on dates, granted not recently, but she had done it. Although, thinking about it she hadn’t really enjoyed any of the dates she’d been on. Well, the date with Joe was OK, until they’d got back to the house, gone into the bedroom and the piercing was revealed. Perhaps Cleo was right, perhaps she was kidding herself. Maybe she
did
have dating issues. The more she thought about it the more it became clear. Goodness, she did have dating issues. She never went on dates any more. In fact lately, after Joe and the body
jewellery
, she would do anything to avoid the opposite sex. She wouldn’t walk down any street with scaffolding erected on it incase there were workmen waiting to whistle or comment on her or enter into flirtatious banter. She had been caught out once by a wolf-whistle, fallen into the road and put a hole in her Civic Hall trousers. She also always chose a checkout at the supermarket with a female cashier. She told herself it was because the women were generally quicker at checking out, but really it was because she didn’t want a man giving her her pasta twists and accidentally touching her hand. She even blushed every time the teenaged boy in the newsagents made conversation with her about Cleo’s
Star Life
magazine. In fact the only man she interacted with was Dave. That couldn’t be healthy.

She was still thinking about her failed dates while she finished picking up litter. She’d sent Felicity and Aaron home half an hour ago and all that was left to do was lock up when Milo had finished with the bar. Although, as it took him longer and longer each night, she was coming to the conclusion that he spent more time helping himself to drinks than he did tidying up.

She tied the last black bag of rubbish and set it down with the others she’d congregated at the front of the hall. The lights of the arena were low and the ice rink looked eerily empty. It was a stark contrast to its appearance earlier, when it had become a plateau for bright lights, glittery costumes and fantastic skating. The skaters had been wonderful, so skillful and in perfect unison with each other. They really put her capabilities to shame. She picked up her skates from underneath the seat and looked at them. She turned around and looked about the arena. There was no one there, the crowds had gone almost two hours ago. All the performers had headed back to the hotel and only Milo was left in the building and he was probably busy knocking back vodka and
Red Bull
. As quickly as she could Samantha pulled off her shoes, put on the skates and made her way onto the ice.

The air was cold but it felt refreshing as it hit her. She skated round, trying to emulate some of the moves she had seen performed earlier. The women had spun and twisted and turned without putting a foot out of place and when they’d been lifted high in the air they had held themselves with such poise. They’d been dainty and coordinated, things Samantha didn’t know the first thing about.

She skated on, gaining speed and relishing the feeling. She lifted one foot off the ice and straightened her leg behind her, copying a move from the
Miss Saigon
routine. She smiled to herself. She was shaky but she had tried it and no one had seen her. She felt like a naughty schoolgirl doing something she shouldn’t. It was unlike her, she didn’t do anything she shouldn’t, but this felt fun.

She was so busy racing back round the rink to try the move again she didn’t see Jimmy taking to the ice behind her. She pushed off, gained momentum and gingerly lifted her leg up behind her again.

‘
Nice work,’ Jimmy announced, appearing at the side of her.

Samantha panicked, shocked at the sound of a voice so close to her. Her leg came down, she slipped in her desperation to stop herself and she landed with a bump on the hard, cold floor, jarring her back. Dainty and coordinated, hmm.

‘
God, I’m sorry. I thought you heard me come on the ice, I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you OK?’ Jimmy asked, bending down beside her.

‘
I’m fine. I was just being stupid. I’m sorry I was on the ice, I didn’t think anyone else was here,’ Samantha responded, quickly getting to her feet.

‘
Just me and some guy on the bar. He let me back in. What are you still doing here?’ Jimmy wanted to know.

‘
Cleaning up, health and safety regulations. It all has to be properly disposed of,’ Samantha informed him.

‘
I can imagine. So are you going to keep me company? Skate a while?’ Jimmy asked her.

‘
No. No, I should get going. Cleo will be wondering where I am,’ Samantha spoke, skating across the rink towards the exit.

‘
I don’t think she will. She seemed rather attached to Jeremy. Said they were going for an Indian and then on to a club,’ Jimmy responded, following her to the edge of the ice.

‘
You met Cleo! Oh I’m glad. She’ll be so pleased, she thinks you’re fantastic,’ Samantha gushed, happy for her sister.

‘
I didn’t have a lot of choice. She burst into my dressing room with two other women with really blonde hair. They screamed a lot and wanted photos,’ Jimmy told her with a smile.

‘
That was Chantelle and Harmony. They work with her,’ Samantha answered, preparing to get off the rink.

‘
Come on, don’t go. Skate with me a bit, tell me what you thought of the show,’ Jimmy asked her.

He had put his hand out and touched her bare arm. Her arm wouldn’t usually be bare but she’d got awfully hot sweeping up and had to remove her Civic Hall jumper. Now she was wearing the short-sleeved Civic Hall polo shirt and he’d touched skin. Her stomach turned over and she felt sick. Then the words were tumbling to her lips again, threatening to gush.

‘
I’m sorry about earlier, about the coughing and the laughing and for what I said - you know - the rehab thing,’ Samantha blurted out, her temperature rising and the headache returning.

‘
Come and skate with me,’ Jimmy urged her and he took hold of her hand.

His
hand was firm and warm and not unpleasant to hold. He was coaxing her back onto the ice, smiling. She didn’t want to offend him, it would be rude to be rude and she kind of knew him. It wouldn’t be like touching the fingers of an acne-faced Tesco employee.

She stepped back onto the ice and let him lead her back into skating around the rink.

‘
So did you enjoy the show?’ Jimmy enquired as he let go of her hand and they skated alongside each other.

‘
Well obviously, for the most part, I had to pay attention to the audience - to ensure there were no breaches of Civic Hall regulations. But what I did see was very entertaining,’ Samantha replied.

Jimmy laughed out loud at her response. It was a nice laugh, warm and deep and it made his eyes wrinkle at the edges.

‘
What?’ Samantha queried, unaware she had said anything to provoke laughter.

‘
I really don’t know whether you’re being serious or not,’ Jimmy told her.

Samantha didn’t reply, she didn’t like being laughed at, even if it was a nice laugh. And she really didn’t know what she was doing skating round a temporary ice rink after midnight with a man.

‘
Hey, I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I understand, your job means a lot to you,’ Jimmy spoke, reaching out to catch her hand as they turned a corner.

‘
I think I ought to see if Milo’s finished clearing up the bar. He might need some help,’ Samantha said, pulling her arm away, ensuring her hand was well out of his reach.

‘
Don’t go. Come on, let me teach you some stuff. I meant it this morning when I said you were a natural skater,’ Jimmy insisted, moving in front of her and blocking her path to the exit.

‘
I really don’t have time and I have to lock up. You can’t stay here either. We have to close by a certain time or we’re contravening our contract with the council,’ Samantha informed him in a serious voice.

‘
Blame it on me. I’m Canadian, what would I know about local council regulations?’ Jimmy responded.

‘
I know about them and I know you’re here. Milo shouldn’t have let you in, I’ll have to speak to him about that,’ Samantha continued, feeling herself getting more and more flustered as she attempted to skate around him to the safety of solid, un-slippery ground.

‘
I did almost have to beg. I left my hotel key card in the dressing room. But then I saw the lights were still on and I thought it wouldn’t hurt to put in some extra practice so I laced up and came out here,’ Jimmy spoke, spinning around in front of her so she was unable to get past.

‘
I really have to go, Cleo will be…’ Samantha started, her head thumping and her heart racing.

‘
Tucking into a chicken vindaloo about now,’ Jimmy answered.

‘
She’ll worry if I’m not there when she gets home,’ Samantha insisted.

‘
Half an hour’s skating and I’ll drive you home. Come on,
humour
me,’ Jimmy bargained, moving to block her exit again.

‘
No, I’ve got to go. Milo will be expecting me to be through soon to set the alarm system,’ Samantha babbled, trying desperately not to look at him.

All she could see were the chocolate eyes and the warm smile, the
chiselled
cheekbones and the firm jaw. And it was then it hit her, full on, like an out of control train she hadn’t seen coming. The truth was she found him undeniably attractive. She couldn’t stop looking at him because she thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Incomparable with Thomas Clancy, at least a thousand leagues above. This famous skater, someone who Cleo fancied, someone who had bedded an array of women, someone who’d been to rehab, she found him attractive too, just like everyone else. It was the most outrageous suggestion but she couldn’t deny it. That was the cause of her headaches and the sweats and the panic. She had a crush on Jimmy Lloyd.

The jolt of this realisation made her physically reel backwards on her skates. She wobbled and Jimmy swiftly reached out and grabbed both her arms to stop her from falling down.

‘
Whoa! You OK?’ Jimmy asked as he held her arms and steadied her.

‘
I’m fine, I have to go. I need to secure the building,’ Samantha spoke hurriedly as the lightheaded feeling returned.

She pushed off swiftly on her skates, made it to the side of the rink and hopped off the ice. She tottered over to where she’d left her shoes and the rubbish bags, and began hastily unlacing her boots. She had to go home, she had to get out of the arena and away from him. She’d have to leave Milo to drink himself into a
stupor
and hope he remembered to lock up. She couldn’t stay behind a second longer, not one second.

‘
OK, listen, we don’t start rehearsals until ten tomorrow. If you want to learn some moves, I’ll be here from eight,’ Jimmy called to her as he watched her remove her boots.

‘
Oh I won’t be here that early tomorrow. I have - I have stuff to do first thing,’ Samantha responded, not daring to raise her face to look at him.

‘
Well, if you change your mind, I’ll be here,’ Jimmy repeated.

‘
Goodnight,’ Samantha answered briefly and she practically ran along the front of the seats, trailing the three full bin bags behind her.

Six

Samantha heard Cleo scream out loud at just after 7.30am. Cleo didn’t have an alarm clock. Ordinarily, Samantha was up as soon as it was light outside. She usually showered, went downstairs, made a drink and had some breakfast. Then she made the packed lunches. At just after 7.00am she always took a cup of herbal tea to Cleo, unless the crystals on the door handle told her not to. But today was different, today Samantha hadn’t woken up at dawn because she hadn’t actually been to sleep. She was led on her bed, still dressed in her Civic Hall uniform. Her eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep and she still had a horrendous headache.

She’d got home at 12.45am, feeling like her head was going to burst. She’d hurried up to her room and started rifling through the pile of
Star Life
magazines she kept on the bottom of her bookcase. She was looking for evidence of her insanity. She was looking for any articles she could find on Jimmy to prove his complete unsuitability as an object of her affection. She found three.

One was an article about him attending a film premiere a year ago. In the picture he was dressed in a tuxedo, accompanied by well known actress and complete floozy, Hilary Polar. She was barely wearing anything in the photo and seemed to have a vice like clamp on Jimmy’s arm. They were both smiling, their matching perfect, white teeth gleaming like ice caps. The article attached listed almost fifteen women that Jimmy had been ‘connected’ with over the last two years. Reason one for
unsuitability
- he was nothing but a gigolo.

The second report she’d found was nine months old. It was a montage of photos of Jimmy falling out of various nightclubs and bars in the US. The article with the pictures commented on his excessive drinking and general bad
behaviour
. Reason two for
unsuitability
- nothing more than a drunken thug.