Taking the Ice (Ice Series Book 3) (12 page)

I laughed, but as memories of New Year’s Eve filtered through my mind, I remembered something that made me stop. My skin prickled with anxiousness, and I stared at Josh.

“We haven’t reached our goal yet.”

Josh’s forehead wrinkled. “Aren’t we on our way to the Olympic team dinner?”

“When we colored in the first eye, we said our goal was to skate together at the Olympics.”

“And we earned the right to do that yesterday.”

“But we haven’t actually skated there yet, and we went ahead and painted the second eye. We were supposed to wait until we achieved our goal.” My voice lifted higher as my breathing accelerated.

“It’s just semantics, Babe.”

I shook my head. “Good luck charms aren’t something to mess with. What if we jacked up our karma?”

Josh placed his hands on both sides of my face and tilted my chin to look at him. “Nowhere in the Daruma story does it say everything must be taken literally. There’s no bad karma coming our way. I promise.”

I eyed the doll and took a few deep breaths. Why was I getting so worked up about this? I couldn’t let paranoia and superstition drive me batty. Just because life was amazingly wonderful right now didn’t mean something bad was due to happen.

“I think I’m just going to be scared until we’re actually standing on the ice in Sochi. I’ve waited so long for this that I can’t help worrying.”

His thumbs softly stroked my face. “I totally understand. Just remember that doll has no power over anything.”

“Now who’s hurting his feelings?”

He laughed and held me to his chest, and I snuck one more look at our blue-and-green-eyed friend. Later when Josh fell asleep, I was going to apologize to the Daruma.

Just in case.

****

“
T
HIS PLACE IS A
skating groupie’s dream right now,” Stephanie said as she craned her neck to scan the hotel bar.

I laughed and sipped my diet soda. Everyone from the reception had descended upon the bar after the party ended, and it had already been packed with former Olympians, legendary coaches, and anyone and everyone important in the sport. Josh, Stephanie, and I had been lucky to snag a small table in the middle of the action.

“Thank God your parents have an early flight and didn’t follow us here,” I said.

“I’m surprised my mom isn’t here anyway. She was working the room at the reception,” Josh said. “I’m glad she wasn’t all over us for once, but I don’t even want to know what she was up to.”

Stephanie took a long drink of her red wine. “She’s on a mission about the team event. She was probably trying get the scoop on what the fed’s plan is.”

“Fabulous,” I muttered. “Last thing we need is our misguided cheerleader politicking for us.”

“Let’s talk about something more pleasant, like your wedding.” Stephanie emptied her glass and signaled to the waitress for another. She’d been throwing back wine all night, and I’d learned that tipsy Stephanie was actually a lot of fun.

“Marriage isn’t for me,” she continued. “I’d rather keep my men on rotation.”

Josh just shook his head, and I snickered behind my napkin. Stephanie went on, “But you two are one of those disgustingly perfect couples meant to be married.”

“I’m disgusted by our perfection on a daily basis,” Josh said, managing to hold a straight face.

I laughed and rubbed my arms as freezing air seeped through the lobby into the open bar. Josh took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders.

“See?” Stephanie waved her hands at us. “So sweet it’s revolting.”

“I think you should definitely do the toast at our wedding. This is some great material,” I said, still laughing.

“When is this big event happening? I need to put it on my busy calendar,” she said.

“We’ve been engaged all of four hours.”

“Come on, I
know
you’ve been thinking about it longer than that. Admit it. You have your whole dream wedding planned.”

“I… I don’t…” I sputtered as Josh just grinned at me. “I mean, maybe I’ve had a few thoughts…”

“I knew it.” Stephanie slapped the table. “So, spill it.”

“I don’t know… I guess I’ve always pictured something on the beach.”

“Very Cape Cod.” She nodded but suddenly stopped. “Ohh, I could make you an amazing beachy dress. Something soft and gauzy and romantic.”

My eyebrows popped up. “You’re offering to make my wedding dress?”

“Well, I have to make sure my brother has a fashionable bride on his arm.”

Josh turned to me. “I like your idea a lot.”

“Really?” I hadn’t envisioned every detail of my future wedding like many girls did, but the setting had been the one constant in my daydreams of Josh and me saying our vows.

“As soon as you said beach, I could imagine it. I can see you in that dress, the ocean breeze in your hair…” He tucked a long curl behind my ear.

“You’re killing me,” Stephanie said.

I reluctantly tore my eyes from Josh’s warm gaze and smiled at Stephanie. “You started it, bringing up the wedding.”

“I can’t believe you’re getting married, Josh. To me, you’ll always be the boy who played Barbie with me.”

Josh covered his face with one hand, and I leaned forward onto the table. “I must hear more about this.”

“Josh used to—“

“I’ll explain,” Josh jumped in. “Let me make it clear that I was always Ken, but her Barbie and my Ken were brother and sister. Never a couple,” he said emphatically. “And I did manly things like fix the Corvette.”

“I had like ten of each doll, so I used another Ken for my boyfriend,” Stephanie said. “There was Malibu Ken and Doctor Ken and—“

“I bet you had the dream house, didn’t you?” I said.

“Of course.”

I sighed. “I always wanted the dream house.”

“Want me to get you one for a wedding present?” Josh asked.

I giggled. “Only if you promise to play with me.”

He gave me a sly smile, and Stephanie groaned. “If you’re going from sweet to kinky now, I really need more wine.”

“Tell me more about young Josh,” I said. “I want all the embarrassing stories he’s never told me.”

“Hmm… fetus Josh stories…” She tapped her fingers together. “Oh! He was terrified of clowns, and once we were at a birthday party for a kid from the rink, and there was
a car full of clowns
. It was like a damn circus. Josh took off running down the street and had to be chased down.”

“Clowns are evil,” he said. “Haven’t you seen the movie
It
?”

“They are pretty creepy,” I said. “I would’ve paid to see your mom chase you down the street, though.”

Stephanie let out a loud peal of laughter. “As if she was there. Our nanny Teresa took us to the party.”

“I learned a bunch of Spanish curse words that day.” Josh chuckled.

Stephanie drank from her fresh glass the waitress had just delivered, and she clapped her hands. “I have another story. Josh had an imaginary friend named Bob. He used to go everywhere with us — the rink, piano lessons, the beach. Mom would get so annoyed when she’d hear Josh talking to him.”

His cheeks tinted pink, and I touched his leg. “Lots of kids have imaginary friends.”

“How come I don’t remember Dad ever giving you a hard time about it?” Stephanie asked.

“He didn’t know. Unless Mom told him.”

“You never talked to Bob in front of Dad?” Stephanie asked.

“That was kinda the point of Bob.” Josh looked down at his soda. “He was there when Dad wasn’t.”

Silence fell over the table, and the laughter and chatter around us seemed to fade far into the background. Josh picked at his napkin, tearing off jagged pieces.

“God, that’s so depressing,” Stephanie said.

My chest ached as I pictured tiny Josh… sweet, shy little Josh… so desperate for a relationship with his dad that he made up an imaginary father who would always be around. Already high on emotion from the crazy day, I felt myself about to burst into tears. I had to get out of there before I made a scene.

“I need to go to the ladies’ room.” I shed Josh’s jacket and high-tailed it away from the table.

I had to fight my way through the crowd, and I was almost to the edge of the bar when a hand shot out and grabbed my arm. I swung my head around and saw Roxanne sitting at a high-top table.

“Excuse me.” I pulled out of her grasp.

“Can you tell your future mother-in-law that money can’t buy you a spot in the team event?” Her twangy voice slurred as she spoke.

My urge to cry had died, and now only annoyance bubbled in my chest. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw her running her mouth at the party. What’s she trying to do? Bribe the fed to get you in?”

“No one is bribing anyone. I think you’d better cut yourself off.” I pointed to her half-empty glass.

“You guys will do anything to be the darlings of the federation, won’t you? How long did you have the proposal planned?”

“That wasn’t a publicity stunt.”

“
Right
. I was shocked you didn’t do it when the cameras were rolling, but your home video is all over the internet already, so congratulations.” She did a slow clap.

I stared at her, stuck for words. Sergei had recorded us on his phone so we’d have the moment captured forever, but he would never have posted it online.

Mrs. Tucker. She must have asked him to send it to her.

I folded my arms over my chest. “Josh and I didn’t post the video.”

“It doesn’t matter who in your little circle did it. All the publicity in the world isn’t getting you our spot in the event.”

“They don’t need publicity,” Stephanie said as she came to my side. “They’re the better team.”

“
We
are the champions.” Roxanne grew louder. “They got lucky that other teams screwed up or Courtney here would’ve been a loser for the third time.”

Stephanie reached out and knocked over Roxanne’s glass, spilling white wine all over her gold dress. Roxanne gasped, while my mouth fell open with no sound. The people standing around us watched with wide eyes.

Roxanne jumped up, stumbling on her platform heels, and got in Stephanie’s face. “You bitch!”

“And proud of it.” Stephanie smirked.

I took hold of her waist and pulled her away from Roxanne. “I think it’s time to go.”

I hustled her back to our table, where Josh gave us a curious look. “What did I miss?”

My roller coaster of emotions took a sharp curve into amusement, and I dissolved into laughter. “Your sister almost started a rumble with Roxanne.”

“No, she started it.” Stephanie dropped into her chair. “I was shutting her up.”

I gave her a big smile. “You stood up for me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t get all sappy on me. I’ve always hated that girl and have been waiting to do something like that.”

I nodded slowly, but I knew there was more behind her actions. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed Stephanie would ever come to my defense, but the weekend had been full of surprises. It was only fitting that it ended with the most bizarre one of all.

Chapter Eleven

W
ITH THE VOLUME ON
J
OSH’S CAR
stereo cranked up, he and I sang along to The Temper Trap as we made the familiar drive to the restaurant for work. Our awful attempts at singing falsetto sent us into a fit of laughter, and I didn’t realize my phone was ringing until I noticed it lighting up my purse. Liza’s photo filled the screen.

“Hey, Cap,” I shouted and turned down the stereo volume.

I’d started addressing Liza as such since she’d been named the captain of our Olympic figure skating squad. She was taking her role very seriously, texting all of us daily inspirational quotes and clips from famous sports movies. We weren’t leaving for Sochi for ten more days, but I was already so pumped.

“Are you at the party?” Liza asked.

“What party?”

She didn’t answer, and I looked at the screen to see if the call had dropped.

“Oh… umm…” she sputtered. “It sounded like you were at a party with the loud music.”

“I’m in Josh’s car. We’re just jamming on our way to work.”

She paused again, adding to the weird vibe she was giving me. “Maybe you should put me on speaker,” she said. “I have some news.”

My smile faded. She didn’t exactly sound excited to deliver the news. I tapped the speaker icon and propped my elbow on the armrest.

“What’s up?”

“Roxanne and Evan were given the team event spot, and they chose to do both the short and the long. They could’ve just done one and let you guys do the other, but that would be too unselfish for them.”

I rested my head against the seat as I lost some of the excited energy I’d had all week. “That really blows.”

“You had a better Grand Prix season
and
finished higher at Worlds last year,” Liza said. “But all the federation cares about is the stupid quad Roxanne did at nationals. What are the odds they’ll land it again in Sochi?”

“How could the fed not even give us a chance to do the short program? After how well we’ve skated the past few years?” I said.

“The rules say it’s the skaters’ choice to do one or both,” Liza said.

“But they could step in,” Josh piped up. “They do it with everything else.”

“It’s total BS,” Liza said. “You deserve a shot at a medal.”

My grip on the phone tightened. Once we’d gotten over the big hurdle of winning an Olympic spot, I’d let the possibility of competing for a team event medal creep into my dreams. What had I been thinking? I’d already been blessed with so much good fortune lately. No way should I have expected more.

“I think they’re making a huge mistake,” Liza said. “I’d feel more confident with you guys skating. You’ve been more consistent than Roxanne and Evan all season. They just happened to have the competition of their lives last week.”

“Are you doing both the short and the long?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, the fed would kill me if I don’t.”

“You
are
the best weapon we have,” I said. “No pressure.”

“What’s a little more pressure when I’m already drowning in it?”