by Jaci Burton
Drew finished off the last of his noodles, then took a long swallow of juice before pushing his trash to the side. "So, is she a fling for the games, or something else?"
"I dunno. I mean, we're just having some fun."
"Fun is good. But she doesn't strike me as the kind of woman you fuck around with and forget."
That was an interesting observation. "Yeah? Why's that?"
"I don't know. Maybe she reminds me of my wife in some ways."
"You trying to move in on my woman, Hogan?"
Drew laughed. "No. Not what I meant. She doesn't even look like Carolina. But there's something about her that's familiar. She's smart and funny and sweet and beautiful. I don't know, Will. She's not throwing herself at a different guy every night, so she's not here to party. Not that there's anything wrong with that, since a lot of the guys here do that. And if the dudes can do it, the women sure as hell can. But Amber strikes me as a woman who's got that special something."
Will knew what Drew was getting at. "I know what you mean. She is special. I just don't have a definition for what we are to each other. I was being honest when I told you we're having fun right now."
"Because it's new for the two of you."
"Yeah."
"I didn't mean to push you into something you weren't ready for." Drew dragged his fingers through his hair. "Hell, I don't even know what I'm getting at. I think I really miss my wife."
Will would like to say he understood, but he really didn't since he'd never had a wife before. "I'm sure it's rough not having her here."
"Yeah, it is. You're lucky you have someone."
He supposed he was. He'd had fun making his way through different women last time he was here. He'd had no regrets, and the women he'd been with had been as on board with the freewheeling fun as he'd been. But he had to admit, concentrating on just one woman this time? It sure as hell was different. But, it was kind of nice, too.
He looked at Drew. "When you met Carolina, did you know she was the one?"
"You mean, the one I was gonna spend the rest of my life with?"
"Maybe not even that, but just, that one special woman for you?"
"When things first started out with us, I sure as hell wasn't looking for a relationship. But I knew there was something different about her. I kept finding reasons to be around her, and that had never happened to me before. So yeah, I guess even subconsciously, I knew she had to be in my life. Maybe the fates or destiny or something puts someone in your path and makes you pay attention, you know?"
Will nodded. "Yeah."
Will didn't know if he believed in fate or destiny when it came to meeting that one person you were meant to be with. Then again, he did believe in love and finding your soulmate or whatever the hell that person was called.
He'd have to pay closer attention to what was going on between Amber and him. He didn't know if she was the one or not, but he liked spending time with her. He also didn't feel the need to seek out anyone else.
He was happy. He was having fun. For now, that was good enough.
SEVENTEEN
"ARE YOU NERVOUS?"
Amber was lacing up her skates. She slanted a smile at Tia. "No. We're going to sail through the long program. You were spectacular in the short. All you have to do is keep that momentum going."
Tia drew in a deep breath. "Thank you for saying that. But China was so formidable."
Amber nodded, tightening up her laces. "They were a surprise. It's all because Hua skated tremendously well. But I don't know if their free skate is strong enough to beat us."
They were currently in second place in points. Amber knew Tia had a strong long program, and she knew her own was good enough to score high points for the US team. And because this was a team event, they could rely on the pairs and the ice dancers as well as the guys' individual programs.
Amber grinned.
"What?" Tia asked.
"We're going to wipe the floor with the other teams. Have you seen Telisa and Robbie's free skate program?"
Tia looked at her, then smiled. "Oh. Right. They won Worlds with that program. Not to mention Amaryllis and Andrew's ice dancing program, which is amazing. Oh, and I've seen Rory's free skate. He is so good."
"Brandon's is excellent as well," Amber said. "I'm feeling pretty good about the US team's chances in the next round."
"And you skate last. Does that make you more nervous or less?"
Amber shrugged. "I don't get nervous. I just skate."
"You're like ice, Amber," Tia said. "I hope to be like you someday."
Amber laughed, then leaned in to rub her shoulder against Tia. "No, you need to be like Tia, and no one else. You're going to kill it."
Tia smiled. "You're right. I'll do that. Only a lot less nervously."
"There's nothing to be nervous about, Tia. You have a strong program and you have the skills. Remember that when you take the ice."
"I will. Thanks, Amber."
Amber recalled what it was like to be Tia's age. Everything was new and exciting--but also terrifying, because she'd had no idea what to expect. She'd had no one to mentor her back then other than her coaches and trainers. If she'd had an experienced skater to show her the ropes, to make her feel less nervous, this would have been so much easier. She'd vowed back then she would give back if given the chance.
And then she'd isolated herself from the other skaters for the next several years, mainly because of her mother's notions that other skaters were her competition--the enemy. Yes, they were competition, but the whole idea of them being the enemy was ridiculous. You only competed against yourself. You were only as good as your own talent. No other skater could take that away from you. You could only be defeated by your own insecurities and lack of preparation.
She felt a lot better about coming out of her shell. And since this was her first time participating in the team competition, she felt more a part of the US figure skating team than ever. And so excited about their chances, too.
While she waited for the event to begin, she grabbed her phone to check her e-mail and messages.
There was a voice mail from her mother. She scrunched her nose. She'd done a TV interview the other day. Her mother probably had something critical to say about it.
She'd check that voice mail later. The last thing she needed before a performance skate was something negative on her mind.
There was a text from Lisa.
Kick some ass, girl. I'll be there watching! Followed by several emojis, including skates and hearts.
She grinned.
Another text, this one from Will. I'll expect to see you in the center on the medal stand with the rest of the US team. You can do this. His text had been accompanied by a medal emoji.
She shook her head and smiled, but she loved his confidence in her.
She'd watched his game the other day against Latvia. He'd been relentless in his pursuit of the puck during that game. And then that fight. He'd definitely held his own against two defenders. She understood the "Mad Dog" moniker now, after watching him play.
The US team sat together to watch the competition. This would typically be the time that Amber would stand in the back, do her warm-ups, put her earbuds in and shut out everything--and everyone--until it was time for her to perform.
Not this time. She and Tia sat next to Rory and Brandon, watching the performance of Darren and Christina, the Canadian pairs skaters.
"They are so good," Rory said. "Perfectly synchronized in their jumps."
"Did I ever mention I started out in pairs?" Brandon asked.
"You did not," Amber said.
Brandon nodded. "When I was ten, I was paired with Melissa Hawthorne. She was an utter perfectionist and had the worst mother ever. Everything that went wrong was my fault, according to Melissa's mom. And our coach was even worse. He favored Melissa and he thought everything that went wrong was my fault, too."
"Maybe everything that went wrong was your fault, Brandon," Rory said,
then nudged him with his knee.
Brandon laughed. "I swear, I started to think that way, too. My parents pulled me out of pairs after a year and started me on individual skating."
"I'm so glad they did," Tia said. "You're a great individual skater."
"I agree," Rory said. "Pairs just doesn't seem to suit you."
"He's right," Tia said. "You shine as a single skater."
"Plus, I don't see Melissa sitting here with us, so who's the better skater now, hmmm?"
Brandon grinned, then leaned back and pulled Amber toward him so he could kiss her on the cheek. "Thanks for that, Amber. Thanks, all of you. I wasn't fishing, but my heart is full now."
"Sometimes we have to start out in the wrong place to find our right place," Amber said.
"You said a mouthful there, sister," Brandon said.
The Canadian pair scored a decent set of points. Sergei was up next for Russia. Amber watched him skate onto the ice. Sergei always exuded supreme confidence, as if to say, "I dare you to find fault with my program." She admired that about him.
"He's so formidable," Rory said.
"And so hot," Brandon added.
"Focus, Brandon," Rory said.
"I am focusing. On Sergei's fine ass."
Rory rolled his eyes.
"He is seriously fine looking," Tia said.
"See?" Brandon said.
Amber offered up a wry smile. "I can't disagree. It's the dark hair and those piercing blue eyes."
"The body isn't making me look away, either," Brandon said.
Amber admired how cleanly Sergei skated. He was totally without flaws, but if she were being honest, he lacked passion. She could appreciate the technicality of his performance, but she didn't feel any emotion.
"He was wonderful," Brandon said after Sergei finished his program.
Brandon, on the other hand, clearly felt a lot of emotion, and Amber knew it had nothing to do with Sergei's skating.
"You have it bad for him, don't you?" Amber asked.
Brandon offered up a sheepish smile. "Kind of."
"And . . . does he have it bad for you, too?"
Brandon looked over at Tia. "He might."
"I knew it," Tia said. "I saw you two over in the corner of the rink chatting it up at practice the other day, and I knew from the way you two were leaning into each other that you were talking about more than just skating. You're seeing each other, aren't you?"
"Mayyybe."
Amber laughed. "You are so cute when you're being coy and secretive, Brandon. But I totally understand if you don't want to talk about it."
Brandon leaned over her shoulder. "I want to talk about it so much it makes my stomach hurt. But Sergei has to be careful. His coaches are extremely restrictive about his extracurricular activities."
"You can handle keeping it on the down low," Rory said. "No reason his coaches need to find out."
"Exactly," Amber said. "Hang out in large groups, then the two of you can subtly disappear for some alone time."
"You speak from experience, Amber?"
If only they knew how little experience she actually had, but she wasn't about to reveal that. So instead, she just shrugged. "I might."
"And who 'might' you be cuddling in dark corners?" Tia asked. "Since I'm cuddling no one but my phone."
Amber laughed. "None of your business."
Tia just gave her a knowing smile. "Bet I can guess."
Amber wasn't going to give that suggestion any credence. Instead, they watched the French ice dancers compete. They were very good, but the Canadians had been better.
It wouldn't matter, anyway, since the US team was going to clear the ice with all of them.
Tia stood. "I'm up next. Wish me luck."
Amber was happy to see that Tia seemed a lot calmer now. "You don't need it, honey, but good luck."
"We're all rooting for you," Rory said.
Tia smiled and disappeared.
"It's nice you're hanging out with us," Rory said to Amber. "You've never done this at any of the competitions."
"I'm turning over a new leaf this time," Amber said. "Trying not to isolate myself."
Brandon nodded. "Isolation can kill you, competitively. I know some people like to stay in their own heads, but I can conjure up the worst scenarios if I do that."
"Me, too," Rory said. "And I won't give them voice by telling you what they are."
Amber had never done that. She'd just plugged into her music and shut everyone out. The only thing it had generated was loneliness. Her performance on the ice had never suffered, though. She'd been lucky.
Lucky and lonely.
But no more. She craved friendships and sex and romance and maybe even love someday.
As soon as she won gold. And every time she skated she moved closer to that goal.
The team event wasn't going to net her what she wanted, but it was a warm-up.
"Tia looks so good," Rory said, drawing her out of her own thoughts and back onto the ice, where Tia's program had started.
Rory was right. Tia skated with a great confidence. She slightly bobbled her triple lutz, but she didn't fall. That flub wouldn't be enough to lose a massive amount of points. The rest of her program went well.
"She did great," Amber said when Tia finished.
"She did." Rory smiled.
At twenty-one, Rory was four years older than seventeen-year-old Tia. But Tia would turn eighteen next month, so it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that the two of them would match up. Judging by the way Rory had watched Tia skate, and the way the two of them had bounced off each other when they'd sat together, Amber got the idea there was an attraction. She made a mental note to ask Tia how she felt about Rory.
Tia's score was good. Really good. It didn't surprise Amber since Tia had beautiful lines and solid jumps.
When Amber took to the ice, the US team was in first place in points.
She intended to keep it that way.
When her music queued up, she glided across the ice, confident in every movement, assured of her choreography, which she'd practiced over and over again. Her team was counting on her to give them her best, and by the time she finished her long program, she felt as if she had.
The crowd roared their approval. She soaked it in, not like she deserved it, but hoping she'd done her best to help win a gold medal for the team.
When she took to the seats to await her scores, the entire team crowded around her, since she'd skated last. Her scores would determine whether the US would win the team event.
Now she felt pressure. She didn't want to let her team down.
"You rocked it, honey," Telisa said, putting her arm around her.
"You were so good," Tia said.
She blew out a breath. "I hope I did enough."
Brandon rubbed her back. "It was flawless. If it isn't enough, then it's on the judges, not you."
The Canadian team had also skated nearly perfectly. They were in second place. It was going to be close.
When the scores came up, Amber scanned them quickly.
She had done enough. They'd won the team gold medal. The entire team erupted in cheers.
Her entire skating career had been a solitary endeavor. But now she hugged her teammates.
"You did it," Tia said.
Amber squeezed her. "No, we did it. We all did."
They posed for photos and interviews. Amber had never been more excited about anything in her entire life. It was her first gold medal, and while it wasn't an individual medal, she'd happily share this with her teammates.
They stood on the podium as a team. Russia had taken the bronze and Canada the silver. When they hung the gold medal around her neck, Amber felt a tremor zing through her body.
"I'm so excited I can barely breathe," Tia said, grinning.
"Ditto," Amber said.
She even teared up during the national anthem.
It was the best night so far in her career.
And
that was saying a lot, because she had so many wonderful memories. But this one she'd shared with all her teammates.
With her friends.
"We have to go celebrate," Rory said.
"How about we head down the mountain to Vancouver?" Brandon asked.
Tia grinned. "That's a great idea."
"You have to run that by your coach first," Amber said. "Since you're underage and aren't supposed to leave the village."
Tia made a face. "Fine. Will you be my chaperone tonight, Amber?"
"Sure." Though she really wanted to see Will. Maybe he'd go with them.
"Thank you. I'll go check with my coach."
"Can I invite Sergei?" Brandon asked.
"I imagine we can invite whomever," Telisa said. "I'd like to invite Darren and Christina. They skated their hearts out."
Amber went to grab her bag. She pulled her phone out to text Will. There was already a message from him.
You were amazing. Not surprised at all. Congrats!
She smiled and texted him. Thanks! We're all headed down the mountain for dinner. You in?
It took him a few minutes, but he replied with, Hell yeah.
Why was it that everything about him made her happy, including a two-word text reply?
They were all going to change and meet up in the main lobby in an hour. She texted Will and let him know she'd meet him there.
She had a brief conversation with Yegor, who praised her for her performance and told her to get some rest, because she'd be back on the ice for practice tomorrow. Then she headed over to her apartment to change and tuck her gold medal into the safe.
She had a gold medal. It wasn't the one she'd come here for, but it sure felt amazing.
She took a shower and changed, then went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, fixed her makeup and brushed her hair. She decided on a pair of leggings and a coral long-sleeved top, slid into her boots and was about to grab her coat when her phone buzzed on the kitchen counter.
It was probably Will so she dashed to grab it.
It was her mom. She thought about ignoring it, but that probably wasn't a good idea. She punched the button.
"Hi, Mom."
"You won a gold medal."
She smiled. "The team did, yes. Did you watch it on television?"
"No, honey. I'm here. In Vancouver."
Her stomach felt like it had dropped to her feet. "You're here? Already?"
"Of course. You didn't think I'd miss even one of your performances, did you? I can't wait to see you. I have a lovely hotel just outside of the venue. Come meet me and we'll have dinner tonight."