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"Coet how"
"Wanna bet?"
"You’re chicken"
"I’ to work onhere I’ll skate"
Oh, sure And he’d beon the rink, and it would be college all over again
No way
"Okay, I’ll do this But no laughing when I fall on my ass"
"I don’t intend to let you fall on your ass"
She followed hi the counter recognized Drew iave the kid a wide s "And you’re Justin"
Justin grinned "So cool And you’re going to skate here?"
"I am" Drew paid and Justin reverently handed over the skates to Drew like they were a prized trophy
Carolina rolled her eyes
They headed to a locker and she took off her boots, grateful that she’d worn jeans today Maybe they’d cushion her fall
The walk on the carpeted area see to Drehen she’d told hi time since she’d skated
He took her hand and led her to the entrance of the rink
"So how long has it been?"
She tried to recall the last tiroup of friends to a park rink "Three years, "
She slanted hihed "We’ll start out slow"
He stepped out onto the ice first, then flipped around and held his hands out
She hesitated
"I pro ridiculous and she knew it As she surveyed the rather thick crowd of skaters, several people slipped and fell, then laughed, got up, and tried again
She had no idea why she was being such a baby about this
Maybe because she’d hu drunk and throwing herself at him
The ice was his ho she wanted to do was appear to be a novice
Which she absolutely was
She should have just stayed in the daripped his hands and took a tentative slide onto the ice Her ankles wobbled and she fought for balance
Dreas right there, wrapping his arht "Take a deep breath and relax I’ve got you You’re not gonna fall Just listen to the sound ofon to her, he moved in front of her and tipped her chin up "Don’t look down at your skates That’ll screw up your balance Look straight ahead And don’t forget, there’s no way you’ll fall, as long as I’ you, so just enjoy this, okay?"
He finished off with a confident smile She nodded "Okay"
"Then let’s skate"
His calm assurance helped her focus He moved beside her, his arm securely wrapped around her as he slowly skated forhile she tried to re, Drewto get proficient at this if she didn’t at least try, so sheback to her It helped that Drew had a strong hold on her
And he was right With his firave her confidence to try Soon muscle lide across the ice
"Now you’ve got it Just like that"
He was so patient with her, not once going too fast And when she wobbled, he’d tighten his hold on her and slow things down
After about twenty minutes she felt like she had a handle on it, so she pushed out, gripped his hand and separated theaze met hers "I won’t I promise"
They an to relax, she finally had a chance to look around at the other people They had drawn a crowd of onlookers, both on the rink and those looking over it
Or, rather, Drew had It didn’t surprise her that he had been recognized, especially on the ice
And when a boy about eight years old skated up to them, Drew immediately pulled in close to her and caan, forward for the Travelers"
Drew smiled at the boy "I aap-toothed s Island, but we’re here visiting randparents They have an apartment here and atched the parade and had turkey and dressing and cranberries and stuff"
Carolina looked up and saw people who had to be Henry’s parents standing behind hiave them a wink
"That sounds like a fun day, Henry So, do you like hockey?"
"Yeah A lot The Travelers are my favorite team and you’re raphLet’s see it"
Henry unbuttoned his coat to show off the green and white colors of the Travelers jersey, and sure enough, there was Drew’s number twenty-two jersey
"Nice And I just so happen to have my Sharpie with me" He opened his coat and pulled out his pen, which he’d used earlier today to sign autographs He signed Henry’s jersey with it, and Henry ide-eyed