I pull the beanie out of my pocket and slip it onto her head. Her breath catches as I spend an extra moment tucking the stray hair out of her face.
Her lips part and she blinks up at me, her eyelashes fluttering adorably. “I'll pass.”
“Next time then,” I grin, brushing my thumb over her cheek one last time.
The guy in front of us calls us up to pay. I get her shoe size: tiny, and mine: way too big for my body. We locate the only available bench and switch shoes. I’m tempted to ask London if she needs help, but I learned long ago that she doesn’t need it. If she needs it, she’ll ask. And if I respect her, I’ll wait for her to do so.
She gets the last buckle done up and I stand, holding a hand to her. The hand may be more for me than for her, I’m not very good at ice skating.
“Ready?”
“Yes,” she says, placing her hand in mine and pulling herself up. She wobbles slightly, which causes me to wobble even more. Why didn’t I pick something I’m good at?
We trek up the rubber mats. I stop under an archway to twist out my sore ankle and grab onto it, studying each light and decoration above us.
“Are you looking for Santa up there?” London asks. “I don’t think he’s coming for fifteen more days.”
I lift a brow. “Someone’s excited. Care to tell me what you’re asking for this year?”
Her cheeks flush pink. “I just want a successful opening.”
She’s already successful. I hope she knows that. I’m in complete awe of her watching her do what she loves every day. Each person who comes into her bakery leaves with a smile.
“And here I was hoping it was a kiss.” I lean closer to her and point straight up. “Does that look like mistletoe to you?”
She snorts. “Nice try buddy,thatis a green ornament.”
I frown as she starts walking again. “Then I’ve got a complaint to take up with Hallmark because apparently, that stuff doesn’t magically appear.”
She laughs and it’s the sound of my dreams. “I thought you didn't like Hallmark.”
“That was before you. I'm all in now.“ I shoot her a wink.
She laughs again and steps up onto the ice, letting go of me. This proves to be a very good idea because the second I step through, a little speed skater swipes by, knocking my legs out from under me. I hit the ice with a hard thump. There’s a faint shot of pain from the fresh scar on my back.
London’s contagious and unbothered laugh is the only thing making it worth it.
“Having fun?” She beams down at me.
“Always.” I sit up and grab onto the wall, but the second my feet get under me, they slip out once more. “That bungee jumping idea is sounding better all the time,” I grunt.
London chuckles and reaches out to me. “Come on. It’s good to try things you aren’t good at.”
“Says who?” I breathe when I finally make it upright.
“Do you think you can make it around?” she asks.
“Yeah, I’ll just stick by the wall for a lap, get my legs right.”
“You do that.” She drops my hand and skates away, like a freaking pro. When she makes it to an open space, she does a little spin, then continues around the loop while I just stand there, gripping the wall like a child and gaping at her. She comes to a stop by me, cutting the ice with her blades.
“You can skate,” I say dumbly.
She grins. “I used to figure skate until…” Her voice and smile both disappear into the night.
“Until your mom passed?” I ask quietly. “Have you skated since?”
Her brows furrow. “No. I haven’t. It felt…great.”
