Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,36
to be found. But despite the wet gloves and achy arm, his spirits remained high. Sure, ice skating wasn’t his forte, but being with Leia again made up for the stiff boots pinching into his ankles and the kids snickering at the large wet marks now darkening the butt of his jeans. Come on, man. Get the hang of this before she returns. Stop white-knuckling the railing!
Head bobbing to “Roll With It” by Oasis, his favorite band, he filled his lungs with chilly air and pushed off from the wall, straight into the surge of oncoming traffic—chatty adults, rosy-cheeked children, and rowdy teenagers effortlessly showing off. How do I pick up speed without falling arse over tit? Eyes glued to the approaching pack, he stood up straight and teetered, his flapping arms drawing snorty giggles from a cluster of tween girls who skimmed by as if they’d been born on blades. He ignored their snark and inhaled the festive aroma of mulled wine. Ah, this place would be smashing at Christmas. He peeked over his shoulder and spotted Leia. Oh! Hello!
Coatless and alone skating backward in the center of the rink, she gathered speed and sprung from her toe, flying into the air. She spun counterclockwise once…twice—a blur of navy, white, and black—and landed with a wobble, drifting backward on her left skate, arms aloft and her right leg extended behind her in a shaky finish.
Corrr, that was just… ! Tarquin’s jaw dropped. Where was THIS on Google?
Leia glided along the ice, her navy fit-and-flare long-sleeved dress with preppy white stripes circling the bodice capturing Tarquin’s attention. It hugs her in all the right places. God, she’s something else. Bending over, she rubbed her right knee, cozy in black tights. She blew out a breath, then chased another.
Tarquin pulled his wide stare away and skidded into a corner. She’ll spot me soon. Be casual. Be competent. He inched away from the boards a smidge but kept the railing within reach—just in case.
Leia straightened up and wrapped her arms around her middle, joining the approaching throng of skaters. She searched the rink, her high blonde ponytail swinging with each swivel of her head.
Tarquin fidgeted with his gloves, fighting the desire to wave. Find me, Leia, and save me from a sad and lonely life. He chuckled to himself, downplaying the fear that niggled constantly since his split with Alex.
Through a cluster of rambunctious teens, her eyes locked on Tarquin’s wine-colored beanie then his grin. She flashed a smile and picked up speed. “Sorry!” A heavy breath flew from her lips as her skates carved to a gentle stop. “The guy with my lace got hijacked by a busload of tourists.” She pulled off a red and black mitt boasting CANADA in white letters across the back of the hand and reached down, brushing snow off her right calf. “How’s it going?”
“I’m gobsmacked! Did you just do a flying toe-something-or-other?”
“Oh! The double Salchow?” She straightened up and tucked an escaped piece of hair from her ponytail behind an ear. “Yeah, a sloppy one. I’m lucky I landed it.”
“Sloppy my arse! That jump was a belter! C’mon, ’fess up—you skated for bloody Canada, didn’t you?” His eyes widened. “Blimey! Are you friends with Tessa and Scott?”
“I wish.” She giggled under her breath. “Anyway, how DO you know about Tessa and Scott?”
“Oh, blame Ava. She watched the Winter Olympics with her mum last year, fell in love with the skaters and their sparkly costumes. She talks about Tessa Virtue like she’s an older sister or something. Scott doesn’t get a look in, poor sod!” He snickered and felt his left skate slip. Shit. Note to self: don’t laugh or become rink road kill.
“Aw! Has Uncle Talk taken her skating yet?”
“I’d love to, but Orkney doesn’t have any rinks. That wee problem hasn’t curbed her non-stop fangirling, though. Ava’s even badgering her parents to name the new baby Tessa.”
Leia picked at a loose thread on her mitt. “That’s way too cute.”
“So, if you don’t hang with Tessa and Scott…” A low chuckle escaped his throat. “How’d you learn those tricks?”
“I was a competitive ice dancer growing up.”
“Was? Why’d you quit?” He pointed to the middle of the rink. “That was bloody amazing!”
“Thanks. You know how it is…you become a teenager, things happen.” Glancing over her shoulder, she pouted. “You move on.”
Tarquin’s eyes briefly swept down Leia’s body and back up again. “Yeah, but if I had your moves, I’d be showing off at every opportunity.”