Taking the Ice (Ice Series Book 3) Page 5

  I drifted closer to him, gliding on a back outside edge, and he clutched my hips and rocketed me into the air. I stretched my legs into a split and then quickly pulled my body into a tight coil, twisting three times. As I came down from my high, Josh caught my waist and returned my feet effortlessly to the ice. The audience’s cheers sounded far away as I kept my eyes on Josh’s, continuing to live in the little world of just the two of us.

  We had to turn away from each other to set up for the side-by-side triple Salchows, and I felt the connection to Josh slip away. My heart raced in double time as a blast of reality hit me. I hadn’t landed a clean Salchow all week.

  You have to get this. You HAVE to make this happen.

  We curved toward the judges, and I fought against the panic seizing my muscles. Pushing off from the ice, I spun three times, but the ground was coming too fast. I hadn’t jumped high enough. My right blade hit before I could open up for the landing, and my stomach dropped as I felt myself leaning off balance. I splayed my arms wide, but I couldn’t stop myself from falling.

  Oh God, this isn’t happening.

  A hush fell over the crowd, followed quickly by applause of encouragement. The sting of the ice made me bounce right back up, and I looked to Josh, who was perfectly upright and holding his hand out toward me.

  “Stay with me,” he said.

  I took his hand and refocused on the determination in his eyes. We were at a critical moment, where I could either let the mistake shake me or I could blow past it as if it had never happened. Our dream was hanging off the edge of a cliff by its fingernails.

  I knew exactly what I had to do.

  I had to fight, fight, fight every second for the rest of the program.

  With the fire back in my step, I followed Josh’s lead into our footwork sequence. We mirrored each other’s steps with crispness and ease, giving every movement the fierceness Em and Sergei had taught us. We finished with a tight set of twizzles and then powered forward to the setup for the throw triple flip.

  Josh moved behind me, and we sailed backward in a straight line, his hands on my hips. I felt his strength in the curl of his fingertips, and I felt my own deep within. I jabbed my right toe pick into the ice, and Josh winged me into the air. Three turns later, I came down with a clean landing, not a spray of ice to be found.

  The music slowed a bit, and we whirled into our side-by-side spins. Since I had the louder voice of the two of us, I was in charge of calling out “Change!” when we had to switch positions during the spins. Josh heard my cues, and we stayed exactly in sync through each variation. The crowd suddenly sounded louder as we regained speed and stroked around the corner of the rink.

  Josh swung me up over his head, and I got a clear view of the fans beating their hands together for us. All the faces whizzed past me and then turned upside down as I twisted backward in the lift. Josh held me up by just my hip as he rotated over the ice, his feet turning swiftly and smoothly, and a roar went up when I flipped over for the set down.

  I pressed my palm to Josh’s chest, and his heartbeat pounded in time with mine. We shared a lingering, smoldering look, and I arched my back and pivoted down into our last element, the death spiral. As I rose to my feet, Josh hooked his arm around my waist, and we stood nose to nose, our lips so close to touching. The final notes of “Nyah” trailed away.

  Josh gazed into my eyes and didn’t let me go even as the audience showered us with applause. So much adrenaline was still coursing through me, and I leaned into Josh and kissed him. He wrapped me in a hug, and as I slowly caught my breath, the magic faded and a heavy weight sank upon me. The performance had been strong, but I’d made an error that would definitely cost us.

  We bowed to all four sides of the arena and skated to the boards hand in hand. Em gave us a smile, but I saw the worry behind it.

  “I’m so proud of you,” she said as she embraced me. “You fought back so hard.”

  Sergei said the same as we hugged and stepped up into the kiss and cry. He and Em flanked Josh and me on the short bench, and I watched my failed jump replay in slow motion on the monitor in front of us. My hands balled into fists.

  That damn Salchow.

  Josh touched the small of my back and bent his head to my ear. “Jump or no jump, we killed that program.”

  The monitor showed a close-up of us during the footwork, playing off each other with flirtatious smiles. Had we dazzled the judges enough to keep us in the running for the top two spots? Since we’d skated in an early group, we were going to have to wait over an hour for the final result.

  “The score for Courtney Carlton and Joshua Tucker,” the announcer began.

  I dug my nails into Josh’s thigh and stared at the TV screen. Please don’t bury us.

  “The score for their short program — sixty-five point two five. They are currently in first place.”

  Sergei patted my knee, and I let out a tiny exhale. Considering the huge mistake I’d made, the score was pretty good. But none of the major contenders had skated yet, so we likely wouldn’t be in first place for long.

  We moved backstage for a series of interviews, and by the time we finished we’d been bumped down to third place. We changed out of our costumes and went upstairs to watch the final group, specifically Roxanne and Evan.

  As we got quick hugs from my parents on the concourse, a horde of fans approached us for pictures and autographs. I appreciated their support, but I was having trouble putting on a genuine smile. Inside I was only getting angrier with myself for letting nerves overpower me on the jump. No way could that happen again. We were in a situation where we had to skate perfectly in the free skate to have any chance of moving up.

  “Steph’s in Section Twenty-Two,” Josh said as he looked at his phone. “She said she’s by herself. My parents are somewhere else.”

  That was all I needed to hear to follow him to her seat. Stephanie might not be the most sympathetic person regarding my mistake on the ice, but she wouldn’t berate me like Mrs. Tucker would. I couldn’t avoid Josh’s mom forever, but I was going to stall as long as possible.

  Stephanie waved us into two empty seats beside her, and she gave us both hugs, mine more a courtesy.

  “Well, your dress looked fabulous,” she said. “I hope you’ll get a chance to wear it again.”

  The slight snarkiness to her tone actually made me smile. Stephanie had come a long way in accepting me as Josh’s girlfriend and partner, but she couldn’t stop the attitude from coming out every now and then.

  “Did you ditch Mom and Dad?” Josh asked.

  “They were arguing about dinner later, and I was so over it. It’s no wonder they couldn’t agree since they barely talk to each other.”

  Her mouth turned down, and I thought about my own parents and how easy their relationship was. They didn’t lead an exciting life like the Tuckers did, but they enjoyed each other’s company and hardly ever fought. I had the total opposite from Josh in parental role models.

  The six-minute warm-up on the ice ended, and we all put our attention on Roxanne and Evan striking their opening pose. For two-and-a-half minutes I watched them conquer each element, though not with the expert unison Josh and I had shown. They finished with their arms open to the audience and huge smiles on their faces, and the uneasiness in my stomach grew as I added up the points in my head. Their score was going to be massive.

  I couldn’t stand to look as the numbers came up on the video board. I didn’t have to because Roxanne’s shrieking and fist pumping told me the story. They were seven points ahead of us.

  “She needs to calm the hell down.” Stephanie glared at the kiss and cry.

  Even in her bratty days, Stephanie hadn’t ever made a spectacle of herself when the score was announced. Roxanne was acting like the competition was over.

  “Anything can happen in the long,” Josh said.

  “Exactly,” Stephanie said. “You can make up seven points. They’re going to crash and burn on the quad, and
there’s nothing special about the rest of their skating.”

  The next team took the ice, so the conversation halted, but I kept silently running the numbers, thinking back to our season’s best score versus Roxanne and Evan’s. We’d topped them by seven points before, so doing it again was very possible. We only had to finish second to make the Olympic team, but I really wanted to win on our home turf and prove we were worthy of all the attention we’d received.

  And I didn’t want that one stupid jump to be the reason we lost the title.

  The remaining three teams didn’t crack into the top of the standings, so we were still in fourth place when the final leaderboard flashed on the screen. Josh and I headed back downstairs to draw for the free skate start order, and he pulled me aside before we reached the media room.

  “You’ve been so quiet,” he said. “Don’t keep beating yourself up over the Sal.”

  “It’s just so freaking frustrating. Everything else was the best we’ve ever done. If I’d landed it, we’d be in first for sure.”

  “We’re still in this. We just need to start with a clean slate at practice tomorrow. Today is done and all that matters is getting ready for Saturday.” He gently squeezed my shoulders. “Are you with me?”

  I flashed back to our performance and the similar pivotal point I’d encountered when my butt had hit the ice. I’d made the right decision then and I had to do the same now. I had to stomp out the regret and only look forward. It was the only way we’d have any chance for greatness.

  “Always,” I said.

  He hugged me to his side and kissed the top of my head as we entered the room where all the other pairs had gathered. We would be in the final flight of four teams on Saturday, so we had to wait until almost the end to pick our start order number. Josh had drawn the optimal last spot four years ago for Stephanie and him, so I let him try to replicate that when our names were called. He rubbed his hands together and reached inside the bag, and I crossed my fingers and watched his face for his reaction.

  He smiled.

  YES.

  He held up the number, which represented the final spot in the order. We would close out the event and leave the lasting impression on the judges, and the crowd would be totally worked up and ready to explode by that point. It was all set up for us to have our shining moment.

  We just had to deliver.

  Chapter Six

  WITH THE TEMPERATURE NO LONGER AT brutally-cold level, Josh and I decided to walk from the arena to the nearby North End for dinner. Stephanie joined us but was on her phone with a work issue during the half-mile trek to Boston’s neighborhood of all things Italian.

  I wheeled my skate bag across Salem Street and stopped in front of L’Osteria on the corner. I’d eaten there a few times and knew it would have vegan options for Stephanie.

  “Is this place okay?” I asked her as I pointed to the menu next to the door.

  She paused her conversation and took a quick glance. After a nod of approval we all went inside, where the stark contrasting warmth had me tearing off my coat. We sat beside the windows, Josh and I on one side of the table and Stephanie on the other.

  “You’d think I’m the boss and not the intern,” she said as she placed her phone on the table. “The assistant to the designer I’m working for is so clueless. I don’t know how this guy finds his way to the office every day.”

  A tall, dark-haired waiter who looked like he’d just arrived straight from Italy stepped up to our table, and Stephanie’s snarl quickly turned into a smile. We gave our drink orders, and her eyes followed the waiter as he retreated to the kitchen.

  “Excellent restaurant choice,” she said.

  I laughed and unfolded my napkin. Stephanie’s phone vibrated on the white tablecloth, and she picked it up, read the message, and slapped it face down.

  “I will be so glad when I’m done with this job and this idiot.”

  “Are you still thinking of moving to New York after graduation?” Josh asked.

  “Depends who gives me the best offer. I feel like I should probably experience the scene in New York for a few years, though.”

  “If you want to do more costume design, you’ll have a ton of customers,” I said. “Everyone has been raving about the ones you made for us.”

  “Wait until they see your exhibition dress.” She paused and flashed a smile at the waiter as he set down her glass of red wine. “I impressed even myself with that one.”

  “When Court tried it on to show me, I had no words,” Josh said.

  I grinned and brushed my leg against his. He’d had no words but he’d said plenty in the hot way he’d looked at me and touched me as he’d helped me out of the dress. I’d chosen pink because I was wearing that color the first time Josh saw me skate, and our exhibition program was about the unlikely journey we’d traveled since that moment. I just hoped when we debuted it Sunday after the competition, it would be a triumphant performance and not a sorrowful one.

  “Oh, hell,” Stephanie said as she gazed out the window.

  I curved my neck to see the problem and found it in the form of Mr. and Mrs. Tucker on the sidewalk. They’d spotted us and were now entering the restaurant. I prayed for a trap door to open under my feet. Rehashing the short program was not what I felt like doing.

  “I tried calling both of you.” Mrs. Tucker eyed Stephanie and Josh as she cast her dark shadow over the table.

  “I was dealing with work stuff,” Stephanie said.

  Josh offered no explanation. I was sure he’d chosen to ignore his mom’s calls.

  “Can you put our tables together?” Mrs. Tucker asked the hostess.

  “There’s not much space,” Josh argued, but the hostess had already begun scurrying under Mrs. Tucker’s sharp stare.

  The waiter returned to take our dinner orders, and I longed for him to stay. Not because he was good-looking, but so he could distract Mrs. Tucker from bringing up my miscue on the ice. Stephanie helped the cause, laughing and flipping her long, brown hair over her shoulder as she discussed vegan ingredients with him.

  “So, fourth place,” Mrs. Tucker said as soon as the waiter left.

  “Yes, and looking forward to the free skate,” Josh jumped in with no hesitation. “We’ve already put today behind us, so we don’t need any more discussion on it.”

  “Well, I suppose that’s the only attitude you can have right now considering…” She sent me a cool sidelong glance past Josh, who sat between us.

  I took a long drink of water and noticed Mr. Tucker typing on his phone as usual. He might’ve been completely out of touch with his family, but I’d take that over his wife’s sudden meddling in our business.

  “Are you coming to Sochi with us?” Mrs. Tucker asked Stephanie. “If we have a reason to go.”

  Josh’s hand clenched around his glass, and I touched his thigh under the table.

  “I told you I’m not,” Stephanie said. “I can’t take more time away from school and work.”

  Mrs. Tucker hummed quietly. “We have a large suite on the sea, so if you change your mind we have plenty of room.”

  “What are the dates again?” Mr. Tucker finally put his attention on the humans around him instead of the object in his hand. “Second week of February?”

  “The Opening Ceremony is the seventh,” I said before anyone else could answer. I’d memorized all the key dates:

  Team Event Short Program — February Sixth

  Team Event Free Skate — February Eighth

  Pairs Event Short Program — February Eleventh

  Pairs Event Free Skate — February Twelfth

  Mr. Tucker stared at me for a second as if what I’d said didn’t make sense, and then he turned to Mrs. Tucker. “I have a conference in Napa that weekend.”

  She plunked her wine glass down hard. “I told Christy to put the trip on your calendar.”

  “I don’t see it.” He scrolled on his phone.

  “I’m sure you can skip the conference.
”

  He looked up, his light eyes solidly fixed on his wife. “No. I can’t.”

  “You’ve known all along we would be going to Sochi in February.” Mrs. Tucker’s tone harshened further. “You should’ve checked with me before you booked this conference.”

  “Maybe if you actually talked to each other instead of communicating through Dad’s secretary, you wouldn’t have these problems,” Stephanie snapped.

  My eyebrows shot up, and I tapped the floor, wishing for that trap door again. Just when I’d thought the dinner couldn’t be any more uncomfortable, I got to sit in the middle of the Tucker Family Bicker Hour.

  “You should ask one of your friends to go with you,” Mr. Tucker said.

  “One of my friends?” Mrs. Tucker spat out. “You need to be there representing the family with me.”

  Oh my God. They’re fighting over a trip that could possibly not even happen.

  I massaged my temples. That’s not positive thinking, I reminded myself, but I had to keep it real.

  “I need to be in Napa growing my business. The one that’s paying for this luxury suite in Russia.” Mr. Tucker swirled his wine and downed all of it.

  Josh pushed his hand through his hair. “Can we please talk about something else or not talk at all? We’re trying to stay focused on one event at a time, that being our long program in two days. Nothing else.”

  Mrs. Tucker was still glaring at her husband. “We’ll discuss the trip later.”

  “There’s nothing more to discuss,” he fired back.

  Stephanie groaned and threw her napkin on the table. “I’m going to the ladies’ room.”

  “I think I’ll join you,” I said, seeking at least a momentary escape.

  When we emerged at the sinks a few minutes later, Stephanie scrubbed her hands together and pounded them dry with paper towels.

  “I swear I’m never getting married,” she said. “It’s just misery waiting to happen.”

  “Not every couple is like that,” I said.