Page 7 of 50 First Skates

She rubs her lips together and then checks behind herself. When she looks back at me she has an expression, likeAre you talking to me?

“I waited for you at the outdoor rink for two hours. Did I get the time wrong? I thought you said to meet there when it opens.”

She’s looking at me like she’s trying not to laugh. “Me?”

“Yeah, you. I’ve still got the skates I rented for you in the car if you want to head over there.”

“I don’t skate,” she says, matter-of-factly.

“I know. That’s why I’m going to teach you.”

“Oh, really, now? That’s awfully generous of you.”

“Well, it’s the least I could do after yesterday. I used the slapper on my slab this morning and thought of you.”

“Excuse me?” She clearly doesn’t remember the jokes. Probably because we said so many awesome things yesterday it was hard to keep track.

“Sorry—the hard bottom. I forgot to get mitts yesterday, though. Or you probably call them grip gloves, right?”

“Ah. Well, I hope you didn’t burn your hand on the hard bottom. If you don’t mind, I’m on my way out.” She nods toward the door and starts to walk past me.

“Did you want to head over to the rink, or no?”

She glances back at me, smiling and wrinkling her brow. “No, thank you. But have a wonderful day. You should check out Whisk It Good across the street. She’s got some really cute oven mitts. Or you could check out The Beaver Lodge on Collingwood if you’re looking for another kind of glove.” She gives me a saucy little wink and then says “Bye, guys” to Dave and the others and then walks right out the door without looking back.

“See ya, Solly,” Dave says.

I have…no idea how to read this situation. Did she stand me up and then blow me off? But she was still being sassy and flirty. What is happening?

When the door shuts behind her, Dave whistles at me and says, “Raff. What the hell was that?”

Shaking my head, I take a seat at their table and mutter, “I have no idea.”

“What the hell were you thinking asking her to go skating with you?”

“I may be an idiot,” Corey says, “but I’d never say anything that dumb to Solly.”

“What are you guys talking about? She said she wanted me to teach her how to skate when we went for a walk by the rink yesterday. I met her yesterday and we hit it off, and she just looked at me like she had no idea who I was.”

The three guys give each other weary looks. “Shit,” Dave says. “You met her yesterday?”

“Yeah. At Whisk It Good. She invited me to go for a walk with her after.”

Dave looks around, eyeing a family nearby who are obviously tourists, a couple of old guys eating at the counter, and the waitress. It’s a good thing I already ate this morning because she looks about as eager to help me as Sheryl was yesterday. Hunching over, he leans in toward me and says, “Okay, listen up. What I’m about to tell you is not something you can repeat to anyone else, all right? In Kenton or anywhere, got it?”

“Sure. Got it. Will you tell me already? Is it about Soleil?”

“Were you planning on dating her?”

“That was the plan, yes. She said she doesn’t have a boyfriend or a husband. Why?”

“Because first of all,” Dave says, “did she happen to mention she’s Coach Barrett’s daughter?”

Shit.

My heart sinks. My stomach sinks. Everything sinks. Coach’s daughter. Of course. Of course she is. I suck in a breath and, on an exhale, mutter, “She did not.”

“So that’sA.” He holds his thumb out like he’s counting. “Coach Barrett’s daughter—off-limits for you.B—She’s Noah Barrett’s little sister.”