Page 73 of Mistletoe Mistake
“Is this where you got your inspiration for the Mayfair Mews?” Cole asked, looking up again once we were all seated.
“One of the places, but don't worry, I didn't bring you here just for the scenery. The food is also really good.”
We had a lot of fun over lunch, all of us happy and comfortable with each other. Holly hadn't told me yet if anything happened between her and Jackson after we left them at the pub on Friday, but they seemed as flirty with each other as usual. I remembered what she said about Jackson not wanting a casual fling and I tried to make a mental note to remember to ask Cole about it later.
From there, we walked down the Strand until we reached Somerset House, the grand building along the Thames that had once been a stately home but now served primarily as an arts centre. In the winter, it also became the venue for one of the city's most popular ice rinks, which was the reason I had chosen to visit it that day.
Cole had been as relaxed as anyone so far, but as soon as we entered the courtyard, he immediately went tense. I followed his gaze, trying to see what would have caused his reaction, but I could only see the rink and a couple of small market stalls selling food and Christmas crafts.
“Are you okay?” I asked him quietly, holding him back while Holly and Jackson walked on ahead.
“Are we going skating?” he asked in reply, his voice stilted and brittle, nothing like his usual cool confidence.
“Yes,” I confirmed. Was that a problem? Maybe he didn’t want to look foolish? “Don't worry, I'm not any good at it either.”
“It's not that, it's just...”
He trailed off, and my confusion grew deeper. The only time I had ever seen him look so unsure was the night he told me about the woman who had hurt him. “Does it have to do with your ex-fiancée?”
He blinked over at me in surprise. “How did you know that?”
“The only time I've seen you this way was when you told me about her.”
“You're too clever,” he said, shaking his head. “I definitely need to watch myself around you.”
He was avoiding the question, so I simply waited to see if he would say anything else. He looked out over the rink again and his lips tightened.
"I proposed to her while we were skating. In Central Park."
Immediately, I understood. The whole scene must remind him of how much he had cared for her and how much she had fooled him.
"We don't have to skate if you don’t want to. There are lots of other Christmas things to do in the city. I have a whole list."
"I'm sure you do." A hint of his smirk reappeared on his face, making me smile. His eyes still hadn't left the rink, watching the people as they made their way around the ice. “You know what? Let's do it. It's just a rink. It's about time I stopped letting the memory have any control over me. We choose what we let control us, right?”
He turned to me with the last question, as if it held some special meaning. Maybe he meant our relationship, or was he talking about my father? I couldn’t be sure, but either way, it made me glad to see that he was making an effort to put the past behind him. He had helped me so much to get over what happened with Edwin that if I could repay the favour even a little, I definitely wanted to.
“Right,” I agreed firmly, giving him a wink as I linked my arm through his. “Now, let's get some skates and get you tied up.”
He smirked back at me with the sly glint in his eyes I loved so much. "I thought that was supposed to be my line."
~Cole~
Gemma hadn’t been kidding when she said she wasn't a good skater. Her ankles wobbled dangerously as she stepped onto the ice in her rented skates but she managed to keep herself upright, looking particularly proud of herself that she had. I might be a stuffy New York businessman, particularly while wearing my suit on the ice, but I could skate circles around her.
“Maybe we need to get you one of those penguins that the little kids are using,” I suggested, pointing at two young children pushing plastic penguins with handles to keep their balance.
Gemma narrowed her eyes at me in mock offense. “I'll have you know, Mr Stamer, that I can usually get the whole way around the ice and only fall over once or twice along the way.”
I laughed and leaned in close to her. “You can hang onto me instead of the penguin then. But don't go calling me Mr Stamer unless you're in the mood for something considerably hotter than ice skating.”
She shook her head at me, but I could see the smile on the corner of her lips.
Circling around behind her, I put my hands on her waist. “Let me show you how it's done. Just keep your feet pointed straight ahead.”
Gemma shrieked in surprise as I pushed her forward, her hands gripping mine tightly. “Slow down, Cole. It's too fast!”
“Nonsense. I'm right behind you, Gemma. I won't let you fall.”
