The Favorites: A Novel(35)
Maybe that was what Heath wanted, consciously or not. Leaving the Ice Academy would have meant leaving California. Leaving the Lins. He would have me all to himself again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your 2002 world medalists!”
The skaters squeezed onto the top platform for official photos, then began their victory lap around the rink. I descended the steps, not waiting to see whether Heath would follow.
By the time I reached Bella and Garrett, I’d stretched my smile even wider, jaw aching from the effort.
“Congratulations!”
Bella was closer, so I embraced her first. But I made sure to hold on longer to Garrett. I knew Heath was watching. I knew it would hurt him. I wanted it to hurt.
“Thanks.” Bella wrapped the medal ribbon around her wrist. “Sorry about—”
I waved off her condolences. “It’s fine. We should celebrate.”
At that, Bella’s eyes lit up. “Wanna eat some carbs?”
“Absolutely. Where should we go?”
“Katarina.”
Heath had caught up to us. I turned to face him but stayed between the twins—battle lines drawn. Garrett shifted uncomfortably beside me.
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” Heath asked.
“We’re going out.” My voice was so cold, I felt as if a layer of frost had settled over me.
“When you get back, then.”
“I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“Katarina, please, I—”
“Don’t wait up.”
Chapter 24
“Why is it so damn cold?” Bella complained as we closed the short distance between the car and the restaurant entrance. “It’s almost cherry blossom season, for God’s sake.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. The temperature had dropped since our spa outing, but it wasn’t even cold enough to snow. Moisture hung in the air, caught somewhere between rain and mist. It made me think of early spring mornings on Lake Michigan—sitting cross-legged on the shore with Heath, watching the whitecaps through a scrim of fog.
He’d gone back to the hotel to sulk, I assumed. Garrett had opted for a room service dinner, so Bella and I were on our own again.
The restaurant was cozy and welcoming, with multicolored paper lanterns strung above low wooden tables. A Japanese skater had recommended it, and most of the patrons looked to be locals—though the place was still accustomed enough to tourists that the waiter laid a fork and spoon beside my place setting without asking. For Bella, he brought ebony chopsticks with delicate gold designs inlaid on the handles.
She kept her coat on and huddled close to me for warmth as we perused the menu. I could feel every knot in the floorboards through the thin cushion, and my hips ached so much I couldn’t believe I’d had a massage that morning. How much could change in a single day.
Heath and I had never fought like that before. I had no idea what a breakup felt like; I’d never experienced one.
Bella ordered for both of us in overly confident Japanese. Thanks to their globetrotting childhood, she and Garrett spoke fragments of about a dozen languages.
I had no idea what we were eating until the plates started to arrive, heaped with noodles, pickled root vegetables soaked in savory miso broth, and delicately folded dumplings with fresh wasabi root grated over the top. I should have been starving after the competition, but I felt too queasy to do more than push the food around my plate.
Between bites, Bella dissected the results of the free dance, speculating about biased judges and backroom dealings that kept her and Garrett in third place.
“I mean, I know we screwed up our twizzles. But Nikita did a major balance check during the last choreographic sequence—like, are the judges blind?”
By the time the dessert course arrived—a chestnut cream cake frosted to look like a snow-topped mountain—I couldn’t take it anymore.
“You’re only seventeen,” I pointed out.
“So?” Bella took a big bite of cake.
“You’re seventeen, and the third best in the world. You know that’s good, right?”
“We could have won. We should have at least gotten silver.”
“But Heath and I would have been so lucky to get the bronze, right?” I stabbed my fork through the frosting, triggering an avalanche of candied chestnuts.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” Bella laid her hand over mine before I could do any more damage to our dessert. “What happened between you two tonight anyway? That couldn’t have all been about the stupid billboard.”
“He thinks there’s something going on between me and your brother.”
Bella arched a brow. “Is there?”
I knew Bella wasn’t Heath’s biggest fan, but her question sounded a little too hopeful.
“Of course not. Heath and I—”
“Have been dating for like half your lives. This isn’t Victorian times; you’re allowed to speak to other guys.” She took another bite and smiled, icing stuck between her teeth. “He’s right, though. Garrett likes you.”
“Garrett likes everyone.”
“He doesn’t. Trust me.” She balanced her chopsticks on the edge of the plate. “Can I tell you something?”