Almost unconsciously, Josie rubbed at the scar on her left wrist, hidden by her glove. She’d been ice-skating with her own parents once, she remembered. It was an indoor rink, nothing like this one, but her dad had been holding her hand, just like this girl’s. She remembered he’d had to get off the ice for some reason, and had handed her over to her mum. She’d refused to skate with her mum at first, telling her that she just wasn’t as good as Daddy, but had been cajoled into it by laughter and teasing. And then her mum had fallen, just as Josie had been afraid of. And instead of letting go of Josie’s hand, her mum had grabbed hold of it, trying to keep upright but pulling them both over in the process. Everyone had been so worried, Josie remembered now, because she hadn’t said anything, hadn’t even cried as she’d smacked her wrist on the ice. They were worried it might be broken at first, but it turned out to be just a sprain. It had left a round, puckered scar on the top of her wrist, though, which she’d used to learn left from right as a child.
“Josie?” She jolted a little at the sound of her name and looked up to see Max watching her. “You OK?”
“Yes.” She smiled, trying to let go of the twinge of sadness. “Sorry, in my own world.”
“They’re letting people on now, so if you want to…” He gestured at the gate to the ice rink.
“Right. Yes. Yes, come on then.” She started her awkward, clunky walk to the gate, thankful that she was not the only one looking like she was walking on precarious stilts.
“You sure you’re OK?” He tripped over his skates as he shuffled along behind her, having to grab hold of the side to stay upright. God, and they hadn’t even hit the ice yet.
“I’m sure,” she said lightly. Because explaining that she’d been hit by a memory of her dead parents seemed just a tad too much for a first date. Not that this was a date, she told herself firmly. Attractive he may be, but he also seemed like he never laughed, and she couldn’t be doing with that. Besides, she’d literally only just broken up with Oliver.
Josie stepped onto the ice first, and immediately clung to the barrier at the side as she shuffled forward to make room for Max. She turned her head to see him following her tentatively, staring at his feet as he slid forward. His expression of unrelenting concentration made her laugh and he looked up at her and smiled sheepishly in response. “I did try to tell you I was no good at this.”
She just shook her head, still smiling, and risked a few more awkward shuffles forward. Most of the other people were on the ice now, and the ones left clinging onto the edges were almost uniformly under the age of twelve.
She glanced back at Max. “OK, come on, we can do this.” She made herself push away very slightly and attempted to copy the woman in front of her. Right leg, left leg, right leg, left leg. Max had followed her—she could see him in her peripheral vision, though she didn’t dare turn her head in case it diluted her focus.
She was halfway around the rink when she lost him. She risked a glance back, having to flail her arms when she nearly fell. Max actually had fallen, apparently—she could see him getting to his feet on the other side of the rink, and grimaced to herself. Great. She should have listened when he said he didn’t want to do it. By the time she completed her first loop he was up on his feet, clinging to the barrier. She met his gaze, and he raised his eyebrows as she headed for him, waving her arms as she realized she had no idea how to stop. She hit the barrier with a gentle thump and laughed a little, despite herself. He smiled too and it lit up his face, his eyes crinkling in a way that softened them. The wave of warm relief that ran through her was almost intoxicating. “You’re a pro,” he said with another grin.
She flicked back her hair dramatically. “Well, I was due to compete in 2012, but my marketing career got in the way.”
He shook his head in mock sadness. “An unsung champion.”
“Tell me about it.” She cocked her head. “Are you OK? I saw you fall.”
He wrinkled his nose. “So much for getting away with that unseen. I’m fine—balance just not really one of my strong suits.”
They leaned back against the barrier, earning a glare from a girl who couldn’t have been older than four, being as how they were blocking the route round. Max took Josie’s hand and pulled her gently back onto the ice, letting go as soon as they were out of the way. A couple in their twenties skated past them, toward the center of the rink, their strides in perfect unison, her bright blue coat perfectly offsetting his grey.