AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She has been really determined to do her best with both her skating and ballet. Not even complaining about being sore after all the falls she’s endured.”
Charli smiled as she watched Layla stick close to Amelia, even though a couple of kids from her class were there skating as well. She smiled and said a few words to them, but she stayed with Amelia as they continued their slow path around the ice.
“Hi, Dad!” Amelia called out as they reached where Charli and Blake stood together.
“Hi, Mom!”
Charli and Blake waved back at them, and Charli was glad that she’d agreed to Blake’s suggestion that they all hang out together like this.
The only thing marring her complete happiness in these moments with Blake was the secret she held from him. From everyone. He wasn’t aware that the two girls he kept an eye on were both his daughters.
Soon. Soon she’d reveal it.
Just… not yet.
Blake’s arm brushed hers as he pointed to where Layla was skating backwards in front of Amelia. “That’s amazing.”
Charli ignored the pang of guilt. “She was so proud when she learned how to skate backwards. It’s a skill she loves to show off.”
“I can barely walk backwards, let alone skate backwards.”
“It’s not something I can do well, either. Layla’s already better than I was at her age.”
A teenage couple glided by with smooth strokes. The guy had his arm around the young woman’s shoulders, and their heads were close together. They shared smiles, totally caught up in their own little world.
“It feels like I was never that young,” Blake said. His voice had lowered to a point where it was barely audible over the music that was playing for the skaters.
Charli nodded, her gaze still on the pair. She hoped that if the teens were planning a future together in their conversations, it would be a smoother road than the one she and Blake had traveled.
“It does feel like a lifetime ago,” Charli said as she moved a bit closer to Blake. “But when I was their age, you wouldn’t have found me skating with a guy.”
“Were guys back then not interested in skating?”
Twelve years ago, Charli had chosen to be very vague with Blake about her relationships—or lack thereof—with guys while in her teens. She’d been embarrassed to admit that not dating hadn’t been her choice. Rather, none of the guys she’d liked had liked her back. And clearly there hadn’t been any guys that liked her enough to approach her.
“Oh, they were interested in skating. A lot of the guys played hockey, so they were plenty comfortable on skates.” She hesitated. “They just weren’t interested in skating with me.”
Blake shifted to face her, resting his arm on the top of the boards. Charli could feel his gaze on her as she kept watching the girls.
“Well, if I’d known how to skate back then, I would have been happy to skate with you.”
Even though she was standing close to the ice, Charli’s cheeks heated as she glanced over at him, butterflies in her stomach. “I think I would have liked that.”
“I’d skate with you now, but I don’t think it would be the experience we’d like it to be. Do they have adult size skating trainers?”
“They might,” Charli said with a chuckle.
“Unfortunately, I’m not sure my fragile ego and pride could take having to use one of those.”
“You could get Amelia to teach you,” Charli told him. “I think she’d love that.”
“Oh, I’m sure she would.”
The song changed, and Jingle Bell Rock started to play through the speakers.
Blake’s brows rose as he looked out at the ice. “Christmas music?”
“Yep. Lots of people in Serenity believe that Christmas and Thanksgiving can co-exist.”
