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“For heaven’s sake, you’re impossible.” I took my arm back and increased my pace, leaving her behind. She should mind her own business. I mean, I was her business, but still. I was a grown woman.

Our walk ended at the pond, which had been strung with lights. Music started as we arrived, jolly Christmas tunes that made it instantly festive. Staff had skates ready for all of us—Finley had asked for sizes earlier in the week.

I sat on one of the benches to put mine on, even though I had no idea how to skate, but maybe no one else did either. Soon most everyone was on the ice. Knox was absent again, due to his ankle. Madeleine was nowhere to be seen either. I put that curious thought away, not wanting to be like my mother.

I stood, surveying the situation. Ivy and Jack were already skating together, falling mostly, laughing hysterically every time. Holly and Rhett were holding hands, not doing much better. Blake was on the ice, with her camera in hand, skating as if it were as easy as walking. Still on the sideline, I watched as Beck skated up to her and did a circle around her, telling her to put down her camera and skate with him. She did as he asked and soon they were twirling around the ice like a couple of professional dancers. Okay, maybe not that good but, compared to the rest of us, they were in a different league.

Apparently, money equaled knowing how to skate.

My mother and June James were huddled together on a bench, sipping from steaming mugs of cider. Gus had decided to stay back at the lodge to watch football. A wise choice.

Grant stumbled over, standing next to me. “You want to skate with me?”

“You’re not worried about Jack seeing us?”

“It’s natural thing for us to skate together,” Grant said, holding out his hand. “We’re the only two left. I’d say it’s a convenient loophole.”

“Fine, but no flirting,” I said. “Or trying to kiss me.”

“I’ll save that for later.”

A delicious shot of desire sparked through me.

I followed him on to the ice and immediately toppled over. “How does anyone do this?” I asked, rubbing a smarting knee.

“People with stronger ankles, apparently.”

Grant tried to help me up, but the moment I put any weight on his arm, his skates slid out from under him. He landed beside me with a grunt, one leg folded beneath him and the other stretched out in front.

I looked at him. He looked at me. And we burst into laughter.

“I feel like an idiot,” he said.

“I’d like to argue, but you do look ridiculous.”

“Not nice.”

“Falling makes me mean,” I said, laughing again.

He pushed himself onto his hands and knees, then crawled toward the edge of the pond, pulling himself upright using a tree branch that hung over the edge of the pond, then inching back toward me with his arms stretched out to either side. I had an image of a squirrel on a wire.

I managed to get onto my knees by the time he reached me.

“Do I have to get up?” I asked. “How about if I just stay like this? You can bring me hot cider.”

“No, ma’am, we’re going to conquer this ice before we leave here tonight.”

“I’m doubtful about that,” I said.

He held out both hands. I took them as he leaned backward to counter my weight. For one glorious second, the maneuver worked. I came upright, my skates beneath me and Grant’s hands wrapped around mine.

Then his left foot began sliding away from him.

“Grant, be careful.”

“I have no control over this situation.” His legs spread farther apart until he was doing a passable imitation of the splits. “I’m going to split in half.”

I clung to him, laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe.