“But why didn’t you mention it? That’s something I would have told you.”

“I don’t know. I guess because I don’t want anyone to say I shouldn’t give it up. I know it’s something I’m good at, but everything that goes with it...”

“Grace, you could have told me that.”

“I’m sure there are plenty of things you haven’t told me,” she said hopefully.

He shook his head. “I can’t think of anything. Nothing that has an impact on us. I’m just glad Becca brought it out of you because I can’t wait to see you perform. And I think if we’re just patient, as we get closer, you’ll realize you don’t have to be afraid of how I’ll react.”

She wasn’t so sure about that.

* * *

Spending time with pregnant Becca brought Grace back to reality. She was sidetracked, busy, and she realized she still hadn’t gotten her period and couldn’t start the pills yet. She suddenly realized it must be late. She hadn’t thought about it—life had been too crazy. First the note came, then she almost killed Troy with the Taser and then his friends came for a weekend visit...

And now she lay in his arms listening to him whisper his love, as well as his concern that she kept things from him.

* * *

Grace dug out her tights and skates before first light. She had a flouncy little blue skirt and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. There was a time she had as many pairs of skates as other girls had shoes, with one pair she loved best. One that brought her luck. That was the only pair she had kept.

Troy, Becca and Denny drove to the rink in North Bend at seven on Saturday morning. Grace took the flower van so she could work for a while after the skating. The rink would officially open at ten. Becca was wriggling with excitement. Grace explained that she had to stretch and warm up before she could do any real skating. “And please remember, I haven’t trained in years. I’m not on top of my game. Just a few tricks, that’s all I have.”

Jake Galbraith met them at the door. “Well, an audience? That holds promise.”

“It’s just a favor for a friend,” she said. “It’s still private.”

“And I still hope you’ll train the younger girls one day. It would be a dream come true for them.”

“I wouldn’t make a good coach,” she said.

“You’d make a phenomenal coach,” he said. “You want some music?”

“If it’s not too much trouble.”

Grace took her time warming up. She stretched out on a mat in the girl’s locker room, then laced up her skates and raced around the rink a few times, doing front and back crossovers, a few jumps. The music came on, her Gershwin training music, and she started with a few easy moves, working up to the more difficult jumps and spins. She took a spill but got herself up and carried on. She didn’t look at her audience but sprayed the ice in their direction a couple of times. She was lost in back crosses, front crosses, figure eights, spins and axels.

Then Alicia Keys blasted into the arena and Grace put on a show. She didn’t think about anything but skating. She could lose herself so easily. She didn’t try anything fancy, all she wanted to do was make it pretty for Becca. And for Troy. If she were up to speed there would be triple axels and risky jumps, but she was smart enough to know she’d only hurt herself by taking ridiculous chances.

The reason she kept skating was simple. When there was no competition, she felt free, beautiful and fearless. She loved what she could do on the ice.

She’d been on the ice about a half hour, but steady and hard. She skated around the rink to cool down, then she made her way back to her audience, smooth and sleek, hands on her hips.

“Not much, but that’s all I have without training,” she said.

“That was awesome,” Becca said. “I would give anything to be able to skate, even a little bit.”

“Tell you what—when you’re not carrying around a little bump, we’ll get you on skates. It would take about fifteen years of hard training to do some of those moves, but there are some easy things I can show you.”

“I would love that so much.”

Grace looked at Troy and he was smiling. “I guess I understand why people try to get you to skate professionally again. Or coach.”

“I think that was a compliment, so thanks. But I really like what I’m doing now. And I have to be a drudge now—you guys go play. I’m going to have to open the shop for at least a few hours today. I can catch up with you later. You’re in good hands—Troy is the fun coach.”

“Thank you, Grace,” Becca said. “I know you wouldn’t have done that for just anyone.”

“It was time to share that part of me with Troy,” she said. “And now I have to get into the flower business.”

“Do you need me?” Troy asked.

“Nah. It’s a sunny Saturday morning. I’ll let you walk me to my van, though.”

“We’re going to see some more of the coast since we’re this far north. Then tonight I’m cooking for us,” Becca said. “Get your flower chores done and this evening you’re going to relax and let me pamper you.”

“Just a word of warning. When Troy tries to talk you into getting closer to the really big waves, don’t do it.”

“Enough,” he said.

When Grace had her boots on, she left her usual hundred dollars with Jake for his scholarship fund. At the van, Troy gave her a kiss that he didn’t seem to want to stop. She liked that so much.

Thirteen

Grace prepared a special order of four expensive centerpieces for a customer. An exclusive golf resort in Bandon had a guest who was throwing a party in one of the spacious cottages and wanted a delivery on Sunday afternoon. She could have told them she was closed on Sunday, but the resort was a regular customer, had an account with her and it was an easy five hundred dollars. She made up the arrangements on Saturday and put them in the cooler, then enjoyed dinner with Troy and his friends at his apartment. After dinner they played poker, and she cleaned house. She told Troy she was going to be closed on Sunday as usual but would make a delivery to the resort in Bandon in the afternoon.

“Becca and Denny are leaving around noon and spring break is next week—I’m off. I’ll go with you. I love that place. Someday I might even be able to afford to play golf there. Once, though. I’ll only be able to afford it once.”