Excerpt: On Thin Ice

“So what made you do this, Mr. Mysterious?”

Alexei laughed. “I’m not mysterious. As I said, I just wanted to make you happy. You seemed like you were having a tough time and maybe needed a friend or whatever. So here I was.”

“But I’m your competitor, I’m not a friend.” Natalie smiled.

Alexei shrugged. “Why not? Is there some law we must hate each other because we skate for different country?”

“I guess not. But most people would be glad I was upset. It would be a chance for them to win, after all.”

“I no like to rely on that to win.” Alexei smiled broadly. “I like to win on own ability, against people who competing to t best of theirs. There is no pride winning a race against a one legged man.”

“Very true, I guess.” Natalie had never really thought about it that way. Most skaters were so cut-throat that they would never even consider reaching out to a competitor who needed anything. No, competitors were for striking down in the middle of the night in a dark alley way, if you thought you could avoid the jail time, that is. Alexei didn’t see it that way, though, and so Natalie was starting to realize that maybe there were more important things than doing everything in one’s power to win. It still felt a bit like dinner with the enemy, but weren’t you supposed to keep them close, anyway?

“You don’t sound so sure.” Alexei shook his head. “Stubborn Americans.”

Natalie smiled. “I don’t know. I just…it takes some getting used to. And part of me is already thinking about how to avoid people finding out, because the only one I’m technically supposed to be going out with right now is Paul. Hanging out, I should say. Because even though we’re friends, it wouldn’t look good for me to be seen with you in one of the nicest restaurants in Paris, now, would it?”

“So, live a little, break rules. Just no get caught.”

Natalie shrugged. “I guess. It’s hard for me to disobey a coach or any official like that, and US Figure Skating is totally in on the plan. So, I’m stuck doing this, even if I don’t want to.”

“So what? You still keep your part of agreement and pretending to date him. You just seeing me on side…”

Natalie paused. Was he really asking to turn this into something else? “Huh?”

“You heard me. I don’t want this to be one night thing, Natalie.” Alexei smiled. “I don’t want make this something we spend the rest of our lives wondering about.”

“But everything’s just a mess.” Natalie shook her head. “I just…for God’s sake…I’m pretending to date someone else! I can’t handle a million things like this all at once. I can’t…”

Alexei smiled. “Natalie, if you want this, you can make work.”

“You sound like my mother. That’s what she tells Chloe and me about things like getting our jumps for the first time.” Natalie smiled at the memory. “It’s never that simple, though, at least not in my experience.”

“Look, you find a way. We find a way. I’m not saying to make public or anything crazy, I’m just saying that I want it to be something that isn’t just gone, where we just always have lack of knowing what could have been. I just want see where this goes. We figure out where it goes later, I just want to make sure that is something to figure out. Later. Down the line.”

Natalie shook her head. “I know you care, and I do too, really. I care too much about you, actually. I respect you too much to put you through this. You deserve better than a girl who is publically pretending to date someone else.”

Alexei shrugged. “Look, I understand why you do it, and honestly I support it. It is only sensible thing to do in situation, really. Besides, it’s not like we’ve know each other long. No clue where this is going, so is not like I expect you to give anything up on my account, especially a trip to Olympics.”

“And I thought that this whole thing was just a ploy to get me to withdraw and go partnerless so you could have an easy win.” Natalie laughed. “No, really, I don’t think that, and I know what you mean and I understand, really. It’s just that I don’t like the idea of starting a relationship that way. It seems like starting off all wrong.”

Alexei nodded. “It is not ideal. But really, what is? People have make it through war, famine, all sort of things without giving up, still in love, still together. Look what my country has survived and people still dare fall in love.”

“Are you saying you love me, Alexei?”

Alexei shook his head. “No, I do not like to throw that word around lightly. Love is something I would never say after one day. What I will say is I would be quite happy if I eventually fall in love with you, and quite honored if you fall in love with me.”