Page 69 of Boots & Scars

I pickedEverly up from my place, the silence between us stretching like a taut rope. She looked out the window, her fingers drumming lightly on her knee. I could tell she was trying to keep it together, trying to act brave, but the slight tremor in her hand betrayed her.

When we reached the rink, she took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. I followed, watching her straighten her shoulders and lift her chin. The girl had guts, I'd give her that.

Inside, the cold air bit at our skin. The rink was nearly empty, just a few stragglers left from earlier practice sessions. I walked over to the storage room and grabbed her skates, feeling the weight of Walker’s warning still pressing down on me.

"Here," I said, handing them to her. "Let me?—"

"Please, don't do that," she interrupted, her voice sharper than I'd ever heard it. She sat down on the bench, her eyes locking onto mine with a fire I hadn't seen before. "Don't treat me like... like this, Cooper. I came to you because you wouldn't feel sorry for me. I don't want you to start now."

I gave her a long look, searching for any sign that she might waver. But she held my gaze steadily.

"You got it, killer," I said finally.

A small smile tugged at her lips as she began lacing up her skates with determination.

Once she was ready, we stepped onto the ice together. She moved cautiously at first, finding her balance again after being away for so long.

"You’re still leaning too far back on your heels," I told her as we skated side by side. "Shift your weight forward a bit more."

She nodded and adjusted her stance. After a few minutes, she started moving more fluidly, finding her rhythm again.

"And your turns," I continued. "You need to bend your knees more and look where you want to go. Don't fight the motion."

Everly did as instructed, and soon enough she was gliding across the ice with a newfound confidence. It was like watching a flower bloom in fast forward.

"Better," I said with a nod of approval.

She flashed me a grin that lit up her entire face.

For a moment, everything else faded away—the warnings, the doubts, the complications—and it was just us on the ice, finding our way together one glide at a time.

"Do you think we could play music?" she asked after another turn. "No one else is here, and it's just so quiet."

I looked at her, at those big eyes filled with hope. It was such a simple request, but I knew it would make her happy.

"What do you want me to play?" I asked.

Everly pulled out her phone and handed it to me. "I have a playlist," she said.

"Bad@$$," I said, my lips curving up. "You won't even swear in text, huh? Not sure how badass that is."

"It's very," she insisted. "Trust me, I would know."

"You owe me," I muttered, taking her phone and heading over to the sound station. It didn't take long to sync it up. Moments later, "Heaven on Earth" started playing through the speakers.

Everly lit up as the music filled the rink, and for a moment, I just stared at her. The joy on her face made it impossible to look away. She truly was a piece of heaven on earth.

She moved to the rhythm of the music, gliding across the ice with newfound confidence. Her laughter echoed in the empty rink, mixing with the melody in a way that made everything else seem insignificant. I found myself skating closer to her, drawn in by her energy.

"You're getting better," I said as we fell into sync, skating side by side again.

"Thanks to you," she replied, flashing me that brilliant smile.

We skated together for what felt like hours, lost in the music and each other’s company. Every so often, she would glance over at me, and our eyes would meet in silent understanding.

"You know," she said after a while, "this is the most fun I've had in... well, ever."

I chuckled. "Glad I could help."

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