Page 21 of Holly Ever After

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.” She presses her lips together, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile that does strange things to my heartbeat. “It’s clear you’re utterly enamored with me.”

My brows raise sarcastically. “Enamored? Someone’s been writing too many romance novels.”

“Maybe you should try it sometime. Might loosen you up a bit,” she quips back, her smile blossoming into a full grin that’s contagious, and despite my reluctance, I find myself smiling back.

“I am loose!” I nearly slip again, my arms windmilling as I try to regain balance.

“Sure, as loose as a rusty bolt.”

Mia’s laughter joins ours. “You’re funny, Uncle Sean.”

“Funny looking maybe,” Holly mutters under her breath.

Thirty minutes later, I feel like I finally have the hang of it. Sure, one hand is still clutching the railing as Holly and Mia effortlessly skate around me, but all in all, I’m practically a pro. At least, that's what I tell myself.

Now, Holly is skating with Mia in her arms, a maneuver that seems impossibly difficult. How the hell does she do it?

Feeling a surge of confidence, or perhaps it’s foolhardiness, I push off the railing and glide into the open space of the ice rink. The smooth slide of the skates on the ice, the absence of immediate disaster—it’s not so bad.

And then it hits me: how the fuck do I stop?

I see Holly’s eyes widen, her body tensing, bracing for impact. She’s in my direct path, and with Mia in her arms, there’s no way she can dodge in time.

Mia’s voice rings out, sharp and clear, “Stop, Uncle Sean!”

The warning comes too late. I collide with Holly, the impact sending us sprawling to the ground. Instinctively, I grab her waist, trying to brace our fall. I groan as they come down on top of me. A flurry of limbs and cold ice, my back absorbing the brunt of the fall.

Everything goes silent for a second. I stare up at the clear, night sky, holding my breath, waiting for a sign that anyone is injured. Holly is still flat against me, with Mia safely enclosed in her arms. The cold seeps through my clothes, but the warmth from Holly and Mia blunts the chill.

Then, the silence breaks. They both look down at me and burst into laughter, and despite the pain shooting up my spine, a laugh bubbles up from my chest.

“Are you guys okay?”

Holly’s eyes meet mine as she glances over her shoulder. “Yeah, we’re okay. You, on the other hand…” she trails off.

“I’m… I’m good,” I insist, trying to sit up. Every muscle in my back screams in protest. “A few bruises, maybe, but I’ll live.”

“You sure?”

I nod, gritting my teeth against the discomfort. “Yeah, yeah. I’m sure.”

Eventually, we manage to untangle ourselves. Holly stands, still holding Mia, her arms protective around her.

She looks down at me. “You really need to work on your stopping.”

“Or you need to work on your dodging.”

“Next time, I’ll be prepared for the human missile.”

“Okay,” I breathe, reaching up for Mia and pulling her into my arms from where I still sit on the ice. She wraps her arms around my neck while I double check she’s not hurt. “How about we get out of here and get some hot chocolate?”

“Marshmallows?” Mia asks.

“Lots of marshmallows,” I promise then groan. “Just once I’m sure this human missile hasn’t broken anything.”

Ten

Holly

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