Page 36 of It Started With a Scarf

"I think it's fine," I said eventually. "It's kind of snug, but I can loosen the laces once we get over to the rink. Are you sure she won't mind?"

"No, I promise. I don't even know when she put these in here. She might not even remember they're here. And that's good, snug's better than loose."

We left his office within a minute. It took us a while to walk to the rink because he stopped and spoke to three people on our way. I made sure to give him room. He didn't take the time to introduce me to all of the customers, and I didn't need him to. He was doing his job, and I just smiled and seemed distracted and pleasant.

Hockey was happening when we made it to the rink, but it was lessons, and they were only taking up the back portion of the ice. We stayed at the front end and skated.

I was not as sure-footed as I imagined I would be, and Dominic had to help me out. I skated away from him and was making my way back to him when he pulled out his phone and took a picture of me while I had my hands out for balance. I smiled and I made a face while he had his camera out, but I wasn't sure how he caught me.

We skated for the better part of an hour, and then we headed back to his office to put up the skates.

"Is that Dom or EJ?"

"Dom," he answered turning to face whoever had asked the question.

It was an older man.

"You put on the skates? You better be careful, you'll end up like your brother, needing surgery."

"I know," Dominic said, laughing. "It might be in my future, anyway, with four years of college football under my belt, but I'll try to prolong it."

"I understand that," the man said. "But I probably shouldn’t give you a hard time about having fun. And how about you?" he asked, looking at me.

"It's my first time here."

"Oh, really? At ETC? How do you like it? Those are nice skates. You probably get along fine at the rink."

"Oh, no, sir, they're not mine. I borrowed them. I didn't get along fine at all." I laughed, and so did they. "No, I did okay. I had fun, and I didn't get hurt."

"Good, good," the man said, smiling. "Are you leaving? Aren't you going to show her the rest of the gym?"

"Oh, we've been here all afternoon," Dominic said.

The guy looked at me. "Did you see the café?"

"Yes sir, we had a smoothie. Then he had me do some cardio, and then we went skating."

My heart started racing when I made the cardio comment. I was doing it to flirt with Dominic, and then it hit me that the man could ask me to elaborate, so I got nervous. I grinned at the man, trying to remain calm.

"Okay, so you did get the full experience," he said, and left it at that, thank goodness.

"Yes sir."

"What about the rock climbing wall?"

"Not this time," Dominic said.

"Maybe next time," the man said, smiling at me.

Dominic shook his hand, and we said goodbye.

We didn't mean to stay at the gym so long, but people talked to Dominic everywhere we went.

There was traffic when we left the gym, and it was slow driving to the mechanic. We talked the whole time, and we were more than halfway there when Dominic grinned at me and brought up the comment I made at the gym.

"You told Jimmy Goldberg I made you do cardio."

"I know, I felt kind of bad after I said that, but you did give me cardio," I said. "I wasn't lying. I'm pretty sure I've been running at a good pace before and my heart was going slower than it was in your office today. Why? Was it bad that I said it to Jimmy Goldberg?"

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