Page 40 of Hearts on Ice
“Yeah, in a bit. You need anything before I go?”
Julia glanced from one to the other and shook her head. “Look out out there.” She inclined her head toward the glass doors and the parking lot beyond.
Declan peered through the glass, and saw that…was someone setting up a live shot? How could they be so interested all these years later?
“Julia, I’m going to need a favor.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket and passed them to her. “Can you move my truck around back?”
“Don’t they know which one is your truck?” Julia asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. If they do, well, they’ll have to move faster than we will.” He looked at Colby. “You ready?”
She looked toward the front. “Would it hurt to just talk to them? We could let them now you’re not taking more students at this time.”
His heart did another dip. “Are you ready to talk to them? They’re going to ask if we’re together. What are we going to say to that?”
Julia drilled Declan with her gaze. “Yes, what are you going to say to that?”
Declan turned to Colby, almost holding his breath, swaiting for her to respond.
She squared her shoulders, looking from him to the doors. “We’ll say that’s to be determined, that we’ve decided not to look back, to just look forward.”
Declan tried to figure out what that was supposed to mean, kind of wished they could discuss this in private before going out there, but Colby seemed ready to deal with the press. Eager, even.
Yep, his heart was sinking fast with the realization that she still craved this attention.
“Okay, well. Do you need to get anything before we head out, then?”
“No, I think I’m ready.”
With his hand on the small of her back, he guided her toward the door.
“Deck!” Julia called to him.
He turned and caught his keys as she threw them at his face.
“Good luck.”
CHAPTER16
Colby’s heart pounded as she pushed open the door. She had thought about what she’d say to the press who’d ignored her the past few months. She never expected they’d catch up to her here.
Declan wasn’t too excited about her choice. He probably would have had fun evading the reporters by sneaking out the back door of the rink. But if he asked her again, she’d say they were more likely to get rid of reporters if they faced them and answered their questions. She couldn’t guarantee they’d go away, but they wouldn’t be so curious.
“Colby! Colby!” The young woman reporter who had been setting up the live shot motioned for the two of them to approach.
Colby looked over her shoulder at Declan, then walked over, pasting a smile on her face. She was aware of other reporters around, listening, but she honed in on the woman with the microphone.
“Colby, it’s big news you’re back in town, bigger news you’re here working with Declan again. What brought you back to Colorado?”
Colby lifted her chin. “I’m starting a new phase of my life, giving back to the sport that gave so much to me. I put out word that I was choreographing ice dancing routines, and my first job led me here, to Declan’s rink.” She smiled over at him, saw the grim resignation on his face.
“Declan, how did you feel when Colby returned to town?”
He clearly hadn’t thought about what he’d say to the press. His mouth was tight, his jaw hard. “I was surprised. I hadn’t heard she was coming back, hadn’t heard my students had hired her.”
“Just surprised?” the reporter pressed.
“No, not just surprised,” Declan said, and didn’t elaborate. “But she’s good at what she does. She’s come up with a great routine for my students that will take them to Nationals, and hopefully beyond.”
