Page 42 of How He Got the Girl
She moves her attention back to lacing her skates.
Great, now she’s ignoring me.
I look out at the rink, wondering where I went wrong to get this icy front from her.
“The past three years have been great,” Mallory finally responds.
I turn to face her, not wanting to miss a single word.
“I graduated from college, moved in with my three best friends, and started my first teaching job.” She stands up, looking ready for the ice.
“I feel like you’re living every girl’s dream, getting to have your best friends as roommates.”
“Sure am.” Mallory places her gloved hands on her hips. “Did we come here to talk or skate?”
There’s still time to break down her walls, I remind myself.
I gesture toward the rink, trying to be a gentleman and let her go first.
“No, after you.”
I should’ve expected that response. She always has to challenge me.
Cautiously, I step onto the ice and instantly feel like a baby who’s learning how to walk. I’m sure this is getting me major brownie points with Mallory. Super attractive to have my arms flailing around when I should be making sure she feels safe and comfortable.
Looks like I’m zero-for-one on my date planning scale.
I grimace. “I promise that I wasn’t this bad before.”
Mallory leans her arms on the railing of the rink. “Let me guess. Last time you were on the ice, you were a kid pushing a traffic cone, and you thought your skills had improved over time enough to impress me.”
“No.”
Yes.
But I’m not telling her that.
Mallory steps onto the ice. I’m about to say that this was a terrible idea and suggest we get out of here when she starts skatingbackwardwhile talking to me at the same time, like some expert-level multitasker.
“You beautiful little liar.”
“What are you talking about?” She plays the nonchalant game well.
“You said you haven’t been skating since you were a kid.” I gesture to the rink around us. “But you look like an ice princess out here.”
“I was good back in the day.” She does another spin, stopping with a toe pick to the ice. “Guess I’ve still got it.”
I skate over and wrap my arms around her middle, more for the sake of not wanting to fall on my face than wantingto be close to her—though that’s a valid reason, too. “I’d say you’vemorethan got it.”
Mallory untangles herself from my hold. “There are no cameras around. You don’t have to do that.”
“Rule number one of being a celebrity.” I gently take her hand. “There are almost always cameras around when you’re in public. Whether you see them or not.”
She scoffs. “There are rules to being a celebrity?”
I shake my head. “Just generally understood rules of thumb so stars don’t ruin their career by being careless in public.”
“Sounds more like common sense if you ask me.”
