Chapter 1 Out of the Rink

Bonnie

“Over here, Mrs. Bennett!” a customer shouts toward my grandma.

It’s rush hour at the restaurant, and just like every other day, the place is completely packed.

“Bon, grab the drinks for table four,” Grandma calls out.

I pick up the tray and move between tables until the afternoon rush finally slows down. By the time I stop to catch my breath, my back is stiff and my waist feels like concrete.

“Look at you, Bonnie!”

I whip my head around at the familiar voice coming from the doorway. My eyes widening.

“Uncle Dan!” I untie my apron in seconds and rush straight into his arms.

“Holy cow, Bonnie. You’re not ten years old anymore, and I’m not getting any younger,” he chuckles, hugging me tight.

We sit down at a corner table while Grandma brings him a cold drink. It’s been two long years since I last saw Coach Daniel—right after Evan passed away. Daniel is Evan’s uncle, but ever since my own father died in a car crash when I was fourteen, Daniel has been like a second father to me.

After asking about my grandma and how I’ve been doing, Daniel’s face turns serious. He reaches across the table and takes my hands in his.

“I found you a partner,” he says softly.

My heart stops. A partner? Why would he find me a partner when he knows my stand on that?

Five years ago, my figure skating partner, Evan Mason, was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. We put our skating career on hold while he fought the disease, but two years ago, Evan died. I gave up on figure skating completely after that. I couldn't imagine being on the ice without my best friend. We grew up together, trained together, and built our pair career from scratch.

And now his uncle is telling me he found a replacement?

When I don't say anything, Daniel speaks up again. “I know you said you didn't want to skate without Evan. But Evan wouldn't want you to throw your whole life away just because he’s gone.”

My chest tightens into a hard knot as memories flood back. Evan did tell me to keep going, but how could I? We shared that dream together. Without him, what’s the point?

“Coach, I really can’t,” I whisper. “I can't imagine letting someone else lift me. How do I trust a stranger? Evan and I—”

“You will learn to trust him, just like you learned with Evan,” Daniel cuts in gently. “This is what Evan wanted. It’s what your parents wanted. And it’s what I want for you, Bonnie. I need to see you back on that ice.”

I look down at my hands. The skin on my palms is rough now from scrubbing dishes and carrying heavy food trays instead of holding silk ribbons and polished leather skates.

When Evan got hospitalized five years ago, I walked away from the rink and started working at Grandma’s restaurant. Late-night meals and stress have added a bit of weight to my hips and waist. My name disappeared from the skating world years ago. Nobody even remembers who Bonnie Bennett is anymore.

“Coach, look at me,” I say, my voice cracking. “I’m out of shape. I haven’t skated in five years. I’m not the light, flexible girl I used to be. Nobody is going to want a partner who’s been serving food for half a decade.”

“That doesn’t matter to me, and it won’t matter to him once you get your conditioning back,” Daniel says firmly. “The muscle memory is still in your body, Bonnie. You just have to work for it.”

I shake my head, rubbing my throbbing temples. “Even if I wanted to, I can’t leave Grandma to run this restaurant alone. She’s getting old, and today’s rush almost broke her.”

Then there’s the biggest problem of all—my mother.

She survives in a wheelchair at a private care facility, her mind shattered by amnesia ever since the car crash that killed my dad. Most days, she doesn't even recognize me. But her specialized medical care costs a small fortune every month, a bill Coach Daniel and his family have been paying out of their own pockets since the accident.

Daniel leans forward, his dark eyes locking onto mine with absolute authority.

“Listen to me, Bonnie. If you agree to take this opportunity, your mother’s hospital bills will be fully covered under the contract. Every single penny.”

I freeze. “What?”

“Coach Adriane and I already agreed on the terms,” Daniel explains. “Her room, her therapy, her medicine—it’s all taken care of. But Adriane made one rule, if you do this, you can’t exhaust yourself running back and forth from this restaurant every day. He wants you staying directly in the athlete residence at the training facility.”

“Stay at the facility?” I ask, my head spinning. “And what about Grandma?”

“I already talked to her before I sat down with you,” Daniel says with a warm smile. “I’m hiring two full-time workers to take over the kitchen and tables. Your grandma is just going to sit at the register and count money. She wants you back on the ice, Bonnie. She wants you to live your life.”

I look over at the counter. Grandma is watching us with tears in her eyes, giving me a tiny, encouraging nod. When did these two meet?

A heavy lump forms in my throat. Everything I’ve been hiding, the guilt of moving on without Evan, the fear of stepping back into the sport, the crushing weight of my mother’s medical bills comes pressing down on me all at once.

I’m terrified. The thought of letting another guy throw me ten feet into the air, and trust him to catch me before my head slams onto the ice scares me to my core. Evan was my safety net. Evan was the only boy I ever trusted with my life.

How could I ever trust anyone else the same way?

But my mother needs that medical care. My father’s dream for my career is still waiting for me. And I need this so my grandma can finally rest.

I take a deep, shaky breath and wipe my eyes before Daniel notices.

“Okay,” I finally mutter. “I’ll do it.”

Daniel lets out a long sigh of relief and a wide line drags the corner of his lips. “That’s my girl.”

“So...” I swallow hard, my heart pounding against my ribs. “Who is he? Who is my new partner?”

Daniel stands up and buttons his coat, giving my shoulder a firm squeeze. “Pack your bags, Bonnie. Coach Adriane is waiting for us at the complex. You're going to meet him today.”

I take one last deep breath, clutching my cold hands together under the table.

I’m terrified, but there’s no turning back now.