Chapter 2 An Offer I can't Refuse

Bonnie

Oh God! I don't even know how to feel now that I'm at the facility. I roll the pendant of the necklace Evan had made for both of us between my fingers. It's the one thing left of him I have worn for the past few years.

The building stands tall and wide in front of me. I'm genuinely lost, not knowing where exactly to find Uncle Dan. I free my other hand from my little suitcase to get my phone. Just then, it vibrates against my skin in my jean pants.

Daniel's number flashes across the screen. "Bonnie, I can see you from over here. We will meet your new coach first before you go settle."

His voice rings out from the other end as I press the phone to my ear. A wide smile settles on my face when my eyes find him at the entrance of the building.

I roll my suitcase across the pavement, following Uncle Dan through the glass sliding doors. The inside of the complex is massive, smelling faintly of clean ice, floor wax, and air conditioning. Skaters in sleek athletic wear walk through the lobby, their laughter echoing off the high ceilings. For a second, my heart sinks. I look down at my old jeans and oversized sweater, suddenly feeling like an intruder in a world I used to belong to.

"Coach Adriane is in the main rink lounge," Uncle Dan says, guiding me down a quiet, carpeted hallway. "He wants to lay out the expectations before you step onto the ice tomorrow."

"Is my partner already here?" I ask, my stomach twisting into a nervous knot.

"He should be," Daniel answers, opening a heavy double door at the end of the hall. "Just keep an open mind, Bonnie."

We step into a spacious private viewing lounge overlooking the main ice rink below. Sitting on one of the leather sofas is Coach Adriane Laurent—a legend in Canadian figure skating. He looks sharp, his arms crossed over his chest as he reads through a stack of papers.

Standing by the glass window, looking down at the empty ice with his hands jammed deep into his pockets, is a tall, broad-shouldered guy in a dark fitted jacket.

He turns around when the door clicks shut.

My breath hitches directly in my throat. My feet freeze to the floor, my grip tightening on my suitcase handle until my knuckles turn ghost-white.

No.

No. Anyone but him.

Mael Laurent.

The golden boy of Canadian figure skating. The arrogant, rich heir to the Laurent skating dynasty who made my teenage years a living hell.

Mael stares at me, his cold blue eyes scanning me from head to toe. A sharp, mocking smirk forms on his lips, exactly like the ones he used to give me at junior competitions whenever he and his wealthy partner, Katie Jackson, walked past Evan and me in the hallways.

Mael and Katie were the elite pair. Their families had millions, buying them top-tier coaches, custom costumes, and political influence in the skating federation. They used to look down on Evan and me like we were garbage, making cruel jabs about our cheap gear and locking us out of locker rooms.

And now he's standing in front of me.

"You've got to be kidding me, Uncle Adriane," Mael speaks, his smooth, arrogant voice cutting through the silent room like a blade. "You brought me a diner waitress? Look at her. She’s been out of the sport for half a decade."

My jaw drops in pure shock. My blood boils instant heat straight to my cheeks.

"Mael, watch your tone," Coach Adriane warns, setting his papers down on the glass table. "Bonnie Bennett is a national champion. She has the foundational talent this program needs."

"She was a champion five years ago," Mael sneers, taking a slow step toward me, crowding my space with his towering frame. "Look at her, Uncle. She’s added weight, she’s stiff, and her fame died the day her partner went down. I’m an elite skater preparing for the national championship. I need a real athlete, not a charity project."

"You arrogant jerk!" I snap, stepping right into his face, forgetting for a second that he's almost a foot taller than me. "You think I want to be anywhere near you? You're the last person on earth I'd ever want to stand next to, let alone skate with!"

Mael lets out a dry, condescending laugh. "Then turn around and walk out that door, Bennett. Nobody is holding you hostage. I’d rather skate solo than try to lift someone who belongs behind a diner counter."

"Enough! Both of you!" Uncle Dan’s voice booms across the lounge, stepping between us before I can shove Mael back.

My heart is hammering against my ribs so hard it hurts. How could Uncle Dan do this to me? Why Mael Laurent?

How could I ever trust this boy? Pairs figure skating isn't single skating. I have to throw myself into the air, spinning blind, trusting my partner to catch me by the waist before my skull shatters on the freezing ice. Evan was the only person I ever trusted with my life. Mael hated me to his absolute bone.

How could I ever throw myself in the air and trust his hands to save me? The imagination sends shivers down my spine.

I turn my head toward Uncle Dan, my voice shaking with frustration. "I can't do this, Coach. I strongly refuse to pair with him. He hates me, and I hate him."

"And I don't want her either!" Mael snaps back, crossing his arms over his chest, his face hardened with absolute disgust. "I need a replacement fast to get to the national championship, but I will accept literally anyone else. Just not Bonnie Bennett.”

I stand there in the heavy silence, my fingers reaching up to touch the silver pendant resting against my chest.

Couldn't there just be another choice? Why did it have to be Mael Laurent? It's horrific to even think about.