AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s what you took away from all that?” Chandler laughed a little.
“Is it true? Really, I mean?”
“Yes, Belle. I know some might say it was a silly kiss that didn’t mean anything, but it meant something to me. Now, we’re here, and I woke up in your bed this morning. You had your arm around me. And I don’t want to go another day without telling you how I feel and that I don’t just want to skate with you. I want to go out with you, too.”
CHAPTER 29
Belle wasn’t sure what to wear. She hadn’t been on a date in a while, and the last time she had been on one, it wasn’t with Chandler Wolfe, Belle’s very first kiss, first crush, and possibly, first love, whether she’d known what that really meant back then or not. They hadn’t even known each other all that long or that well back then. By the time Chandler had arrived at the program, Belle had already been there for three years and had been on her way up into the senior competitions with a shot at the Olympic Team in that cycle. She would’ve been one of the youngest skaters to do that, too – at least, for the US – and she’d thought it had been her dream, but then, Chandler had walked through the door and had been introduced by the coaches, and Belle no longer knew how skates worked.
Now, it was years later, and she was standing in front of the only mirror in her apartment, the one above the bathroom sink, and she was trying to figure out if she should dress more like herself tonight or if she should dress up. Chandler had been the one to make the arrangements for their date, which brought a lot of anxiety Belle’s way because she had no idea where they were going. Chandler hadn’t helped much with that.
“Just wear whatever,” Chandler had said before she’d taken off to get dressed at her hotel room.
But Belle wasn’t the kind of someone who could just wear whatever for a date. Skating? Yes. Work? Absolutely. She had jeans, Ice Park shirts, hoodies, and a jacket, and that worked most days. For skating, she had her leggings and a shirt, and that was generally all she needed. Keeping those things in her locker, unless they were being washed, helped her with the much-needed routine she needed to remain focused.
Dates were different, though. And dates with Chandler Wolfe were even more different. Belle had every item from her small closet lying on the bed, and it was literally every item, too. Her closet was now empty, save the coat hangers and the storage bins that had her old skating stuff in it. She stared at the pile and wished she hadn’t pulled everything off the hangers. She went about putting the ‘definite no’ items back on the hangers and back into the closet, but she held one of the ‘possible’ ones up to herself in the mirror, decided to try it on to see how it still fit, realized she wanted some coffee before the date because she’d need a little caffeine after the long day at work, and then promptly forgot she’d made it after trying on the third shirt option.
“Get it together,” she told herself.
It was about twenty minutes before Chandler was supposed to arrive and pick her up, but Belle felt like she had just enough time to run to her dad’s place to check on him since Sheryl had had plans with some friends for the night. She finished getting ready, left the coffee untouched, and got in her truck. Belle pictured it taking fifteen minutes. The drive would take about two to three minutes. It would take one to two to get back to his room. Then, a few minutes to make sure he had what he needed before Belle would drive the few minutes back to her place, get back upstairs, and would wait for Chandler, who would undoubtedly be on time. She’d learned how to anticipate how much time things would take from her therapist years ago. Since Belle had a hard time finishing things or being ready on time, her therapist had taught her to keep track of time with alarms or notifications on her phone. And it usually helped, but it didn’t this time.
“Dad?” she asked. “What are you doing?”
“I had to pee,” he replied, stumbling back from the bathroom toward the bed.
“I was gone for three seconds.” Belle set his refilled water glass on the table and helped him the rest of the way into bed. “You couldn’t hold it?”
“No, I couldn’t. It takes five minutes just to get up and get in there, so I have to anticipate and start the moving process. I’m fine, Belle,” he told her and slid his leg back onto the pillow set there for it.
“You didn’t have water.”
“I can get myself water. Besides, I have a whole gallon jug of it over there.” He nodded to a jug of water she’d set on the other bedside table the day before. “You stocked me up in case the apocalypse comes.”
“That’s for emergencies.”
“Like the apocalypse?”
“Dad, come on. You need help.” Belle put her hands on her hips.
“I’m doing just fine, thank you very much. I’m catching up on some movies I missed in the theater and playing cards. Sheryl cooks when she’s here, so I’m eating good.”
Belle smiled and said, “You like her.”
“She’s a nice person.”
“No, Dad. I mean, it’s okay that you like her.”
“Belle…”
She sat down on the side of the bed and said, “Mom would want you to move on. It’s been more than ten years, and I don’t even know if you’ve had a date since then.”
“Only if the other night counts. Sheryl said you told her where the wine and candles were around here.”
Belle chuckled and said, “It does count, I think, yeah.”
“Well, then, I’m dating now.” He nodded.
“You are, huh?” She smiled at him.
