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“Mikey told me he was going to be stuck at the shop all night to get a truck ready by tomorrow. What’s he doing there?”
Another long pause. “Look, Andi. I didn’t know how to say this but your mom is, well, she’s feeling really feisty tonight. I’m going to have to do some things that I’d rather not talk to my daughter about. Sorry for lying about the car.”
I stare into the distance, not sure I’ll ever be able to see the world the same again after hearing that. “Um,” is all I can think to say.
“Well, I’d better get to it. Her. Get to her.”
Dad hangs up the phone.
I stare at my phone and think if I had a time machine right now, all I’d want to do is go back ten seconds and hang up on that call before I heard what I just heard.
I shudder. What the hell is going on tonight?
I’ve always been the type to believe things happen for a reason, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say the universe was trying to tell me to stay for the Frostival Finale. First Mikey needs an emergency babysitter, then Caroline can’t show up, and now my parents are doing whatever it is they’re doing?
Alright, then. One way or another, it looks like I’m at least going to see the finale through. After that, I can decide if I have enough resolve to follow through with my plan to head to New York and take Landon’s dad up on that job.
43
ANDI
I’m bundled in my jacket, scarf, and mittens while I watch close to a hundred residents of Frosty Harbor and a few tourists taking to the ice skating area. Another hundred or so are mulling around the periphery, all on skates. Men are grilling in skates. Mia is behind the DJ booth in skates. All of it is taking place beneath the most magical arrangement of Christmas lights and decorations I’ve ever seen.
All of this, and my stupid mind is tangled up inside like it’s caught in a web of brambles.
I feel myself fighting against something. I feel the borderline panic inside as I try everything I can to run before any of this can catch up with me. The harder I try to fight, the more it seems like I’m pulled right back to where I started, though.
Meemee is skating with Cade now and giving my ear a temporary break from her near-constant chatter.
I’m watching with a smile when Caroline finally arrives. She sees me, veers off in another direction with a strange smile, and disappears into the concession stand.
I shake my head. Something is really off with her today. Honestly, it feels like everybody is off today. Mikey was acting weird. My dad was absolutely acting weird. Caroline mysteriously has been everywhere except here, even though she has spent the last few weeks talking about the Frostival Finale every chance she gets. Even Jake and the guys from the team are mostly ignoring me, except for a brief greeting before they went off to goof around on the ice and skate with the locals.
Caroline also made it sound like Jesse was planning to come, but I still haven’t seen any sign of him.
I notice Liam out there with his latest love interest. She’s a little older than him by my guess with pretty, wavy brown hair and a big smile. They’re holding hands and laughing as they skate–him going backwards and her following after him.
Part of me wants to go out there and skate with them, but the honest truth is it wouldn’t feel right without Jesse. I don’t want it to feel right, I guess. So I’m a little glad he isn’t here, even if I’m dying of curiosity to know where he is. The most likely answer is he’s avoiding me. Caroline probably told him I was stuck here and he’d already made plans to be as far away from me and the Frostival Finale as he could.
I hate the idea of him missing this just because he’s worried about being near me, though, which brings on a fresh rush of guilt.
I watch Carter and Maddox make the rounds on the ice. The crowd has grown and the skating area, which seemed too big when it was empty, now almost seems small. The two guys are apparently scouting out options for the couples skate, because they keep stopping to talk to every pretty girl they come across. Eventually, one of them skates off with Maddox, leaving Carter to go it on his own.
Jake is hanging out with Nolan. Neither guy seems like they’re particularly worried about hooking up tonight. They’re just hanging out and enjoying the moment. It’s typical of Jake, at least. I know he has always tried to cut ties with any girl he’s with during the hockey season. In a few days, all the guys but Jesse will be back in the full flow of the season, and Jake won’t want any distractions. Maybe Nolan shares his view.
Mia, who is manning the DJ booth, stops the music. That’s when I realize Jesse has arrived and he’s standing up on the stage we built on the ice with her. He’s holding a microphone she just handed him and shielding his eyes against the bright lights cutting through the night. The sound of skates scraping on ice and coming to a stop is loud now that the music has been turned off. The general murmur of voices dies out and gets quiet.
Jesse taps the mic twice and it’s loud, reverberating through the chilly night. “Hi,” he says.
Uh. The single word, or maybe it’s just a sound, is the only thought I seem to be able to manage. Deep in my brain, I think part of me is already starting to piece together why he would be up there and how it connects to everybody acting so weird. But all I know right now is my heart is pounding and I’m straining my ears, waiting to hear what he says next.
“I’m Jesse Prince. Most of you know me, some of you don’t. Sorry to interrupt your night, but I need to send a really special message to someone. I’m just, uh, not sure she’s here. Can anyone help me find Andi Summers?”
My stomach clenches in fear. Caroline is suddenly behind me. She lifts my arm high and shouts. “Got her right here!”
Most of the town is in front of me on the ice, so they all turn toward me, the sudden attention making my cheeks burn. There’s a confused round of clapping, laughs, and murmurs.
Jesse turns to face me and I feel myself freeze in a way that has nothing to do with the cold. What the hell is he doing? If he’s about to engage in the world’s most public, embarrassing break up, I’m going to kill him. Then I’m going to cut a hole in the ice, step into the water, and drift away into oblivion.
