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"I knew it," Tia said. "I saw you two over in the corner of the rink chatting it up at practice the other day, and I knew from the way you two were leaning into each other that you were talking about more than just skating. You're seeing each other, aren't you?"
"Mayyybe."
Amber laughed. "You are so cute when you're being coy and secretive, Brandon. But I totally understand if you don't want to talk about it."
Brandon leaned over her shoulder. "I want to talk about it so much it makes my stomach hurt. But Sergei has to be careful. His coaches are extremely restrictive about his extracurricular activities."
"You can handle keeping it on the down low," Rory said. "No reason his coaches need to find out."
"Exactly," Amber said. "Hang out in large groups, then the two of you can subtly disappear for some alone time."
"You speak from experience, Amber?"
If only they knew how little experience she actually had, but she wasn't about to reveal that. So instead, she just shrugged. "I might."
"And who 'might' you be cuddling in dark corners?" Tia asked. "Since I'm cuddling no one but my phone."
Amber laughed. "None of your business."
Tia just gave her a knowing smile. "Bet I can guess."
Amber wasn't going to give that suggestion any credence. Instead, they watched the French ice dancers compete. They were very good, but the Canadians had been better.
It wouldn't matter, anyway, since the US team was going to clear the ice with all of them.
Tia stood. "I'm up next. Wish me luck."
Amber was happy to see that Tia seemed a lot calmer now. "You don't need it, honey, but good luck."
"We're all rooting for you," Rory said.
Tia smiled and disappeared.
"It's nice you're hanging out with us," Rory said to Amber. "You've never done this at any of the competitions."
"I'm turning over a new leaf this time," Amber said. "Trying not to isolate myself."
Brandon nodded. "Isolation can kill you, competitively. I know some people like to stay in their own heads, but I can conjure up the worst scenarios if I do that."
"Me, too," Rory said. "And I won't give them voice by telling you what they are."
Amber had never done that. She'd just plugged into her music and shut everyone out. The only thing it had generated was loneliness. Her performance on the ice had never suffered, though. She'd been lucky.
Lucky and lonely.
But no more. She craved friendships and sex and romance and maybe even love someday.
As soon as she won gold. And every time she skated she moved closer to that goal.
The team event wasn't going to net her what she wanted, but it was a warm-up.
"Tia looks so good," Rory said, drawing her out of her own thoughts and back onto the ice, where Tia's program had started.
Rory was right. Tia skated with a great confidence. She slightly bobbled her triple lutz, but she didn't fall. That flub wouldn't be enough to lose a massive amount of points. The rest of her program went well.
"She did great," Amber said when Tia finished.
"She did." Rory smiled.
At twenty-one, Rory was four years older than seventeen-year-old Tia. But Tia would turn eighteen next month, so it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that the two of them would match up. Judging by the way Rory had watched Tia skate, and the way the two of them had bounced off each other when they'd sat together, Amber got the idea there was an attraction. She made a mental note to ask Tia how she felt about Rory.
Tia's score was good. Really good. It didn't surprise Amber since Tia had beautiful lines and solid jumps.
When Amber took to the ice, the US team was in first place in points.
She intended to keep it that way.
When her music queued up, she glided across the ice, confident in every movement, assured of her choreography, which she'd practiced over and over again. Her team was counting on her to give them her best, and by the time she finished her long program, she felt as if she had.
The crowd roared their approval. She soaked it in, not like she deserved it, but hoping she'd done her best to help win a gold medal for the team.
When she took to the seats to await her scores, the entire team crowded around her, since she'd skated last. Her scores would determine whether the US would win the team event.
Now she felt pressure. She didn't want to let her team down.
"You rocked it, honey," Telisa said, putting her arm around her.
"You were so good," Tia said.
She blew out a breath. "I hope I did enough."
Brandon rubbed her back. "It was flawless. If it isn't enough, then it's on the judges, not you."
The Canadian team had also skated nearly perfectly. They were in second place. It was going to be close.
When the scores came up, Amber scanned them quickly.
She had done enough. They'd won the team gold medal. The entire team erupted in cheers.
Her entire skating career had been a solitary endeavor. But now she hugged her teammates.
"You did it," Tia said.
Amber squeezed her. "No, we did it. We all did."
They posed for photos and interviews. Amber had never been more excited about anything in her entire life. It was her first gold medal, and while it wasn't an individual medal, she'd happily share this with her teammates.
They stood on the podium as a team. Russia had taken the bronze and Canada the silver. When they hung the gold medal around her neck, Amber felt a tremor zing through her body.
"I'm so excited I can barely breathe," Tia said, grinning.
"Ditto," Amber said.
She even teared up during the national anthem.
It was the best night so far in her career.
And
that was saying a lot, because she had so many wonderful memories. But this one she'd shared with all her teammates.
With her friends.
"We have to go celebrate," Rory said.
"How about we head down the mountain to Vancouver?" Brandon asked.
Tia grinned. "That's a great idea."
"You have to run that by your coach first," Amber said. "Since you're underage and aren't supposed to leave the village."
Tia made a face. "Fine. Will you be my chaperone tonight, Amber?"
"Sure." Though she really wanted to see Will. Maybe he'd go with them.
"Thank you. I'll go check with my coach."
"Can I invite Sergei?" Brandon asked.
"I imagine we can invite whomever," Telisa said. "I'd like to invite Darren and Christina. They skated their hearts out."
Amber went to grab her bag. She pulled her phone out to text Will. There was already a message from him.
You were amazing. Not surprised at all. Congrats!
She smiled and texted him. Thanks! We're all headed down the mountain for dinner. You in?
It took him a few minutes, but he replied with, Hell yeah.
Why was it that everything about him made her happy, including a two-word text reply?
They were all going to change and meet up in the main lobby in an hour. She texted Will and let him know she'd meet him there.
She had a brief conversation with Yegor, who praised her for her performance and told her to get some rest, because she'd be back on the ice for practice tomorrow. Then she headed over to her apartment to change and tuck her gold medal into the safe.
She had a gold medal. It wasn't the one she'd come here for, but it sure felt amazing.
She took a shower and changed, then went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, fixed her makeup and brushed her hair. She decided on a pair of leggings and a coral long-sleeved top, slid into her boots and was about to grab her coat when her phone buzzed on the kitchen counter.
It was probably Will so she dashed to grab it.
It was her mom. She thought about ignoring it, but that probably wasn't a good idea. She punched the button.
"Hi, Mom."
"You won a gold medal."
She smiled. "The team did, yes. Did you watch it on television?"
"No, honey. I'm here. In Vancouver."
Her stomach felt like it had dropped to her feet. "You're here? Already?"
"Of course. You didn't think I'd miss even one of your performances, did you? I can't wait to see you. I have a lovely hotel just outside of the venue. Come meet me and we'll have dinner tonight."
