Page 122

“Adults,” he continued. “I thought, perhaps . . . you might offer dance lessons to the smaller ones, as you’re so good with them, and continue your teaching on the ice?”

I couldn’t get my head around it all. “Ren . . .” My voice cracked and broke open.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure how you’d react, honestly. But I wanted to save the studio from someone developing it. Save it for, well . . . for you. Because it’s important to you.”

The sobs came out of nowhere and I couldn’t stop them. They racked me. He got down on his knees on the sidewalk, dirtying up his smart pants, and pulled me into his arms. I wasn’t even sad. I was thrilled, but it was all of it. Him being here, living here, buying Saga’s place, asking me to teach with him. He wasn’t leaving again, he was staying. He was staying and he’d offered me a life with him. And I’d lost Saga, but I’d found Ren, and this was all too much.

You know, just when I thought I had a handle on my emotions, something always came along and kicked my legs out from under me. Ren did that outside Saga’s studio.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I thought . . . I thought this was a good thing?”

I laughed and cried, then grabbed his coat and cried into it. It was a good thing. And I needed him to know that, as soon as I could collect myself enough to get the words out.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I gasped, trying to breathe again.

He frowned, eyebrows pinching with concern. “Are you laughing or crying?”

I hit him, then hugged him, and we sat like that for a long time, on the sidewalk outside Saga’s place, until we were both shivering. When I stopped falling apart, we ducked under the garage door and headed inside. The studio had been locked up for several weeks. The air smelled damp. That probably wasn’t a good sign.

“And the studio apartment above?” I asked.

“Yes, the whole building. I’ll renovate it over the coming weeks and move in.”

I didn’t know what to say. There weren’t any words. I wandered down the main corridor, frowning at a couple of bags left behind, and one random shoe. We’d have to get the dancers back, but that wouldn’t be too difficult. I had most of their numbers. And Hasegawa’s name alone would be free advertising.

“The place could do with a few upgrades,” I said, noticing the peeling wallpaper and exposed, hanging wires.

“Agreed. Like a sprung floor.”

“Yeah, and maybe rewiring, so the electric doesn’t go off every time you put the microwave and the showers on.”

His lips pressed into a stern line. “I wasn’t aware of that particular problem.”

“You know you bought a money pit, right?” I laughed, and as we’d reached the storage cupboards, I dug around inside, found Saga’s stash of warm beer, and offered one to Ren. He frowned at it, then smiled and took it. He popped the top on the nearby table edge, then took mine, did the same, and handed it back. We chinked bottles.

“Congratulations,” I told him. “Does this mean you’re Canadian now?”

“Uh, no. I’m here on an entrepreneur visa. We have to prove the business is viable and employs enough local people.”

“Like me?”

“Like you.”

I leaned back against a stack of boxes that had been in the storage room forever. “Are you really staying? You’re not going back to England?”

“There’s nothing for me in England.” He leaned a hip against the boxes too, side on, facing me. “And I don’t want you to think you have to do this, or work here. This was my risk. I don’t want to force you into anything you’re not ready for. You have a career in ice dance. Please don’t think I’m asking you to leave that. I would never assume to dictate your life.”

Like his father had done to him. I nodded. “I know. Thank you. But . . . do you want me to?”

His gaze lifted. “Do I want you to what?”

“Be with you, like . . . as business partners, I guess, but also partner partners?”

His smile grew. His eyes brightened too. “I thought I’d made that clear when I kissed you at the podium?”

“Yeah, I know, just . . . it’s been a month and you might’ve gotten bored of me⁠—”

He plucked the bottle from my hand, placed both down neatly on a stacked chair, then stepped in real close and tipped my chin up. “I’m never going to grow bored of you, Cam. That would be utterly impossible.”