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‘Oh my goodness,’ said Alice, melting. Her eyes followed the pair of them as they skated away.
‘Don’t tell me you’re broody?’ said Elsie.
‘Are you kidding me? My ovaries just exploded.’
‘Because of the little girl or the hot dad?’
‘Both,’ she laughed as the trailing mum scooted past, an even smaller child squeezing her hand.
‘Of course, the mum is ridiculously hot,’ she whispered, waving. ‘Hi!’
‘Come on, eyes on the ice, Hunter,’ said Elsie, focusing her friend. ‘We’re here to skate not date.’
‘Fine,’ said Alice, stomping herself back round to face the other way. ‘Is home wrecking out of the question though? Asking for a friend.’
‘You ready?’ she glared. ‘I’ll go in front of you this time.’
Elsie took hold of both her hands and started to move backwards, pulling Alice along gently.
As she looked up, she glanced toward Cole who smiled and waved, swishing past behind them and circling off toward the far end where they’d begun.
‘Are you ready to go alone?’
‘No.’
Elsie let go and slid aside as Alice continued. ‘Don’t panic, just keep going.’
A hesitant smile flashed across her friend’s face, her head still down and concentrating hard.
Cole was looping back to take over and as he drew up, Elsie spun away.
She loved skating, there was something peaceful and calming about it. It was gentle and rhythmic and the dulled sound of the packed snow made the world feel cosy despite the temperature. She looked back towards her husband and Alice and smiled.
They were turning back now, and she had another minute before they would reach her, so she sped away and picked up some speed, going wide around the edge of the lake and leaning into each turn, dodging past trees growing up and out of the ice.
Once or twice she glanced into the middle, looking for the handsome dad and the hot mum, the temptation to peek overpowering. Then she turned her attention to the wind, feeling it rushing through her hair and freezing her skin and gradually she let everything else fade away.
Alice was calling for her.
She’d settled into a trance as she’d skated round and round and now - as her attention was drawn back to the present - she felt disoriented, looking left and right for her friend.
As she slowed down, the handsome dad - skating backwards as he tried to snap a photo of his happy little brood - crashed into her, knocking them both off their feet and down onto the ice in a crumpled heap.
‘Ow,’ she laughed, grimacing as her bottom collided with the hard packed surface. As she went to stand up, flattening the palms of her hands on the ice, she felt a sharp pain in her left ankle and yelped before sliding back down. ‘Oh, shit.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ said the hot dad as he knelt upright, leaning toward her in concern.
He was even more attractive up close. He was tall and athletic with a short sweep of messy hair and a stubbly beard that was gradually turning silver in patches and the moment Elsie made eye contact with him, she felt herself blush as though all her confidence had been knocked out of her in an instant.
‘You okay, Els?’ said Cole, sweeping down low as his wife tried to stand up again, the cold piercing through her leggings fast.
‘I can’t stop,’ came the loud voice of Alice a moment later as she ploughed into the three of them, tumbling down and giggling as she slid to a halt.
‘Fuu-‘, Alice censored herself just in time as the dad’s little girl skidded over and stopped.
‘Daddy, are you okay?’
‘Yes, I’m fine sweetie,’ he gestured toward the two women. ‘We just had a little crash.’
