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“Don’t put him on a pedestal, Willow. He’d hate that. He only wants you to see him as Jesse. As the guy you fell in love with.”
I turn to Pippa with a raised eyebrow. “I’m not in love. I can’t be. And what happened to your worry and concern? That sounds a lot like you’re rooting for us.”
Pippa raises an eyebrow. “I want you to be happy. And if Jesse’s that guy, then of course I’ll be rooting for the two of you. But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop wanting to knee him in the balls.”
“That’s fair.” I laugh. “I wouldn’t stop you.”
“Good to know.”
By the time we walk into the building, Jesse’s dressed and waiting for us. “You’ll be pleased to know she delivered the flowers, and me, in one piece,” I say when I reach him, smelling the flowers again.
“At least we know she’s good at something,” he jokes and Pippa lifts her knee, silently asking if she can get it over with now. I shake my head, thankful that Jesse is none the wiser.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks, a hesitant smile on his face.
“Go?” I say, pausing until Pippa’s out of earshot. “I thought you were teaching me to skate?”
Jesse laughs. “I am, but we can’t just carve up the ice here. I rented out the public rink.”
“Oh. Of course.” My chest heats; I really know nothing about hockey. Or ice skating. Or ice. Would we really carve up the ice while learning?Shit! Am I going to fall?
Jesse tentatively steps forward, his hand lifted in the air, his finger curled as though he’s about to brush hair away from my face. The world stops, and I feel every heartbeat in my chest, the pounding so loud there’s no way he can’t hear it. Our eyes meet just as his hand drops, making my heart sink along with it.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” he asks with a chuckle.
I almost laugh at myself, except it’s not funny. My mind is a pretty messed up place to be. “Just nervous,” I say, because that’s what I was originally thinking. “I don’t want to embarrass myself.”
“You won’t. We all have to start somewhere. Plus, it’s just you and me. And I promise I won’t let you fall.”
The intensity of his gaze has my breath hitching as his words settle between us. He may have lied in the past, but he’s shown me time and time again that when it comes to falling, he will always catch me. I can always rely on that truth.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Willow
IfeellikeIcould be in one of those memes where it shows how someone thinks they look compared to how they actually do—for instance, right now I’m gliding gracefully around the rink, hair perfectly windswept, arms in the air like I’m flying, my footwork…perfection. When in reality my arms are wide because I’m wobbling uncontrollably, my hair’s windswept, but only as I’m falling to the ground, and I’m flushed red. As promised, Jesse doesn’t let me hit the ice, and I’m grateful, but I’m still unstable.
“Why can’t I do this?” I laugh when Jesse catches me. Again.
“It takes time. We all have our talents. There’s no way these big hands could make fine jewelry.” He holds up one hand, the other holding on tightly to my waist.
He’s been doing that since we got here, giving me subtle compliments so I don’t feel embarrassed, and it’s working well to distract me. Only this time, I don’t think it’s his words. I’m more focused on the big hands he mentioned, and remembering them curled into my hair, pulling my head back as his lips meet mine.
“Willow?”
“Huh?”
“Do you want to try again?” Jesse asks with a slightly furrowed brow.
“Oh yes, definitely. I’m determined to skate by myself before we leave here today.”
Jesse looks at his watch. “Better get moving. I’ve only got the ice for another hour.”
Shit.
With all the patience in the world, Jesse continues to guide me. “That’s it,” he encourages with a huge smile when I finally grasp the ability to stand. “Now, I’m going to take you around,” he says when I’ve been standing on my own for a moment. “And all you have to do is hold on.”
That sounds easy enough, but I’ll bet it’s not. “Hold on. Okay. Got it.”
