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Lovette couldn't help but feel like she had somehow pissed off Lady Luck to end up in this situation. Chris, completely oblivious to her inner turmoil, had no idea what he had gotten her into. Maybe she should have seen the signs when he showed up with two hockey sticks, but she was too distracted by how good he looked in his sweatshirt. He had insisted on keeping their destination a surprise, only giving her directions, and now she was seriously regretting it.
As they stood in front of the skating rink, Lovette mentally cursed herself for not asking more questions. She had been working with her therapist to become more comfortable with skating, making huge progress during the past couple of sessions. But today? Today was not a day she had mentally prepared for. She pondered if she could fake an illness or orchestrate a clumsy accident resulting in a conveniently sprained ankle. Anything to avoid this situation. However, as she looked at Chris and saw the sheer excitement radiating from him, she realized she couldn't go through with it.
There was a spark in Chris's eyes, a genuine enthusiasm that she couldn't ignore. The thought of disappointing him weighed heavily on her, and suddenly, her own discomfort seemed insignificant in comparison.
Suppressing a sigh, Lovette enters the rink with Chris by her side. )As they walked toward the benches, Lovette recalled the strategies Dr. Florence had given her to ease her anxiety. Surprisingly, they seemed to be working, and she felt a growing sense of ease. She couldn't deny that Chris's presence played a part in her newfound confidence.
"Need any help with your skates?" Chris asked, already having tied his own.
Lovette hesitated, but the hopeful look in his eyes melted her resistance, so she nodded. It was sweet how he wanted to assist her, unaware that she had laced up her skates countless times before. But she decided not to spoil the moment and allowed him to lend a hand.
Assuming Chris had booked a private session, Lovette glanced around and realized there was no one else on the ice. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the two hockey sticks in Chris's hands. She watched him step onto the ice with familiarity, effortlessly gliding across its frozen surface. Taking a deep breath, Lovette followed suit, feeling nervous as her blades met the ice.
Skating gracefully toward Chris, she noticed a look of surprise on his face.
"Do you skate often?" he asked, still holding the hockey sticks.
Lovette was taken aback by the question. "Yeah, I'm actually a figure skater," she replied, nodding.
"Figure skating is cool as fuck," Chris blurted out, admiration evident in his tone. "Can you show me a trick or something?"
