Edge of Impact

Chapter Three

Zoe stormed into Matt's office, not bothering to knock. Her pulse raced with frustration, her skates still slung over her shoulder from the last disastrous session. Matt, her boss—and only two years older than her—looked up from his desk with an amused quirk of his eyebrow. He wasn't taking her seriously, and that only fueled the fire burning inside her.

"He's got to go," Zoe said, her voice sharp.

Matt leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh. "James?"

"Yes, James," she snapped. "I can't do this anymore. He's always late, he barely pays attention, and the kids... the kids are starting to notice."

Matt leaned forward, rubbing his temples. "Come on, Zoe, it can't be that bad."

"It's worse. He's a walking disaster. I've worked too hard to build this program just to watch it get ruined by some hockey player who doesn't even want to be here."

"His community service isn't exactly his choice," Matt said, his tone annoyingly calm. "It's not like he's jumping for joy about having to be here instead of at practice."

Zoe planted her hands on her hips, glaring at Matt. "I don't care about his university or his hockey team. I care about the kids."

Matt sat up, fixing her with a steady gaze. "Zoe, you're one of the best figure skating instructors I've ever had. You're not going to throw all that away over one guy who's doing his best to keep his head above water."

Zoe's arms crossed over her chest. "Matt, either you get rid of him, or I'm done. I mean it."

For a moment, Matt just stared at her, his expression softening. "You're not quitting. You're too passionate about this."

"I am quitting. If James is still here by next week, I'm out." Her words felt more real the longer she stood her ground. But Matt, as always, remained calm.

He sighed again, sitting back in his chair. "What about Kiera?"

Zoe blinked. "What about her?"

"She loves your lessons. Do you really want to quit and let her down?" Matt's tone was gentle, and it hit a nerve. Kiera was his seven-year-old daughter, one of Zoe's favorite students. She adored skating, and every time she came to a lesson, her eyes would light up with pure joy.

Zoe's resolve faltered. "That's not fair, Matt."

"I'm just saying, don't make this decision so quickly. You've got a gift for teaching, and the kids look up to you." He paused, letting that sink in before continuing. "Look, I'll make you a deal. Give James one month to get his act together. If things haven't improved by then, I'll pull him. I promise. But I think you should give it some time."

"One month?" Zoe asked, her irritation simmering down into reluctant acceptance.

"One month. If he doesn't step up, I'll personally kick him off the ice."

Zoe let out a frustrated breath. The image of Kiera, grinning ear to ear every time she laced up her skates, tugged at her heartstrings. "Fine. One month. But if he's still a disaster by then, I'm gone."

"Deal." Matt's grin was far too smug for her liking as she turned on her heel and stalked out of the office.

---

Later that day, Zoe found herself sitting in a corner booth at the local café with her two best friends, Grace and Martina. The place smelled like fresh coffee and pastries, but despite the cozy atmosphere, Zoe was still fuming.

"I swear," she said, stirring her cappuccino with unnecessary force, "if I have to deal with one more week of James not taking this seriously, I'm going to lose it."