Read Online Taking the Ice (Ice Series Book 3) by Jennifer Comeaux - Free Book Online

family with me.”
    Oh my God. They’re fighting over a trip that could possibly not even happen.
    I massaged my temples. That’s not positive thinking , I reminded myself, but I had to keep it real.
    “I need to be in Napa growing my business. The one that’s paying for this luxury suite in Russia.” Mr. Tucker swirled his wine and downed all of it.
    Josh pushed his hand through his hair. “Can we please talk about something else or not talk at all? We’re trying to stay focused on one event at a time, that being our long program in two days. Nothing else.”
    Mrs. Tucker was still glaring at her husband. “We’ll discuss the trip later.”
    “There’s nothing more to discuss,” he fired back.
    Stephanie groaned and threw her napkin on the table. “I’m going to the ladies’ room.”
    “I think I’ll join you,” I said, seeking at least a momentary escape.
    When we emerged at the sinks a few minutes later, Stephanie scrubbed her hands together and pounded them dry with paper towels.
    “I swear I’m never getting married,” she said. “It’s just misery waiting to happen.”
    “Not every couple is like that,” I said.
    “Most of the ones I’ve seen are,” she said and swept out the door.
    I stood there, slowly wiping my hands. Josh had grown up in the same dysfunctional environment as Stephanie, but I’d never thought he was jaded about marriage. With his silence on the topic lately, though, I had to wonder if all the dysfunction had affected him, too.
    I crumpled the paper towel and tossed it into the trash, which was where I needed to put my worries, too. All that should be on your mind is skating.
     
    ****
     
    T HE CROWD ROARED, DROWNING out the music, and I shivered from the goosebumps covering my arms. The skating, the emotion, the atmosphere… everything had been perfect. It was exactly how I envisioned our final nationals performance.
    “What are you watching?” Josh asked as he came out of the bathroom, his hair still glistening from the shower.
    I propped up on my elbows and turned down the volume on my phone. “Em and Chris’s nationals free skate here in 2001. It was one of the greatest skates I’ve ever seen and the most electric atmosphere I’ve ever experienced.”
    Josh sat on the end of the bed and peered at the tiny screen, where Sergei was hugging a sobbing Em.
    “Were you crying in the stands?” He smiled.
    “I was. I was bawling.”
    I actually had a little lump in my throat watching now and recalling the energy in the building that night.
    “That can easily be us tomorrow afternoon,” Josh said.
    I stared at the video. Em and Chris’s near-perfect scores came up, and they were both wide-eyed with shock and glee as they embraced in the kiss and cry. The announcer’s voice couldn’t be heard over the audience’s screaming. God, I wanted that to be us tomorrow so badly.
    “We’ve put in so much work, and I’ve come so close before.” I looked up at Josh. “We have to get our storybook ending, right?”
    “I believe what may seem like an impossible dream can very much come true. The fact that you’re here with me right now is proof.”
    I smiled and soaked in the adoration in his eyes. There was never a second with Josh that I didn’t feel loved. I kissed his arm and nuzzled my nose to his warm skin, and he bent and buried his lips in my hair.
    “There’s something I want to give you.” He got up and went to his suitcase. “I was going to wait until after we skated, but…”
    My heart thundered as Josh dug under the clothes in his bag. Is this the moment? I scrambled to sit up, and I touched my ring finger. Would it no longer be empty in a few minutes?
    Josh turned around with a flat, square something in his hands, and I almost laughed at how he kept unknowingly faking me out. He had no idea how much he was torturing me.
    He returned to my side and handed me the wrapped gift. “I’ve had this for a long time, but I thought this weekend would be the