Chapter 4: What the Ice Knows

A week into their partnership, Nadia realized the ice knew things before people did.

It sounded ridiculous.

But after twenty years of skating, she trusted the ice more than most humans.

The ice never lied.

If your timing was off, it showed.

If your confidence cracked, it showed.

If you trusted someone, the ice showed that too.

That was the problem.

Because lately, the ice had been revealing things Nadia wasn't ready to admit.

✦ ✦ ✦

"You're distracted again."

Dominic didn't even look at her when he said it.

He was adjusting his blades near the boards.

"I'm not distracted."

"You missed three transitions."

"Two transitions."

"Three."

"Fine. Three."

His mouth twitched.

"Thank you for confirming."

"You're impossible."

"I've been told."

The annoying thing was that he genuinely seemed proud of that fact.

Nadia finished tying her skates.

Then stood.

"Ready?"

"Always."

"That answer is unsettling."

"Your concern has been noted."

She laughed despite herself.

A month ago she wouldn't have believed she'd be laughing this much around Dominic Hartley.

The man had a reputation for being cold.

Intimidating.

Emotionally unavailable.

Most of those descriptions weren't entirely wrong.

But they weren't entirely right either.

The Dominic she was discovering existed underneath all of that.

Few people ever seemed to reach that version.

✦ ✦ ✦

Training started with edge drills.

Then turns.

Then synchronization exercises.

The routine had become familiar surprisingly quickly.

What surprised Nadia more was how much she enjoyed it.

She'd always believed skating was an individual pursuit.

You succeeded alone.

You failed alone.

That was simpler.

Cleaner.

Safer.

Working with Dominic challenged that belief every day.

They skated a full pattern sequence.

Then another.

Then a third.

"Better," Dominic said.

"Only better?"

"Much better."

"Wow. That's practically a standing ovation from you."

"Don't get emotional."

"Too late."

For a brief moment he actually smiled.

The sight still caught her off guard.

Dominic smiled rarely.

Which made every smile feel important.

✦ ✦ ✦

Later that afternoon, Coach Irina watched them run their tango.

The entire routine.

No interruptions.

No corrections.

No stopping.

When the music ended, Nadia waited.

Irina was quiet.

Very quiet.

That usually meant something.

"Well?" Nadia asked.

Irina folded her arms.

"You're improving."

"That's all?"

"Did you expect fireworks?"

"Maybe."

"Then lower your expectations."

Nadia sighed dramatically.

Irina ignored her.

"The technical side is coming together," the coach continued.

"But?"

"There's always a but."

"I knew it."

"You're still protecting yourselves."

The statement created instant silence.

"Protecting ourselves from what?" Nadia asked.

"Each other."

Dominic's expression didn't change.

Nadia wished hers hadn't.

"It's a dance program," Nadia said carefully.

"Exactly."

Irina pointed toward the ice.

"Dance is communication. Right now you're speaking. You're just not saying everything."

"That's incredibly vague."

"Good."

"Good?"

"The best coaching advice usually sounds vague until you're ready to understand it."

Nadia looked at Dominic.

Dominic looked at the ice.

Neither had a response.

Unfortunately, that made Irina look extremely satisfied.

✦ ✦ ✦

That evening, Nadia called her mother.

It was a weekly tradition.

No matter where she was.

No matter how busy life became.

"How's the new partner?" her mother asked immediately.

"Hello to you too."

"Answer the question."

"He's fine."

"Fine means interesting."

"No, it means fine."

"Nadia."

"Mom."

"Interesting."

Nadia groaned.

"Can we discuss literally anything else?"

"Not until you answer honestly."

Her mother had an irritating talent for reading people.

"He's good," Nadia admitted.

"At skating?"

"At everything."

"Ah."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That little ah."

"I'm just listening."

"You're judging."

"Also true."

Nadia laughed.

"Nothing is happening."

"I didn't say anything was."

"You were thinking it."

"Maybe."

"Mom."

"All I'm saying is that I've heard you talk about hundreds of skaters. Most of them you forget within minutes. You're still talking about this one."

Nadia stared at the ceiling.

She hated when her mother made good points.

"We're partners," she said finally.

"And?"

"That's all."

"If you say so."

"I do say so."

"Alright, sweetheart."

Her mother sounded unconvinced.

Which was annoying.

Mostly because Nadia wasn't entirely convinced either.

✦ ✦ ✦

The next morning, she arrived at the rink earlier than usual.

Dominic was already there.

Again.

"Do you ever sleep?" she asked.

"Occasionally."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

"That's unhealthy."

"According to who?"

"Everyone."

"Interesting."

"You're impossible."

"We've established that."

Nadia shook her head.

Then stepped onto the ice.

Something felt different today.

She wasn't sure what.

The rink looked the same.

The air felt the same.

The music was the same.

Yet something had shifted.

They started their warmup.

Then moved into partner work.

At one point, Dominic reached for her hand to guide a transition.

A completely normal movement.

A completely professional adjustment.

Yet neither of them let go immediately afterward.

Only a second passed.

Maybe less.

Still.

Nadia noticed.

So did Dominic.

They separated almost instantly.

Neither commented.

The silence afterward felt strangely loud.

"Again," Dominic said.

"Right."

"You okay?"

"Of course."

"Good."

"Are you?"

"Of course."

"Liar."

The word slipped out before she could stop it.

Dominic blinked.

Then laughed softly.

"Maybe."

Nadia smiled.

The tension disappeared.

At least partially.

But later, while skating through another routine, she remembered what Irina had said.

You're still protecting yourselves.

For the first time, Nadia wondered if the coach was right.

And if she was right...

What exactly were they protecting themselves from?