She jerked, not realizing Luke spent any time doing things not important to him. He wasn’t as self-centered or as cocky.
He went on about what he expected from the team, practice times, and the first competition. Danielle couldn’t concentrate. Fear and anxiety attacked, stabbing from the right and left. He’d use the extra time with Brianna to wheedle his way into her life. And continue his assault to get back into Danielle’s bed.
“Mom!” Brianna hugged her. “Isn’t this great! Luke will be a fantastic coach. When I skied with him, he pointed out a couple of ways to improve.” She stared at her oddly. “Mom?”
The shock of the news sat like a lump of ice in Danielle’s belly. “Yes, great.”
Brianna elbowed her in the stomach. “And you two can spend more time together.”
That’s what Danielle was afraid of.
“He’s going to be busy coaching the team and doing his physical therapy.” She tucked her daughter closer, wanting to protect her from future emotional upheaval. “You do understand, he’ll return to the professional ski circuit soon.”
Not soon enough for her. She feared Brianna’s growing attachment to Luke. It was too late for Danielle. She’d enjoyed spending time with Luke the last few days, and couldn’t stop thinking about the night they’d made love.
Luke broke through the small crowd gathered around him. “How about dinner to celebrate? My treat.”
“Yay!” Brianna jumped up and down as if she’d been invited to ski in France, not have dinner.
“Thanks, but I planned to make dinner at home.”
“Can Chloe come? She’s on the team too.” Brianna talked over her mother, and either Luke didn’t hear or ignored Danielle.
“Sure.”
Brianna darted to tell her friend and another parent came to talk to Luke. He dealt with the parent quickly and then put his arm around Danielle’s shoulders. “Ready to go?”
His arm felt good around her. Like she fit. Like they belonged. But did they? Could Luke belong to anyone?
Nodding, she shrugged off his arm. She couldn’t wait to get out of the stuffy locker room. A few of the parents’ gazes had strayed to her during Luke’s announcement because they knew of their past, and probably heard rumors about their present circumstances. She needed to process, to think about this new development, except being with him wasn’t going to assist her mental capacity.
Luke let her slip away to answer another question and say goodbye to the team members. Then, he escorted her, Bri, and Chloe into the lodge restaurant.
Bri.
Danielle stumbled, and Luke grabbed her elbow. She needed support. That was the first time she’d thought of her daughter as Bri. Luke had shortened her name, as he’d always shortened Danielle’s name. It was why when she left Castle Ridge she’d insisted everyone call her by her full name. No nicknames to remind her of Luke.
And now he’d given Brianna a nickname that had stuck in Danielle’s mind.
The four of them were settled in a cozy booth. Danielle had tried to make excuses to get out of the dinner, instead she’d ended up sitting next to him on one side of the booth while the two girls sat across from them.
Maybe she should stop acting like a child and appreciate Luke’s attention. She could worry about the heartbreak later. Because she was positive heartbreak would come.
Luke’s overwhelming presence dominated the booth. His body warmed her, even though she leaned away. Every time she moved an inch, he’d inch closer until they were almost on top of each other. It was a game to him. They’d placed their orders, and the two girls were filling him in on the team members, when Luke’s cell phone rang.
“Sorry. I have to take this. It’s my agent.” His brow furrowed as if he was thinking about how to deal with the conversation. He slipped out of the booth. “I left her a message about the temporary coaching thing.”
Danielle sipped her wine while the girls chatted on about school and clothes. They talked about biology class, and math. They even talked about what boys they were crushing on. She remembered those days. Remembered her only crush had been Luke.
The waiter placed their meals in front of them. Luke wasn’t back. He hadn’t been pleased about talking to his agent, and yet he’d been gone for a long time. Had something happened? She couldn’t stop the worry thumping through her bloodstream. Luke wouldn’t be this rude, so either he’d gotten bad news or he was arguing with his agent.
“I’m going to find Luke. Tell him dinner’s here. You two start eating.” She got out of the booth and followed his path out the restaurant door.
The December night air chilled her skin under the sweater. Luke hadn’t taken his coat, so he couldn’t have gone far.
Danielle caught a glimpse of a bent blond head near the outdoor fireplace under the portico. His back was to her. She didn’t mean to listen to the conversation. How could she not? Luke yelled into the phone, his tone terse and upset.
“I told you, coaching is only temporary.” He stomped his foot on the brick surrounding the firepit. “I agreed to the contract, and I’ll be there for the eight-month time frame.”
He nodded into the phone, listening. Then said, “I can still do the Japanese deal.”
Japanese deal? As in moving to Japan for almost a year?
* * *
Luke stood at the top of the slalom course. Flurries fluttered in his gut. The starting point dropped onto the course. The gates swung back and forth, waiting for the crush of the next skier. This total anxiety was nothing like when he competed.
This was so much worse.
When it was his race, it was him conquering the mountain. Now, he worried about the kids, how to motivate them, last minute advice, and what to say afterwards. If they did well, not to get them too cocky. If they did poorly, not to ruin their confidence.
He’d watched a couple of kids take the course already. They’d done okay. He knew they each could improve. The course was getting slicker as more skis took the turns around the poles. The later times were always faster, slicker, more dangerous.
He took Chloe’s helmet between his hands to focus her on listening to him. “The course is getting faster. Dig in your edges and take it easy on the last curve.”
“Got it, Coach.”
“Go get ’em.” He tripped on the words feeling inadequate. What had Coach always told him before heading down?
Chloe positioned herself at the start. Her gloved hands gripped the poles. She arched forward waiting for the beep.
The beep echoed in his head. He anticipated the run.
Snow floated across the course. Clouds gathered over the mountain. The smell of moisture was in the air. A storm was brewing.
He loved the mountain right before a snowstorm. The extra bite in the air, the moisture on his skin, the way the clouds reflected the last bit of sun. Once the storm hit, he’d rather be inside sitting by a fire and drinking hot chocolate with Dani by his side.
Dani.
His thoughts swirled to her, resembling snowflakes clinging to a knit beanie. He knew he’d missed her, but he hadn’t expected the sheer joy in relearning the texture of her hair or the softness or her skin.
The beeping changed to a loud and jarring sound. He jumped.
He’d worked with the team for one day. He’d watched from the side of the mountain, videotaped their runs, and showed them technically where they could pick up a second. He’d encouraged and cajoled them to go harder and faster.
Satisfaction swished through him. The kids had listened and learned, if only a little, and he’d enjoyed working them. He hadn’t expected that. He’d agreed to coach out of obligation to Coach. Working with the kids had cut into his physical therapy sessions. He didn’t care. Coaching the kids had been good for his soul.
His agent wasn’t happy with his progress or his coaching. She wanted him focused on recovery. She wanted him in Japan to sign the deal. Verbal commitment wasn’t enough. She wanted to make the contract official.
> Time to think about his career later. He wanted to enjoy his first time coaching.
So far, the entire team had done well, except for one boy who joked around at practice and competition. Frustration flared for a second, until he realized this competition was for learning and for fun. There were no major contracts on the line, no big prize money.
Pivoting to his final skier, he laid two flat hands on Bri’s shoulders. “Okay, this is the first competition of the season. It’s more about getting the layout of the course and how you compete. Feel the course. Let your skis guide you.”
He sounded like Yoda.
Bri was one of the best on the team, if not the best. She was new to the sport and had so much to learn. And she was his daughter, which added an extra edge of anxiety.
“Dig deep with your edges.”
Her lips pursed into seriousness. The normal sparkle in her gaze dimmed. She gave a short, solemn nod. “Yes, Coach.”
A pang hit his chest. He wanted her to call him Dad.
The realization struck him, making him bleed inside. Not only did he want to get to know his daughter, he wanted her to know him and who he really was to her. Anxiety ticked. What if she hated him as a dad? What if she was angry he hadn’t been around for the first thirteen years of her life?
Announcing and cheering and a few cowbells sounded. The skier crossed the finish line. It was Bri’s turn.
Now was the not the time to discuss so serious a subject. She needed to focus on skiing.
“At the third curve, let ’em run. Watch your edge, though.”
“Got it.” She positioned her goggles.
“You can do this.” He pushed confidence into his tone.
“Thanks, Coach.” She trekked to the starting gate and got into position.
The snowflakes in his stomach changed into a blizzard blowing sideways and knocking down anything in its path. He’d never seen his daughter, daughter, compete before in a sport he loved. He wanted her to pull her fastest time, and yet he didn’t want her to get injured. The internal snowstorm chilled his skin. It was hard to get a handle on his role: temporary coach and permanent-but-unknown father.
* * *
Danielle stomped the snowy ground at the bottom of the slalom course, trying to warm her feet. Her heart pumped as if she’d hiked the mountain, instead of waiting at the bottom. Her nerves pulsed with the clock counting down the start time. A competitor moved into the starting gate.
Bri’s blue and purple and lime-green helmet showed from the start position. Her team racing suit flashed in the light.
Danielle moved the binoculars past her daughter to the man standing to the left.
Luke.
She couldn’t see his expression, but sensed his nerves as if he held an electric wire. He stood on the balls of his feet, his hands clenched into fists in the gloves he wore. She knew what was going through his head. Luke hated to lose.
She’d seen his initial reaction when one of the boys on the team had missed a gate and been disqualified. He’d stomped his foot at the top, not watching while the boy had skied on the side of the course. She’d been more worried about the boy’s health. She’d also noticed Luke pulled himself together quickly. He’d radioed down to one of the parents who assisted at competitions and checked on the boy’s condition.
He was no longer the headstrong, careless boy she used to know and it warmed her. He’d grown, matured. Could he settle?
She remembered the overheard phone conversation and how he’d promised to basically move to Japan. She’d quietly slipped away, not wanting to know what she’d heard. He’d returned to the table and spoke to the girls about his plans for the team, and he laughed and joked and charmed the three of them.
The beep sounded. The clock started ticking. Bri charged out of the start.
Danielle sucked in a sharp breath. The cold air hit the back of her throat and crashed down her veins. Nerves, excitement, and fear slammed inside her, watching her daughter compete.
Brianna hit the first gate, gliding past the curve.
Danielle puffed out air, her glance glued to the speedy figure swishing down the course.
Her daughter hit the fourth flag. The pole hit the gate with an incredibly strong force.
She jerked back as if she’d been hit.
Brianna lost an edge. Just for a millisecond.
Danielle’s heart clutched. Every fraction of time counted on the slalom. A simple mistake could take a skier out of the competition.
Her daughter hit the last gate bending at the waist stretching for the finish line and swirling to a snow-covered stop.
Her shoulders sloped. Relief her daughter didn’t fall or hurt herself spread across every inch of her skin and sunk in deep. That was all Danielle hoped for. She didn’t care about the time or the places, although she was concerned about Bri’s ego after a competition. Danielle had hated watching Luke compete in high school, always terrified he’d take a spill ending in a horrible injury.
Yes, she skied as a kid. But she hadn’t taken the same risks as Luke.
The reason she’d been determined not to teach Bri to ski. Danielle had known she’d take after her father’s risk-taking ways. Most kids in Castle Ridge learned to ski or board before they learned to walk. Danielle and her brother had been brought up that way. She didn’t want to expose Bri to the danger, knew if she learned she’d be fast and competitive. Their lives were fraught with enough danger living day-to-day, paying the bills.
Plus, skiing had reminded her of Luke. The sport had been an integral part of their relationship. And when he’d left she didn’t have the desire to ski anymore.
After taking off her skis, Bri shuffled in front of the crowd. Their gazes connected and Danielle moved forward. She hugged Bri—their personal ritual after a successful final run. “Great job.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Danielle was proud of Bri’s hard work and ski accomplishments. She was more proud of her straight As and her friendly nature. Her lungs inflated and her eyes burned. This was her daughter.
Hers and Luke’s.
As if her thoughts conjured him, he swished to a stop next to them, spraying snow. He popped out of his skis and swept Bri into his arms. “Wonderful run!” He swung her around.
Like a father. Not a coach.
Pain pumped through Danielle’s heart as if a fist wrapped around and squeezed. The pulsing morphed to throbbing and charged through her bloodstream. They looked so right together. Had she been wrong keeping the secret?
“Thanks, Coach.” Bri’s stilted tone showed her awkwardness at Luke’s exuberance. She thought of him as a coach.
Which was what Danielle wanted, didn’t she?
“Um, I saw where you faltered.” Luke’s quiet voice seemed less sure. “Maybe if we sharpen your edges more?”
Bri shot her mother a scowl. “My skis have been sharpened to a razor’s edge. They’re just old.”
Danielle stared at the ground, avoiding Luke. Guilt and embarrassment heated every part of her, down to her cold feet. She couldn’t afford several new pairs of skis, boots, poles, helmets, and the team uniforms. With Bri competing more frequently, maybe she should think about Luke’s offer.
No, that’s not why she’d told him Bri was his daughter. Danielle didn’t want his money. She’d done fine for the first thirteen years; she didn’t need Luke’s help.
Before more could be said, the boy who’d gotten disqualified slouched over. “I’m sorry, Coach. I don’t know what happened.”
Danielle tensed, waiting for Luke to berate and yell. She’d seen his temper, especially when it came to skiing. The sport was his life, and now he held the kids’ athletic futures in his gloved hands.
Luke collected himself. “It’s okay. It was the first competition. Nerves are always in play. Sometimes nerves can give you an edge, and other times nerves are your downfall.” He put his arm around the boy’s shoulders. “We’ll work on controlling the anxiety through visualization tech
niques, and a few other tricks I’ve learned.”
Danielle tucked her chin in, shocked at how controlled and considerate Luke was to the boy. Impressed, she fell deeper. He’d changed. Matured.
Parents and kids gathered around Luke, everyone wanting a word. Would she ever get him alone? Should she invite Luke to dinner at her house, and they’d celebrate like a real family? So he could be with Bri. That was the only reason.
Maybe he could stay later, after Bri went to sleep.
“Luke, darling!” A feminine voice screeched, bouncing around the valleys of the mountains.
A woman wearing an outrageously tight, long, leather coat waved bright-red nails. Her over-the-knee black boots clicked on the hard-packed snow, resembling a model strolling down a catwalk. Her perfectly coiffed blonde hair rolled in waves.
Was it one of his many model girlfriends? A snow bunny who’d tracked him down? Danielle took stock of her own puffy coat and ski pants, making her appear at least ten pounds heavier. No model here.
Luke lifted his head from talking to a parent. Obviously, he’d heard the woman’s high screech.
“Luke.” The woman pushed her way through the crowd around him.
The parents shifted, and Danielle couldn’t see his face or his reaction. The only thing she saw was the blonde model cup his cheeks and kiss him soundly on the mouth.
The shock caused the energy to seep out of Danielle. Possibilities for the immediate future drained to her feet, as if she wore steel-plated boots. And he’d accused her of not being good at pretend dating?
Color drained from Bri’s bright-red cheeks. She swiveled between Luke and the woman and her mother. She was shocked at the display. She’d probably been hoping for more between Danielle and Luke. He was already disappointing his daughter.
Danielle refused to stay and watch, to see the piteous glances sent her way by the other parents, to hear Luke’s lame excuses in front of these people. She was out of here. She was out of here with what was left of her pride and her dignity. And she was out of their pretend relationship.
Chapter Eleven
The Christmas Match: Castle Ridge Small Town Romance Page 13
