Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 1: 6 Romantic sporting novellas

by Janice Thompson

  “One thing I’ve always tried to tell Uncle Rusty…we’ve got to look at the big picture. He’s always been the sort to try to make it through each individual month, to keep the doors open. But we haven’t had any real goals.”

  “Until now.”

  “Until now,” he echoed and then gazed at her with an admiring smile. “You’re a planner, J.J. You have vision.”

  “I think it’s my advertising training. I like to look at the bigger picture. And trust me, I know what it’s like to scrape by from month to month. That’s how my mom lived, especially after I started skating. There were months when we ate Ramen noodles three or four nights a week so that I could have a private lesson with Ann-Marie.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah. But I don’t want to live like that anymore. I want to have vision. And direction. I want to grow The Big Skate into something we can all be proud of.” Off she went on a tangent, talking about the potential for the rink. He watched her with admiration flooding over him.

  J.J. finally paused for breath.

  He gave her an admiring look. “Whoa. You should’ve been a preacher.”

  She laughed. “Sorry. I’m just passionate.”

  “I see that, and I’m grateful. I’m just curious about why. Why all of this zeal for a place you just started hanging out at?”

  “Because it matters to Ann-Marie.” J.J.’s eyes flooded with tears. “I told you how my mom and I lived, but I didn’t add the part about how Ann-Marie sacrificed for me. I’m sure there were plenty of days when she ate Ramen noodles because my mom didn’t have money to pay her for my lessons. She never complained. She just kept pouring herself into me. I owe her, Kevin.”

  “I’m sure she doesn’t see it that way.”

  “Maybe not, but I want to make her golden years happy. It’s clear she loves this place.”

  “Well, she loves my uncle, and he loves this place.”

  All this talk about love was starting to get to him…and all the more as they both paused mid-sentence, to stare into each other’s eyes. If he didn’t watch himself, Kevin would be falling for a lot more than a skating rink. He’d be giving pieces of his heart to the coach standing in front of him at this very moment.

  Chapter Ten

  The morning of Saturday, May 3rd, dawned bright and clear. Thank goodness. J.J. couldn’t imagine one more thing going wrong before Ann-Marie and Rusty’s big day. Over the past couple of days they’d dealt with broken pipes, a missing shipment of hockey skates, an injured player and an A/C blowout. Thankfully, all of those stories had a happy ending. Well, except the kid with the sprained wrist, but he didn’t seem terribly upset.

  Now, to pull off the wedding of the century. Rumor had it, Rusty had called in a local news station to do a story on the wedding. It wasn’t every day the city of Houston saw a wedding-on-ice, after all. Maybe the news story would continue to propel The Big Skate into the limelight. With the facility now morphing into shape, they certainly deserved it. And with the USFSA agreeing to use the rink for next month’s over-spill events, any additional promotion would just be icing on the cake.

  Mmm. Cake. She could hardly wait for a slice of wedding cake. Libby’s mom had agreed to make it as a gift for the happy couple.

  J.J. arrived at the rink a couple of hours before the ceremony. She took one look at the beautiful setup on the ice—a makeshift aisle framed out with candelabras and swags of fabric—and nearly burst into tears. Kevin and Rusty must’ve worked into the night to set this up. She took care of a couple of last minute touches then went to the ladies dressing room and changed into her bridesmaid gown—a soft teal satin dress, mid-calf in length. A few feet away, Chrissy slipped into the same dress, nervous chatter spilling from her lips.

  “I’ve made popcorn and nachos and sausage on a stick, but I’ve never catered a wedding before.” She shook her head. “What was I thinking? I was up all night working on the food. Thank goodness Jaden helped me.”

  “You’re an amazing friend to Ann-Marie.” J.J. gave Chrissy a hug. “And to me, too.”

  Tears brimmed on Chrissy’s lashes. “Now I’m going to get all emotional on you. Probably lack of sleep.”

  “Probably.” J.J. laughed. “Well, keep those eyes open, girl. It’s going to be a great day. And don’t fret. Several of the moms have offered to help you. Make sure you let them. Don’t try to be a hero.”

  “Right. I won’t. I mean, I will. I mean, I won’t. I don’t know what I mean. But I need to go check on the chicken salad. I want to make sure Jaden put it in the fridge. I’ll be right back.”

  She left the changing room, still mumbling to herself, just as Ann-Marie entered, dressed in coaching gear, but with full makeup and upswept hair.

  “The rink looks divine!” Ann-Marie’s singsong voice rang out. “Oh, it’s like a dream come true. A scene from a movie!” She pointed at her attire. “If only the bride matched the scene. Don’t I look lovely in my old clothes?”

  J.J. giggled. “We’ll get you all fixed up, I promise.”

  “Yes, please.” Ann-Marie pointed to the bridal gown, which was hanging on a hook at the top of the door.

  J.J. turned her full attention to helping Ann-Marie get into her gown. Then, together, they added the finishing touches to her hair and makeup.

  About forty-five minutes before the ceremony was to begin, Chrissy entered the room once again. “Hey, J.J., there’s someone here from KHOU to interview you.”

  “What?” She turned, surprised by this news.

  “Yeah. I think Rusty set it up. It’s a guy named Guy. Great name, right? Guy? Anyway, I have to get back to the food. Can you spare a couple of minutes to talk to him? Rusty says it’ll be good for the rink.”

  “Sure.” J.J. headed to the foyer where she met up with the reporter and cameraman.

  “Just need a few minutes of your time.” The reporter pointed to the large Health Check banner hanging above the kiosk. “New sponsors?”

  “Yep. They’re sponsoring the hockey team and the new figure skating program.”

  “Good for them…and you guys, too. Glad to see this old place reborn.” The reporter smiled and then straightened his tie. “Ready to get this show on the road? You have a wedding to attend and I have a feeling guests are going to start flooding through that door any minute now.”

  “Yep.”

  The cameraman turned his camera on J.J. and she offered a nervous smile. The reporter made a brief introduction and then dove right into his questions. He asked three or four generic ones about The Big Skate and then got a little more pointed in his approach.

  “So tell me, Ms. Williamson, about your trek back to the rink after all these years. Have you left your corporate life to return to coaching?”

  “Oh, no.” She shook her head. “I’ve been spending more time here, that’s true, but I still work at the advertising firm. I mean, I love these kids. Love them. They’re my life. Coaching has become such a joy for me, now that I’m at The Big Skate. In some ways I feel like I’ve been reborn.” Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of the Health Check sign as it came untied from the ceiling on one corner. It swayed above her head.

  “So, you were saying that you love working here?” the reporter asked. “Can you elaborate? Tell us about your star student, the one who’s competing next month at the USFSA competition. Isn’t her name—”

  “Well, I don’t want to call her by name. Privacy issues, you understand. But she’s very good. They all are.”

  “And by all, you mean the boy, too, right? I hear you’ve got a young prodigy.”

  Before she could answer, the banner came loose on the opposite end and floated down from the ceiling, landing on the kiosk behind them with a thud.

  Kevin appeared from out of nowhere, interrupting the interview to snag the banner and hide it from view behind the counter. She could hardly believe how fabulous he looked in his suit and tie. Wowza. She’d seen him looking mighty good before, but not like this. Who
a. Suddenly J.J. couldn’t remember where she was or what she was doing.

  The camera turned to the fallen banner and she watched as the reporter shifted gears, now directing his questions at Kevin, who seemed a bit bumfuzzled. He somehow made it through the interview questions and sent the reporter inside the rink to get a few shots of the wedding setup on the ice.

  Afterwards, his gaze lingered on her—on her new teal dress—and he seemed to stumble over his own words as he told her how beautiful she looked. J.J. suspected he would’ve said more, but with guests now entering, he headed off to welcome them.

  Her heart quickened as she thought about the way he’d looked at her. Had she picked up on a certain spark in his eye? If so, did she feel the same way about him?

  She had to admit, the guy had a lot going for him. His zeal for the kids. His heart for Jaden, in particular. And those blue eyes…wowza. For a moment she gave herself over to the “what ifs,” her imagination in overdrive.

  Libby’s mom sidled up next to her and nudged her with her elbow. “You’re smitten, aren’t you?”

  “Hmm?” J.J. startled to attention. “What makes you say that?”

  “Because you can’t take your eyes off of him. I saw the whole thing. Don’t deny it.” She lowered her voice. “I’m not saying I blame you. I’m not blind. He’s a handsome young man. And great with the kids. That’s a plus.”

  “Puh-leeze.” J.J. rolled her eyes. “Don’t go playing matchmaker.”

  “Don’t have to. Sparks are already flying. He’s got eyes for you. You’ve got eyes for him.”

  “He’s got eyes for me?” J.J. felt her cheeks grow warm. “Really?”

  “You’d have to be blind not to see. And don’t give me that ‘I don’t like him,’” speech. If you can get past the part where he’s opposed to Jaden’s figure skating, you’ll see that you two have a lot in common.”

  “Right. We’re both hockey players. We both love nachos. And he looks great in a pink figure skating costume.”

  Mrs. Yarborough laughed. “Hardly, but just give him a chance. He’s a great guy with a heart of gold. And you have to admit, he’s pretty good looking.”

  Okay, so pretty good looking was an understatement. Those eyes. That wavy dark hair. Those broad shoulders.

  “See? I’ve lost you. You can’t stop staring at him.”

  “Hmm?” J.J. startled to attention. Had she been staring at him?Oh, but how could she help it? The way he spoke to their incoming guests. The kindness in his voice as he directed folks to the stands. The excitement in his eyes as he glanced her way…she had no choice. This guy had somehow stolen her attention.

  Attention! She needed to focus on the bride! With a spring in her step, J.J. headed back to the changing room to take care of Ann-Marie.

  ~

  Kevin watched as J.J. sprinted away in a hurry. She looked a bit like Cinderella, rushing away from the ball, leaving her glass slipper behind.

  He checked the floor, just to be sure. No slipper. Not even a figure skate. Oh well. Maybe the fairy tale would play itself out some other way. Right now he needed to focus on his uncle. With the wedding coming up in short order and guests now filling the rink, they’d better get going.

  Kevin headed to the men’s locker room where he found Uncle Rusty pacing. And pacing. And pacing some more.

  “You doing okay?” he asked.

  “Hmm?” The older fellow looked up, and for the first time Kevin noticed the mist in his eyes.

  “You’re not okay. What’s wrong, Uncle Rusty?”

  The older man plopped down into a chair, obviously giving no thought to his tuxedo jacket. “Just wishing Donny was here. That’s all.”

  “Ah.” Kevin released a sigh. “We’ll get lots of great pictures. You can show him in a couple of weeks.”

  “So, you heard?” Rusty looked up, wrinkles forming in his brow. “He’s getting out.”

  “Yeah. Jaden told me. Such good news.”

  “Yes. Good news.” Only, the way Rusty said the words they didn’t sound like good news to Kevin’s ears. “I just hope he can walk the straight and narrow this time. I hate to see Jaden hurt…again. You know?”

  “One day at a time, Uncle Rusty. One day at a time. For now, let’s just keep our eyes on today. On the opposite side of the rink—in a newly renovated women’s locker room—there’s a gal who’s dressed in a wedding gown. She’s probably putting on her figure skates right now, preparing to meet you at the center of the ice to say her ‘I Dos.’”

  “Ooo, speaking of which, I’d better get on my hockey skates or she might just find the groom MIA. That would never do.” Rusty flew into action, skates sliding into place. “You too, boy. And get Jaden in here. He’s got to—”

  “I’m here, Grandpa.” Jaden appeared beside them, ready to go in his dark suit and skates. “And you’ll both be happy to hear I’m wearing my hockey skates for the ceremony.”

  “That’s a relief.” Kevin patted him on the back. “Hope you still remember how to use them.”

  “Want me to prove it?” The youngster’s brows elevated mischievously.

  “Not today, thank you very much.” Kevin went to work putting his skates on then stood and stretched. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror and smiled as Jaden joined him on one side and Uncle Rusty on the other.

  “I must say, we clean up nice.” Rusty gave them a nod. “For a bunch of hockey guys, I mean.”

  “Yep. Looking pretty spiffy.” Kevin glanced up at the clock then peeked out into the rink. “The stands look pretty full. It’s nearly time.”

  “Where’s the reverend?” Rusty asked.

  “About to walk to the center of the ice right now, I’m sure.”

  “Hope he doesn’t fall.” Rusty laughed. “People would be talking about this wedding for years to come.”

  “Trust me, they’re already going to be.” Kevin patted his uncle on the arm. He paused to listen to the overhead music, waiting for their cue. The moment “When I Fall in Love” began they walked out in front of a rink full of cheering wedding guests.

  Uncle Rusty gave a wave to the reporter then skated to the center of the ice to join the reverend, who’d made it in one piece. Kevin and Jaden waited behind at the rink’s opening. From the women’s locker room Chrissy and J.J. emerged, looking like a couple of Disney princesses in their pale teal dresses and matching boot covers. Kevin squared his shoulders and offered them each an arm, then the three of them skated together to the center of the ice, where the girls went one direction and he went the other.

  Finally, the moment came. Ann-Marie arrived rink-side, dressed in a gorgeous white gown. She took Jaden’s arm and he ushered her up the makeshift aisle toward her groom-to-be.

  Kevin should’ve been watching the ceremony. Really, he should have. But with Cinderella standing right in front of him, how could he possibly focus on anything…but her?

  Chapter Eleven

  J.J. usually managed to stay calm, but today’s wedding ceremony had her heart fluttering a hundred miles an hour. She did her best to focus on Ann-Marie, to listen to the pastor’s words, to hold onto the bride’s bouquet when it was passed her direction…but she couldn’t seem to see past the handsome fella staring at her from the other side of the happy couple.

  Standing there in his suit with that beautiful wavy hair neatly combed, Kevin looked like a young, modern executive, not a hockey player. Only when she glanced down at his feet—when she saw the worn skates—did the picture shift a bit.

  Not that she minded. Oh no. She’d take a hockey player over a well-to-do business executive any day.

  J.J. shook her head and tried to regroup. Don’t think about him. Focus on Ann-Marie.

  The pastor led the couple through their vows and J.J.’s eyes filled with tears when the moment came for their kiss. What would it feel like, she wondered, to be so in love? Would your heart soar? Would you spend hours thinking of “we” instead of “me?”

  The crowd let
out a rousing cheer as the ceremony ended. Triumphant music began—the theme to Star Wars, Rusty’s favorite—and the bride and groom skated off of the ice, arm-in-arm. Chrissy and Jaden left the ice next. That left J.J. and Kevin. For a moment, neither of them moved. He stared at her with a crooked smile. Her heart pounded in her chest and his eyes locked into hers.

  Finally, when she noticed the crowd begin to stir, J.J. moved toward him. She gave him her arm and he took it—holding tightly—and they skated to the edge of the ice.

  At this point, the whole place came alive. An announcement over the P.A. encouraged guests to move to the concessions area, where Chrissy and her team would serve a light lunch. J.J. wanted to stay with Kevin, to keep her arm firmly locked in his, to go on gazing into his eyes…but Ann-Marie needed her.

  Or not. After slipping on her blade guards she made her way through the crowd to the bride and groom, who seemed content to greet their guests. After that, J.J. slipped off to the concessions area to help Chrissy. Turned out Chrissy had more than enough help from the moms.

  Several minutes later, she felt a little tap on the back of her arm. J.J. turned and smiled when she saw Kevin standing there.

  “You want to go for a walk?” he asked.

  “Where?” J.J. looked around the rink, the crowd so thick she couldn’t see past them.

  “Outside? I just feel like I need to tell you something.”

  They walked beyond the guests, through the decorated foyer and out the front doors, where J.J. paused to examine the sunset. The beautiful colors took her breath away.

  “Oh, wow. Never noticed this before.”

  “Yes, the parking lot faces west. I come out here in the evenings a lot to remind myself that there’s life outside of the rink. And if you think this is great, you should see the back side of the rink in the early mornings. The sunrise is even better than this.”

  They took a couple more steps toward his truck, where the colorful evening sky came into full view.

  She leaned against the truck and gazed into his eyes. “Are you an artist or something?”