And this time, I took it without hesitation.
This time, I let him pull me inside.
This time, I wanted to.
---
“I don’t have skates,” I said, half-hoping that would put an end to this before I could change my mind.
Alan only smirked. “Don’t worry. I already took care of it.”
Before I could ask what he meant, he tugged me toward the benches by the rink.
Then, with a boyish grin, he knelt down, reached under the seat, and pulled out—
My breath caught.
A pair of skates.
But not just any skates.
They were exactly like the ones I had when I was a kid—purple, glittering under the arena lights, the kind of sparkle that had once made my heart race with excitement.
I stared at them, stunned. “How did you—?”
“You had a pair just like these,” Alan murmured, his voice softer now. “You love
