“Let me grab my jacket, and we can go.”
On the ride into Providence, they discussed her previous week at work and her new recipes. She tried to get him to talk about his week, but he came back with an, “I’d rather not talk about it” answer. She could understand that. Everyone experienced those types of weeks.
By the time they laced up their skates a short while later, they’d exhausted Kiera’s list of new recipes. While she enjoyed telling him about her latest concoctions, she kept waiting for him to bring up the previous weekend. So far, they’d both acted as if it’d never happened.
“Ready?” Kiera waited while Gray finished lacing his rented skates.
Gray looked at the rink. Located at the heart of the city, the outdoor ice rink drew skaters of all ages and abilities. Most weekends between November and March, the ice was packed. Today, only a handful of people were skating.
“I haven’t skated in a long time.” Gray stood with one hand on the wall surrounding the rink.
Kiera walked onto the ice. “It’s like riding a bike. Once you learn, you don’t forget.”
At least, she hoped so. She’d hate for Gray to spend all day struggling. But if he did, it was his fault. He could’ve suggested they do something else.
“We’ll take it slow.” She waited for him to reach her, and then they started around the rink, side-by-side.
With each movement, Gray appeared more confident.
“What did I tell you? Just like riding a bike.”
They’d made it half way around, and he hadn’t fallen once.
“I still think I’ll keep to the basics. No fancy moves for me.”
He picked up his pace, and they passed a couple that Kiera guessed had attended Brown University since they wore sweatshirts with the name printed on the back.
“No, upright spins for you, Mr. Sherbrooke?” She didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, she glided forward and did a one-foot, upright spin.
Gray applauded. “Yeah, I’ll skip that today.” He skated toward her. “Where did you learn that?”
“My cousin. She used to compete in figure skating. Now, she teaches children to skate.”
Together, they started around the rink again.
“She tried to teach me a camel spin, but I never got the hang of it. I can manage a decent sit spin or at least I could back in the day. I haven’t tried in a long time.”
“I’m impressed. What other talents have you been hiding?”
Gray took her hand, and she wished they didn’t have winter gloves on.
“I can play the piano now.” She’d never had the patience to lean an instrument as a child, but while in college, she took lessons. “My piano playing might be better than my ice skating.”
Together, they started a second lap.
“What about you? What secrets have you been hiding?’
Gray’s hand gripped hers tighter momentarily, and he picked up their pace. Then, just like that, he released her hand. “None.”
“C’mon. You must have some.” Kiera thought for a moment. “I bet you can knit. You probably sit in your office and make hats and scarfs all day long. Maybe baby booties, too.”
“I don’t have any secrets. How could I? The damn media is always around.” Gray’s relaxed attitude disappeared.
“I guess you’re right. The Stat Report does love to showcase your life.”
She’d never asked him how he felt about how the media printed everything they could about him and his family. Since he never curbed his partying ways, she assumed it didn’t bother him. The way he answered her question caused her to reconsider however.
She shouldn’t have pressed him for a different answer. Of course, everyone had secrets they didn’t want others to know. Most people found it easy to keep those things under lock and key, but someone like Gray didn’t have that luxury. The media hounded him and his family all the time, trying to dig up dirt. He didn’t need his friends hounding him, too.