CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

TABITHA’S GOLD MEDALS—-THE ONE FOR the Team event, and for the ladies’ event last night—-bumped against her jacket as she hurried to keep up with Daniil. They were half-way up the steps that led to the torch and the thin, cold mountain air were making the climb harder than she’d expected. That and the fact that she’d slept only a few hours, thanks to the adrenaline rush of becoming a Winter Games gold medallist.

The Grenoble podium had looked much like the one in Chicago. She, Machiko Furakawa and Katia Filipova had all claimed medals. Only this time, Machiko had won bronze, while Tabitha had taken gold. As the final victory of her skating career, on the world’s biggest stage, this win should have been her sweetest. In many ways, it was.

Yet in the light of day…

“Come on Angel, just a little further!” Daniil paused to wait for her to catch up. He was definitely energetic this morning, and excited about their hike to the torch for a photo, in their Grenoble hardware. They’d been planning it since both the Americans and Russians had medaled in the team event. Actually, they’d been planning it since Vancouver.

“If the babushka with the torch could make it up to the top, so can the world’s best figure skater!”

She laughed. “The torch lady didn’t start from the bottom of the hill, and she had that nice fake staircase leading up from the stadium.”

He reached for her hand and helped her make the last big step onto the landing where he stood. Together, they gazed out at the view. On one side was Grenoble, still quiet so early on a Sunday morning. The little bubble shaped cable cars that ran to the top of Fortress Mountain weren’t even running yet. On the other was the stadium where they’d gathered two weeks ago for the Opening Ceremony. Tonight they would come together again as the torch was extinguished and the Games officially came to a close.

She wished she were ready for this wonderful chapter to end.

Daniil slipped his hand into hers and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Life will sort itself out Angel. Even if you’re moving on from your skating career, the things that got you to the top aren’t going away. And neither am I.”

“I only wish I knew what was next,” she said quietly. “Saying goodbye to all this would be easier.”

“I know. But you may have some answers sooner than you expect. Answers you will like.” His earlier exuberance dimmed, replaced by tentativeness that was as surprising as it was sweet. “At least I hope so.”

She rose on her toes and planted a kiss on his lips. If he thought her doubts about the future included him, he had nothing to worry about. “As long as you’re part of whatever’s next, I know it will be great.”

“You can count on that.” He kissed her again, longer this time. “Come on, we still have climbing to do.”

She grinned. “Race you.”

Though it was too steep for serious running, they jogged the rest of the way to the top. Daniil remained ahead, but she kept pace, which was especially impressive, as she wore two medals and he had just one, a silver medal from the team event. Neither he, Ruslan nor Viktor Domachev had medaled in the men’s individual event, which was dominated by the Japanese, with Tanzo Okuta taking gold. Far from being disappointed though, Daniil seemed happy that his victory had been shared with his teammates Ruslan, Yelena, Alexandra, and Gregor.

They reached the lookout point at the base of the torch and found they weren’t the only ones who’d come up here to watch the sunrise. Inevitably, someone recognized them as two of the leading players in one of the biggest stories to come out of the Grenoble Games.

Brett and Sergei’s willingness to come forward had helped the police find their friend Roberto’s attacker. The man turned out to be a local thug with no connection to the Games at all. Tabitha and Daniil’s suddenly public romance and accompanying naked selfie had proven to be both captivating and controversial.

Suffice to say, no one looked at the Ice Queen quite the same anymore.

“Woo-Hoo! Tabitha! Daniil! We loooove you!”

The group at the lookout was a family from Montreal. “We’re skiing and hockey fans, but this year I got kind of interested in figure skating,” the teenage son explained, as his gaze lingered on Tabitha’s chest.

She wondered if the blurry images of her bare breasts all over the internet had anything to do with it. She suspected it was why the breakfast cereal company had declined to offer her the lucrative endorsement contract it had offered to past figure skating gold medalists.

The father swigged his coffee. “What brings you up here so early?”

Daniil smiled and took Tabitha’s hand. “When we started our season, this beautiful lady, and I posed by the torch in Vancouver. Now we must have a picture with our medals by the torch in Grenoble to mark the end.”

End. The word tugged at Tabitha’s emotions.

For Daniil, this wasn’t the end. In a few days, he would return to Lake Shosha to train for the World Figure Skating Championship. The Russian Sports Federation had agreed to fund his training, and with Domachev retiring, Daniil was poised to become the next star of Russian men’s figure skating.

For Tabitha, there would be no World Championship, or next season. There would be a handful of TV appearances, and then a spring Champions on Ice tour of the United States. After that?

She’d thought about college, but less endorsement money meant there wouldn’t be much left after buying Fiona her farm, and helping Samara with tuition. She wouldn’t consider going back on those promises, even though her family insisted it wasn’t necessary. To Tabitha, it absolutely was.

Now that she was free from skating, she could do whatever she liked. But she still didn’t know what that would be. Lately, she was less sure of her decision to say goodbye to figure skating, especially after rediscovering her love for it. She could only hope that Daniil was right, and that soon, she’d have some answers she liked.

They posed in front of the golden torch, as gracefully curved as a swan’s neck. The Canadian mom took their picture, and then the family wished them luck and started down the steps, leaving Tabitha and Daniil alone. She turned to look at him as he gazed out over the mountains.

“They say that the best time to come up here is right at the start of a new day.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “I’m glad you made me get up, even if I would have waited until after rehearsal for the Gala.”

There was a mysterious quality to his smile. “Who knew if there would be time? With so many people wanting to talk to the new ladies’ gold medalist...” He pressed his lips to hers. “I wanted to have you all to myself for just a few minutes, even if it meant getting up at the crack of dawn.”

“You have me,” she murmured, loving how his kiss felt full of promise, with the sun peeking over the mountains, and the city of Grenoble spread out below. This wasn’t just an ending, it was also a beginning.

“And now, I have a surprise.” He reached into his jacket pocket. She let out a little gasp as he pulled out a small black box. Her stomach fluttered as he took her hands and gazed into her eyes.

“Tabitha, I love you. I don’t know exactly what our lives will look like next week, next month and next year. But I know that whatever the future holds, I want to spend it with you. Will you marry me?”

She gazed into Daniil’s beautiful dark eyes. He was strong, but gentle. He wore his edgy look with pride, but made her feel safe. Those looks had drawn her in, but his loving heart made her stay.

In that moment, she knew that she didn’t have to fear the future. Whatever it held, she and the man she loved would triumph. They’d been doing it their entire lives, only now, they would do it together. “Yes! Oh, yes, Daniil. I’ll marry you! I love you so much.”

Her hands tingled as he slipped the ring onto her finger. At the center was a small, radiant diamond, but on either side were twisting vines of smaller stones. Daniil placed his hand over hers. “It’s golden and beautiful just like you. The stones on each side made me think of us, and the winding journey that brought us together from such different places.”

The journey hadn’t always been clear, but there was no question it had been the right one. She surrendered the last of her doubts to her love for Daniil and her hope for their future. “We don’t take the easy route that’s for sure.”

“That’s what made us strong, Tabitha. And together, there’s no stopping us.”

To say it had been an eventful day would be an understatement. With the Gala Exhibition about to begin, Tabitha made one final check of her make-up and costume. The slinky black dress edged in scarlet lace was the sexiest thing she’d ever skated in. Her hair was down, not pinned up, and tumbled in loose waves around her shoulders. Her red lips and lined eyes were smoky and seductive.

Exactly what she had in mind for her figure skating swan song.

At the next mirror, Mia Lang glanced over. “Do you have any hair spray? I seem to have used all of mine.”

“Sure.” Tabitha dug through her bag and brought out a can. It took a lot of glue to keep everything in place. Mia misted her slicked down hair and bun, then handed the can back. Tabitha shook her head. “Keep it.”

“Thanks.” Mia dropped it into her skate bag and then slicked her lips in a strawberry shade. “Congratulations, on your engagement.”

“Thanks.” Tabitha’s gaze lingering on the ring that glittered on the third finger of her left hand. As beautiful as it was, Daniil’s words of love, and his faith in her, outshone everything else. “And congratulations to you on your move to LA. You’ll love working with Peter next season.”

That had been another of today’s surprises. At practice this afternoon, Peter, and Claudia had announced they planned to launch a power-house training group out of the Beverly Ice Arena. Its students would include Mia, Brett Stafford, and Antoinette Curtis.

“Your success and Brett’s gave me the second-wind I needed to stick around for a few more years,” he’d said.

Not only that, but he and Claudia had been planning this since St. Petersburg. He’d also confided that the “friend” he’d spent Christmas with had been Claudia. Tabitha was happy for Peter, but at the same time, bittersweet. He was moving onto a new life that wouldn’t include her.

“Working with him will be amazing,” Mia said. “I really admire what he helped you achieve, and you’re exactly the skater I want to be.”

Tabitha glanced at Mia’s blond hair, but took the comment in the sincere spirit in which it was given. “I think you’re on your way. But don’t be afraid to be who you are, either.”

The dressing room door opened, and Fiona and Samara came in. They had arrived late last week for the ladies’ event, a surprise arranged by Peter and Olga. It had meant the world to Tabitha that her mom and sister had watched her final competition, and that Fiona could meet Daniil. The ex-groupie had heartily approved.

“Honey, you look like a million bucks,” Fiona said, wrapping her arms around Tabitha. “I’m so proud of you; I might lose it right here and now. My little girl, all grown up, a gold medalist, and an engaged lady to boot.”

“That dress is pretty hot,” Samara said, then turned to Mia. “Hey, Peter tells me you’re moving to LA. You’re gonna love it. Best city in the world. Once you’re there, you’ll never want to leave.”

Mia furrowed her brow. “You’re not moving to Missouri with your mother?”

“Nope.” Samara rolled her eyes. “Thank God.”

“Hey, Missy. Don’t knock Missouri ‘til you’ve tried it.”

“No knocking. But while you’re off growing organic cilantro, I’ll be staying right where I am, learning to make movies. Who knows? I might make a documentary about figure skating. ‘True Confessions of an Ice Queen.’” She turned to Tabitha. “What do you think?”

“Does the Ice Queen wear a blue wig?”

“Will you be staying too, Tabitha?” Mia said.

It hurt to admit that Peter hadn’t invited her to be part of the training center though it shouldn’t have been a surprise. She’d been so adamant about wanting to leave LA and figure skating behind. True, she wouldn’t miss LA. She’d never loved the city the way Samara did. But figure skating was a different story. She’d been a skater most of her life. Now at the pinnacle of success, she was about to walk away. Going out on top was much harder than she thought. She forced a smile. “We’ll see.”

They left the dressing room and went to join the pre-show reception for the skaters, their families and some of the Games’ key corporate sponsors. Peter, Claudia, and Brett were being interviewed on the opposite side of the room. The president of Brinkman Breakfast Cereal was posing for a photo with his new athlete endorsers, newlywed ice dancers Mike and Jenny Palmer. The moment Mia walked in she was whisked away for photos by representatives of the Games’ official cell phone company. Tabitha was left behind with Fiona and Samara.

Even if she wasn’t ready to move on from skating, the skating world was ready to move on from its scandal-kissed gold medalist. She glanced around, hoping to spot Daniil in the crowd, but she knew he would be attending a similar reception for the Russian team. Then from across the room, she heard Misha’s voice. “There you are!”

Her soon-to-be-former choreographer approached. With him, was Olga. She gave Tabitha’s costume a critical eye and fingered a piece of lace that didn’t seem to want to lie properly. She stepped back and gave an approving nod. “Very nice,” she said.

Misha hugged Tabitha and congratulated her on her engagement. “Thank you,” she said, as the melancholy feeling returned. “I only wish he were here right now.”

Misha tilted his head and gave her a curious look. “Not having fun?”

“Oh sure. It’s been one of the most amazing days of my life. But it’s a little sad too. After so many years and so much work, it’s hard to believe this is over.”

Olga offered a rare smile. “You have every reason to be proud. Not just in your skating life, but for your honor and courage. We know that doing the right thing came with a steep cost.”

Tabitha shrugged. “Coming forward was the right thing to do, and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. If Brinkman’s Breakfast Cereal doesn’t consider me wholesome enough to endorse their oat flakes, too bad for them.”

“But still you love skating, and aren’t ready to say goodbye,” said Misha.

“No,” Tabitha admitted.

“I see.” He and Olga exchanged glances, and she nodded. “Well, in that case, Olga and I want to make proposal.”

Samara nudged her. “Second one of the day, Sis. I’d say you’re doing pretty well for yourself.”

Misha smiled. “Actually, Daniil knows nothing about this yet, though I suspect he’ll like the idea. It’s this. Next season, would you like to come and work with me at the University of Delaware Training Center as my assistant choreographer?”

Tabitha gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. All this time that she’d been searching the far reaches of her mind for the perfect next step, the obvious one had been right in front of her. “Oh my gosh, Misha! Do you mean it?”

“Even if I can’t pay much, it will be a chance for you to explore this new passion of yours. But that’s just part of our idea.”

“Oh?” Tabitha couldn’t imagine how it could get any better.

Then Olga spoke. “Just as you are helping your sister, we want you to also have the chance to pursue an education. Even if it’s not pre-medicine at Harvard,” she said, with a subtle roll of her ice-blue eyes. “You will work near university. If you would like to enroll as student, I will be happy to cover the cost.”

Tabitha’s eyes flooded with tears. She’d always known Olga cared about her as a skater, but this was more than she’d ever expected. “Olga, I don’t know what to say. You’ve already done so much. Yes, yes. I want to learn to choreograph, and go school. Thank you both.” She turned to hug Misha, then Olga, too.

“You are most deserving, even if Brinkman’s Breakfast Cereal disagrees. Well done, my dear.”

An hour later, Tabitha’s thoughts and emotions were still reeling, as she waited rink side, watching her teammates and friends perform in the Games’ final skating exhibition. Brett’s tap-dance step sequences hadn’t put him on the podium, but they brought down the house. Mia gave a saucy performance to a Taylor Swift song. Daniil’s 1940s inspired program to “Zoot-Suit Riot” was also a crowd-pleaser. As he came off the ice, their eyes met, and he grinned, though he didn’t stop to talk. He only had a few minutes to change his costume.

When Tabitha took the ice as the Gala’s final skater, the audience applauded loudly, and chanted U-S-A. Out here, whatever tarnish she’d acquired made no difference. She skated to center ice, and struck a seductive pose, arms wrapped around her body.

Then came Jeff Beck’s bluesy guitar solo. As Joss Stone began to sing, Tabitha spun into her opening move.

There was something magical about skating under spotlights. It felt different from brightly lit competitive skating and for this dark, seductive program, it was perfect. She glided across the ice, casting a spell over the crowd, with bewitching moves and powerful jumps. The rush of cold air and the weightless feeling of a perfect take off were like nothing else. Her heart filled with joy, knowing that even if Grenoble was over, skating wasn’t.

The program was very much like the one she’d choreographed in Vancouver, but with one major difference. The first half of this program was all freestyle, with solo elements and jumps, but after the second guitar solo, a rise in the music ushered in something completely unexpected. Daniil, in black clothes and rock-star eyes, skated out to join her.

The crowd went wild.

They came together in hold and skated the dance sequence she’d taught him. He now led with confidence, their moves smooth and fluid as they leaned into deep and supremely sexy edges.

Skating with Daniil was as wonderful as she’d imagined it would be. Maybe it was because of how they’d come together as a couple, but every move he made affected her, and every move she made affected him. Exactly the way it was supposed to.

They separated for the twizzles, which could have been more in sync, but pleased the crowd anyway. They came out of the spins at center ice and circled one another; then came together in a passionate embrace. While in one way this was farewell, it was also a hint of marvelous things to come.

Over the thunder of applause, Tabitha heard the final lyric, and spoke it into Daniil’s ear.

“Because you’re mine.”