“Is your mom a good skater too?”
“She was about to go to the Olympics before she was in a pretty bad car accident. She was a figure skating coach after that. She’s really talented but some moves she just can’t pull off after fracturing her femur.”
“Wow. That must have been so hard on her.” I couldn’t imagine my life changing in a flash like that. Yes, I had been dumped and thrown out on my ass but I still had my health and ability to do my job. Perspective of how bad things could actually be washed over me and right then and there I felt like the luckiest woman in all of Manhattan.
“She’s a fighter and I love her for it.”
“It’s sweet how close you are to your family.”
“Just my parents. My siblings have their own lives and do their own things. They both think that I am too much like a cliché youngest child but I don’t give a shit. I love my folks and I love my career, if that is something to be teased about them I say bring on the bullying.”
“Holy shit! You’re Gret Hayes, aren’t you?” a teenaged boy skated up next to us.
“I am,” Gret answered while smiling. He let go of my hand to give the kid a high five. “What’s your name?”
“Garvey,” he excitedly answered. “Can you sign my hat?”
Taking a pen from what I figured was Garvey’s mother, Gret scribbled on the Otters ball cap as my feet went out from under me and I landed hard right on to my back.
“Crap! Are you all right?” Gret asked as he handed the hat back to Garvey and scooped me into his arms in one swift motion.
I couldn’t stop laughing. “There you are signing an autograph because you’re a professional skater and I can’t even stand still on skates without busting my ass.”
Gret joined me in the rolling hysterics as he skated with me still safely in his grasp to the benches right off the ice. “If it is any consolation, you looked adorable while falling.”
“Trying to butter me up so I don’t think about my throbbing hip ofr the fact that I almost died while standing?”
“Is it working?” Gret chuckled.
I nodded. “It really is.”
Gret
After getting cleaned up,I escorted Etta to The Oak Room at the Algonquin. I had heard of the place before but never had made it over that way. The history and old-timey feel of the joint set the mood for the night of jazz perfectly. There was floor to ceiling wood paneling, plush leather chairs at every white linen covered table, and decadent chandeliers all over.
Etta was mesmerizing sitting behind the baby grand piano in the middle of the room. I was completely captivated by the sweet, sultry voice that leapt from her soul. Her entire body radiated as she sang.
Passion was one of the sexiest things in the world to me and when Etta was in her element, passion consumed her entire being. I was drunk from her voice, lusting for the woman that was my fake girlfriend—but it felt right.
Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.
I never realized how true those words were until that very moment.
Chapter 7
Etta
Gret and I made our way back into his parents’ home for Christmas dinner. I was nervous as all hell to be spending the holiday with so many strangers but if I was being honest with myself, there was no other place in the world that I would rather be.
Walking into the lavish apartment hand in hand with a red, fluffy sweater that said ‘Why is the carpet wet, Todd?’ on it with Gret in the matching green one that read ‘I don’t know, Margo’ felt a little too right.
“I am so glad you guys are here!” Myla hurried to the front door right as we walked in. She was in a Buddy The Elf apron with Will Ferrell’s screaming, joyous face from the part when he screams for Santa–that was covered in flour and God knows what else. It was too adorable on our petite hostess.
“As we promised.” Gret smiled down at me, squeezing my hand tighter.
“Christmas Vacation! Love that movie! Nice work on the sweaters,” Myla complimented before she hugged both of us, making sure to not get her flour covered hands on either of us.
“Thank you for having me again. Need some help baking?”