Page 133 of Side By Side
“Yeah? And I can work at the Ice Park with you?”
“You actually want to count cash and restock the arcade for a living?”
“I was thinking, I could maybe handle bringing in events and people. Like, I could handle outreach and PR. The Ice Park is really coming along. I know you and your dad have already put a lot of work into it, and now that he’s feeling better, you’ll get back to that, but I also know you’ll need money to do more. So, I could help bring some in. I have a lot of connections in figure skating, as you know, and I know a lot of rich people, too, so I think I could really contribute here.”
“If you’re telling me that’s what you want to do, then I know Dad and I will be happy to have you. But if you just want to keep skating, Chandler, that’s fine, too. If you want to coach or work for the program or even, somehow, for Team USA, that’s all good with me. I don’t want you to think you have to settle for life in a small town just because I’m here. We’d figure it out.”
“I like it here. I want to be here with you.”
“I’ll talk to my dad today.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. But we’re going to be late.”
“No, we’re not. We woke up before your alarm, and I–”
“Babe, we’re going to be late.” She pulled Chandler’s nipple into her mouth.
“Oh,” Chandler let out.
When they finally got to the Ice Park, they were only fifteen minutes late, and Belle had put together an alibi for her father, preparing to tell him that her truck wouldn’t start as the reason they were late so he would have no idea that she and Chandler had been having sex before they hopped into a very cold shower to cool them off before finally getting dressed for work.
“Dad? Oh, God!” She turned almost as quickly as she’d walked into the office.
“What’s going on?” Chandler asked, catching up to her.
“Belle!” her dad exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“I work here,” she replied without turning around.
“You’re usually out on the ice by now,” he said. “And you can turn around. We were only kissing.”
“You’re both fully clothed?”
“Yes,” Sheryl said with a laugh.
“Oh,” Chandler said with wide eyes.
“Yeah, oh,” Belle replied and turned around to see her dad standing next to Sheryl.
She’d just walked in on them making out in his office.
“Hi, Belle. Sorry about that,” Sheryl said.
“No problem. The door was just open, so…”
“We were only kissing,” her dad repeated.
“Dad, you were full-on making out,” Belle argued. “I just caught you necking with your girlfriend. What kind of Freaky Friday situation is this?”
Chandler moved to stand next to her and took her hand.
“Hi, Sheryl,” she said.
“Hi, Chandler. I haven’t seen you since you two got back. Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Chandler replied. “Belle will also say thank you once she picks her jaw up off the floor.”