Being part of an Olympic skating pair should be excitement enough for one life, but for Erika that's only the beginning. Her skating partner, Tom Alan, is her ex-husband, who fell in love with former British ice dancer Milo, and all three of them live together and raise her daughter, whose father is Erika's ex-boyfriend, Bill, a rabid hockey fan who is old friends with Milo. Whew! As if that's not enough, Erika still loves Bill, loves Tom Alan, and might just love Milo, too. Add a couple of troubled teenagers to the pile, and suddenly training for the Olympics is the easy part. But Erika's never been a fan of the conventional, and one way or another the four of them will find a way to make their strange tangle of love, sex, and family work.

Transitions

“For quite a while, actually.” Erika had dreamt of her late father just before dawn. It felt like something meaningful. “You talked to Milo already?”


“To complain about last night, or is that what this is for?” Erika asked, voice softening. “Because I really could have handled that better.”


“Oh.” She sat on the foot of the bed and braced herself. “You okay? Your parents? Your brothers and—”


“Yes, Rika. Everyone’s okay. Well, not everyone. I got here first thing this morning—cleaning day.”


Billy had to be at The Mischen Rink before sunrise a couple days a week. He traded labor for rental fees, so his hockey teams could practice for free. “I got out of my truck and found Jesse sleeping right outside. She’s run away from home.”


“I don’t curse anymore.” Erika pulled a yellow tank top over her sports bra. “Is she okay?”


There was a knock then. “Kiki? You decent?”


Chapter 17