On his way to realizing his Olympic dream, Tom Alan Baranowski finds himself in the midst of a dilemma. His traditional Japanese coach is insisting upon an arranged marriage between his biological daughter Erika and adopted son Tom Alan, who are partners on the ice. Tom Alan loves Erika, and his coach literally saved his life, rescuing him from an abusive home. How can he say no?<br><br>Somewhat resigned to his “not so bad” fate, everything changes when Tom Alan meets British ice dancer Milo Fisher. The spark between them is almost hot enough to melt the ice beneath their blades, and the two fall into an affair.<br><br>What about Erika? What about loyalty? What about gold? For Tom Alan, the impossible throw quadruple jump is suddenly the least difficult thing in his life.

Quadruple Flip

Tom Alan was rather noncommittal about marriage and almost everything else. Everything except his skating. Though they spent more time in Japan of late than in the US, he and Erika still competed for the States. She considered herself mostlyAmerican but would have dual citizenship if Japan allowed it. Tom Alan, conversely, though he loved Japan and his Japanese family, felt a hundred percent American. Nobuo Tsuchino never even suggested he try to feel differently. Not about that, anyway.


“It’s an improvement over this morning.” Erika beamed, speaking of the jump attempt. “Blades over butt,” she said, patting Tom Alan’s as she offered him a smile.


Tom Alan returned it—the smile, not the pat—grudgingly at first, but then he offered a sincere smile: blinding, charming, dorky. He couldn’t help himself. He adored his partner in sport and in life with all his heart. Yes, he loved her. There was no doubt about that either.


Chapter 3