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

“I just put my arm around her—his—waist, and, um, she—he—turns on his foot and picks the other toe into the ice facing me. I toss her—him—more like a discus than a Frisbee. But she does all the work. He will. Most of it. Propelling helps, but…”


“Take a few warm-up laps,” Mrs. Mischen told Tom Alan. “Then we’ll try it.”


To Milo, she said, “He is anxious.” Tom Alan heard her and agreed.


“I think he’s always like that.” He heard Milo say that, too.


“About jump, though, Milo. More nervous. His coach is worried he will be apprehensive after Erika’s fall. He needs some calm and reassurance—routine. Get back on bike before he becomes unable to,” she said. “Can we give that to him?”


Chapter 17