“They weren’t competing anymore when they came out.”

“Yeah, well, the times have changed.”

She grudgingly admitted, “It seems so. Which I’m happy about, of course!”

“Uh-huh.”

“You know the facilities won’t compare to what you have in LA.”

“It’s cheaper for ice time and there’s a new hockey arena close by, so there’s more time available.”

As if she didn’t hear me, she said, “Or you know there’s a new arena here in Chicago. I ran into Pavel the other day in the deli section, and he said he’d love to take you back.”

I bit back a laugh at the thought of my mom stalking my old coach through Mariano’s, peeking out from behind a rack of flatbreads, ready to pounce. Never let it be said that Patricia Sullivan wasn’t dedicated to her son’s career. “That’s so sweet of him, but I left Pavel for a reason.”

She huffed. “It wasn’t his fault you didn’t make the team.”

Yes, I knew damn well that I’d lost focus at Nationals that year and fell on two of my jumping passes in the short program. After a mediocre Grand Prix season that fall, I’d needed to nail Nationals. “I didn’t say it was his fault!”

Breathe.

Blonde Perfume was side-eyeing me, and I took another breath, watching a basketball replay on the TV. “Pavel’s great, but I’m going to Bill and Manon.”

“If you have to go to Toronto instead of coming home to your family, why don’t you ask Elena Cheremisinova?”

“Because she’s focusing on ice dancing these days. She hasn’t had a male contender since Alex Grady won Worlds. Most importantly, Mr. Webber wants me to go to Bill and Manon. It might be the last thing—” My throat closed again. Fuck, I refused to cry. “I trust his judgment.”

“Did Melody tell you she was in the ninety-ninth percentile in the mock SAT?”

I was used to her abrupt changes in topic now. She used to argue with me for hours, but since I’d packed up and moved to LA to train with Mr. Webber, forbidding her from coming along, she’d eventually learned when to give up. Well, once she’d started talking to me again, which had taken almost a year.

“Yeah, she did amazing. She’ll crush the real thing, don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. Veronica and Melody are very focused. Your sisters have never disappointed me.”

Gritting my teeth, I kept my voice light. “I’m so proud of them.”

She couldn’t argue with that. “Where are you going to be living in Toronto?”

“In a basement apartment with a meth lab upstairs.”

“So cruel to your mother.”

Before she could launch into all the ways I’d disappointed her or made her worry, I said, “They’re calling my flight. I love you, Mom. I’ll text when I get to Toronto. Say hi to Dad and the girls.”

“Count the rows to the nearest exit. If the cabin fills with smoke, you’ll thank me.” She hung up.

I drained my glass and motioned to Man Bun Bartender for another.