He nodded vigorously. “Absolutely. Bree’s concussion symptoms are finally gone, and they’re working so hard on their levels. Most nights, Etienne practically falls into bed.”

For a strange moment, a pang of envy filled me at the thought of coming home to a partner after a long day of training. How ridiculous. I had Esmeralda, and she was more than enough.

“Sooooo.”

I frowned at Sam. “Hmm?”

He rolled his eyes. “How was the first week with Theo?”

I swallowed a bite of cauliflower and rice. “Fine.”

Truthfully, it had been stressful and irritating. He was all anyone could talk about, the other skaters flocking around him like moths to a flame. Or flies to dung. He’d been late to practice three times already, and “jet lag” had become a running joke. I’d ignored it all as best I could and stayed focused on my training.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure. Come on. Give me the dirt. What’s he like?”

“I’ve known him for a decade. He’s the same.”

“Yeah, but you don’t, like, know him, know him.”

“I’m more than familiar enough.”

Sam huffed. “Are you seriously going to pretend you’re totally unaffected by seeing Theo Sullivan every day? Not distracted at all?”

“It’s good practice for competition.”

“Well, sure, but you have to be a little pissed.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Fine, fine. What’s he think about Kuznetsov?”

“I have no idea.”

Sam threw up his hands. “How have you not talked to him about Kuznetsov? He could beat you both!”

Stomach tightening, I feigned nonchalance. “Kuznetsov is irrelevant to our training.”

“Even if he lands the quad Axel? Don’t tell me you haven’t heard the rumors. He landed one on Instagram!”

Julien, Ivan, and Ga-young had been breathlessly gossiping about it and I’d tried to ignore them. “Instagram isn’t competition.”

“If you say so. How’s the Lutz?”

A topic I wanted to discuss even less than Theodore Sullivan. “Fine.”

“Are you sure it’s worth the risk? You’ve always been so consistent.”

This was true, and it was a valid question. Still, I bristled. “You don’t think I can do it? I’ve landed it in competition before.”

Sam sighed. “Don’t pull that shit. Of course you can do it. You know I believe in you.”

I took another bite and nodded.

“Is Theo dating anyone?”

“He’s been here a week.”

“I mean back in California. They never mentioned a boyfriend in the press, but we all know that doesn’t mean shit in skating even if he’s openly gay.”

“Mm.” While Theodore had come out officially a few seasons before, the US federation rarely mentioned it, if ever. I hoped my federation in Canada would be more supportive, but it hadn’t been discussed since I’d never felt the need to come out in the media.

I’d informed my family and coaches I was gay, but it mostly felt irrelevant since I didn’t date. And the one time I’d tried—

I caught myself and refocused on Sam. “How’s school?”

“Okay. Hard to believe this is my last year of undergrad. Fingers crossed I get in to do my MSW.”