They took one complete turn around the rink with Dominique’s triple D’s pressed into Jake’s back. During the second turn, she relaxed enough to release her grip a little, and even wave at Justin and Michael as they raced past them. By the third time around, she’d gained enough confidence to take his hand and skate side by side.

“I’m doing it!” Dominique exclaimed with excitement, as she navigated a turn looking only half as clumsy as she had before. “This is fun!”

They went around a couple more times. Jake joked with the boys and Dominique could tell that he wanted to let loose and put his skating skills to work. “Help me over to the snack bar,” she said as they neared it.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, baby. I’ll grab some hot chocolate while you men do your thing.”

She took a seat and after buying her a large hot chocolate topped with real marshmallows, Jake zoomed off in search of Justin and Michael. Moments later she laughed as she watched Jake roar past them and then witnessed the boys’ vain attempt to catch up to his long, powerful strides. Soon other skaters joined them and before long, there was a large group zipping around the outer side of the rink, leaving the inner ice for the less brave. Jake said something to Justin and his peal of laughter bounced off of the ice and into her heart. It thrilled her to see him so happy. A few more bricks from the wall around her heart tumbled down and suddenly visions of future outings with the three of them, and with her and Jake’s families, began dancing in her head.

“Stop it, Dominique,” she warned herself. It had only been official for a few short weeks and the last thing she wanted to do was be a typical female and start prematurely imagining herself with his last name. In spite of herself, however, she decided that “Dominique McDonald” sounded pretty darn good.

Dominique took a sip of chocolate and reached into her pocket for her cell phone. Oh, darn it. She’d forgotten that, at Jake’s insistence, she’d left it in the car. He knew her penchant for working, even when she was supposed to be taking a break. When she’d protested, he’d countered, “Nothing is going to happen in the next hour that you can’t handle when we get back to the car.”

A little over an hour later, the group headed back to Jake’s SUV. On the way, Michael boasted that he’d beaten Jake in a race while Justin insisted that Jake had let him win. Sensing a fight coming on, Dominique shifted the boys’ attention by asking where they wanted to eat. This brought on another debate: Michael wanted pizza; Justin, tacos.