“Don’t be funny, Tristan,” she shot back without heat but almost toppled over once he released his grip so he could dig into his pockets for his phone and headphones. He stuck one of the headphones into her ear and popped the other into his.

“I expected their tracklist to be pretty corny, so I did my own playlist,” he said. “I had to upgrade it a little since my date is no longer four and obsessed with Disney, but I promise it’s fire.”

Cosima turned her attention to the random lo-fi music playing in the rink. It contained enough jingles and jangles to get the point across that it was meant to be Christmas music, but Tristan hadn’t told any lies. For as much effort as they put into the majestic décor, the music was absolute trash.

“Let me see what you got,” she said. Tristan made a show of pressing the play button, causing Stevie Wonder’s voice to float into her ear, singing about how Christmas meant candles burning low and choirs singing carols outside his door. They swayed together, moving slowly in part because of her awkwardness but also because Tristan seemed to be in no hurry, as if he wanted to savor the moment of them so close together, swaying slowly with Stevie Wonder in their ears, locked in their own private world while the chaos of little kids, their families, and their winter animals existed just on the outside, unable to break through the bubble they created.

She laughed out loud, pushing against his chest when the playlist skipped ahead to the next song, and DMX’s gruff voice came through the speaker.

“This should’ve been the first song,” she teased. “It’s undoubtedly the best version of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’”

Cosima gripped Tristan’s hand tightly, resisting his attempts to lengthen their strides as he tried to move them toward the Christmas tree.

“I know that’s right. I guess if I put the unfortunate mess with Home Alone to one side, you might actually have taste.”

She wanted to keep up the playful banter, but all that came out of her mouth was a small, high-pitched laugh that had her clapping her hand over her mouth with embarrassment. Cosima refused to believe she was being giddy over this man she’d just met yesterday. But there was no denying it when they finally got close enough to the Christmas tree, and he pulled out his phone.

“I’d say I want us to take a selfie for me to send to my mother, but that would be a lie,” he joked. “I just want to keep this memory close.”

He leaned his head to the top of hers, extending his arm out and telling her to smile before he took a few snaps.

“Let me take one of y’all.”