Threads of Love Page 5

  Carla still hadn’t returned his call by the time he arrived at the diner. She was more than likely busy at the arena. The very probable idea that she’d decided to stay in Colorado to train tightened his stomach and sent dread running through him. Before he sank into depression over the situation, he went out through the back door and leaned against the building. He needed to put everything back in God’s hands. It seemed like he kept taking things into his own.

  Father, I give her back to You once more. You have Your own plan for Carla’s life and for mine. Please give me peace and

  increase my faith. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

  He didn’t immediately experience a feeling of faith or jubilation, but he knew that sometimes even peace had to be received by faith, regardless of feelings. He knew in his heart God was in control.

  The morning practice had gone well. No loose skates and no one running into her. And wonder of wonders, Lee had followed Vlad’s directions and hadn’t argued with the coach even once.

  “Good job, kids,” Vlad threw over his shoulder as he left the building.

  Carla glanced after him. “Doesn’t he have other skaters to train?”

  Lee gave her a quick look and focused on removing his skates. “I think he just ended a couple of contracts and decided to move here for his health or something. I believe we’re his only ones at the moment.” He pulled her braid.

  “Which makes it better for us, right?”

  Carla laughed away her momentary unease. “I guess it does.”

  “Sure it does.”

  “Lee, I’ve made a decision.” Carla held her breath as he stared at her.

  “Well, don’t keep me wondering.”

  She smiled. “In spite of sore muscles; blistered, swollen feet; and someone possibly sabotaging my skates, I realize I want this. But I also want to get my degree. So if you’re willing to work around my college schedule, I think the answer is yes.”

  “You think?” Disappointment rang out in his tone.

  “Come on, Lee. I do have some things to tie up, and I’ve got this week with my cousins coming up soon. I’ll have a week to think about it without you around trying to make up my mind for me.” She laughed. “My decision is that if I still feel the same at the end of next week, I’ll stay.”

  He whooped and grabbed her around the waist, whirling her around. “I can handle that. But in the meantime I plan to do everything I can to sway you in the right direction. Starting now.”

  “Lee! Put me down, or I just might back out.”

  He set her down gently. “Sorry, I got carried away. But I’m serious about swaying you. Did you know there’s an ice show in town?”

  “Yes, I saw the flyers.”

  “Well, I thought maybe we could grab some lunch then take in the matinee performance.”

  “Anyone we know skating?” She’d only glanced at the flyer. It was an ice show out of Denver.

  “You’ll probably recognize a couple of skaters. But I’ve heard it’s a good show.” He grinned. “Some ballet on ice.”

  “Sounds good. What time is the matinee?”

  “Three o’clock. We’ll have to forgo an afternoon practice.”

  Once more, a little unease tried to worm its way in, but she shoved it aside. They’d been training hard for a week and a half. She couldn’t expect him to keep it up constantly.

  “Okay. I’m heading for the showers, but let’s skip lunch. I’d rather go back to the hotel for a couple of hours and grab something there. Can you pick me up? I’m not sure if I know the way to the Ice Palace.”

  “Sure, I planned on it anyway. See you around two-fifteen.”

  Butterflies danced in Carla’s stomach all the way back to her room. She looked forward to the ice show, and just telling Lee her intention had made it seem real. She was a skater again. Maybe not a great one yet, but she’d work hard. She’d make it.

  She curled up in the easy chair and opened her lunch, feeling a little guilty over the burger and fries, but she was hungry, and she’d been practically living on salads and fish the last few days.

  She bowed her head to give thanks and suddenly Todd’s face flashed in her mind. She’d had such a busy and exciting morning, she’d forgotten to turn her phone back on after practice.

  Oh no, a half dozen calls from Todd. She sighed. She couldn’t call him now. It was the busiest time of the day at the diner. She’d have to wait until after the ice show. She sent him a quick text promising to call later then ate her sandwich. She gave her parents a call, and by the time she got off the phone, it was time to get ready.

  The ice show was fantastic, and Carla was mesmerized. She hadn’t seen a live ice show or competition in years, and she’d forgotten how entrancing they could be. Several times, Lee glanced at her and smiled. He hadn’t forgotten her love for the artistic side of skating, and she could see the satisfaction in his glance.

  As they walked out of the building, he took her hand. She started to withdraw it but decided she was being silly. They held hands for hours on the ice, not to mention other intimate moves. It didn’t mean anything. And she didn’t want to ruin the magic of the evening.

  As they drove back toward her hotel, she turned to him and smiled. “Thanks for taking me to see the show, Lee. It was so beautiful. I loved every minute of it.”

  “I know. I could tell. And I loved watching you loving it.”

  She laughed.

  “How about stopping somewhere for supper before I drop you off?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m still stuffed from lunch. And I have some phone calls to make.”

  Surprised when he didn’t argue, she breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to hear Todd’s voice and hoped he hadn’t gotten busy yet.

  The first thing she did when she walked into her room was to toss her jacket on the bed and head for the easy chair. She pulled out her cell phone and called the diner. The sound of Todd’s voice sent a surge of relief through her. She wanted to reach through the phone and pull him to her. Her heart sped up at the thought of being in his arms. She inhaled deeply then let the air out slowly. She had to get her emotions under control so she could think clearly.

  “Hi, Todd. How are things at the diner?”

  “Pretty much the same, except we’re all missing you. How are you?”

  She told him about her day at the rink. As she talked about the ice show, some of her joy came back. But she knew she needed to be honest with him.

  “Todd …” She paused. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to stay here and continue my training.”

  She heard him draw in a deep breath.

  “What about your college plans?”

  Surely he didn’t think she’d give up her plans to get her degree. “I’ll enroll here. They have a very good business college nearby. And Lee and our coach will work around my schedule.”

  “You already have a coach?”

  “Yes, I thought I told you.”

  “I don’t think so. But that’s okay.” Another indrawn breath. “I’ll miss you.”

  A pang of sadness hit her. “Please, Todd, don’t sound like our friendship is over. It’s not that far. We can still see each other.”

  “Of course we will.” A long silence. “Well, Carla, I need to get busy. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay?”

  “Can’t we talk after you close up?”

  He hesitated. “I’m sorry. I’ll be tied up tonight. I’m going to be talking to Harrington. But I’ll call tomorrow. Gotta go now. ‘Bye. And I’m happy for you, Carla.”

  The call disconnected. Carla sat and looked at the phone in her hand. She was making the right decision, wasn’t she? Then why did she feel so empty and sad?

  Todd’s decision to go to Julie’s dinner party had been made on the spur of the moment. It was born out of his pain and the thoughts running through his head. How could he compete with the hope of gold medals and fame? Maybe, if he had a fancy restaurant that brought in some real money, he’d have a better chance.

>   It only took about five minutes for Todd to discover that the main attraction at this party was the liquid refreshment. Well, he should have expected it. But it wasn’t what he was used to. By the time dinner was over, most of the guests were noticeably drunk. Todd glanced around for Julie to make his excuses and leave. He saw her across the room and headed in her direction.

  “Todd.” She grabbed his arm. “I want you to meet some friends of mine.”

  He drew back from the blast of alcohol on her breath. “Julie, I have to go now. Thanks for inviting me to dinner.”

  He managed to slip away despite her protests. He’d almost made it to the door when Jacob’s voice stopped him.

  “Todd, my boy. Where are you going? We haven’t talked business yet.”

  Although Jacob wasn’t as drunk as some of the others, it was obvious he’d had a few too many. And the blond hanging on his arm certainly wasn’t Mrs. Harrington.

  Todd stopped long enough to shake his hand. “Jacob, after thinking it over, I’ve decided to pass on your generous offer. I think I’ll just stick with my diner for now.”

  He headed home, thankful that God had opened his eyes before he’d signed anything. He admired Jacob as a businessman, but he didn’t want to be under obligation to someone who didn’t share his values. Thank You, Lord, for Your protection. And Lord, it’s been a long time since I’ve thanked You for the diner. I’m thanking You now. Lord, if there’s something You want me to do about the situation with Carla, I ask You to show me that, too.

  Chapter 8

  For the first time since arriving in Colorado Springs, Carla had no joy in skating, no excitement at the thought of competing again. She glided across the ice, hardly noticing the moves she and Lee were doing.

  “Carla! Get your head out of the clouds. I’ve told you twice to get ready for a throw.” The irritation in Lee’s voice jerked her back from her thoughts.

  She tensed. “Wait. I’m not ready. Let’s go around a couple more times.”

  He sighed. “All right. But pay attention this time.”

  Carla forced herself to focus on what she was supposed to be doing for the rest of the morning. When Vlad called a halt, Lee dropped her hand and skated off by himself.

  Fine. He’d pout the rest of the day. She’d found that out. Of course, he had a right to be upset with her.

  “Oomph.” Carla landed on the ice, hard. She popped back up and glanced around to see her nemesis glide away with a grin on her face.

  Carla sighed. It was her own fault. She hadn’t been paying attention, so it was easy to get rammed.

  By the time she left the ice, there was no sign of Vlad or Lee. Oh well. She didn’t want to talk to them anyway. She showered and decided to stop at the coffee shop and try to get her head clear before she drove. She hadn’t hit her head when she fell but she was jarred nevertheless.

  She took a sip of her hot mocha, relishing the bitter but sweet chocolaty goodness. She’d had them add an extra dollop of whipped cream and wasn’t feeling a bit guilty. Maybe she wasn’t so sold out on being a competitive skater after all.

  She glanced up and saw a framed picture of Michelle Kwan. The one whose career she’d followed since she was a little girl. Injury had sidetracked Michelle, the most decorated skater in the United States. Carla still remembered crying along with her angel when she’d had to pull out of the Olympics because of a hip injury. At least Michelle had tons of World and National medals to console her.

  But it wasn’t just about winning or losing competitions. Carla loved to skate. But did she have the drive she would need to compete? Was it the most important thing to her?

  Todd’s face popped from the back of her mind to the front. She almost gasped. She missed him. She missed the diner and her friends at home.

  She stood and glanced at Michelle’s photo again. She’d thought Michelle would skate forever. Sure, she did an occasional show, but she’d finished her education, and she seemed to be moving on to more important things.

  I still don’t know what I’m supposed to do, Lord. Would You please show me?

  She drove around for a while and then with a jolt realized she hadn’t even thought of taking flowers to Grams’s grave.

  With a purpose for the first time that day, she drove to a florist and bought a beautiful arrangement then drove to the cemetery.

  It took her a little while to find the right plot. She was pleased to see it well cared for. A pewter vase was empty.

  Well, no wonder. Who would bring fresh flowers when it was likely to start snowing again?

  She gave a little chuckle and placed the flowers in the vase. She attempted to arrange them nicely and smiled at the crooked bouquet. It would do. At least it was straighter than the stitches on her quilt square. Which she still hadn’t finished. “I’ll finish it this afternoon, Grams. I promise,” she whispered.

  Feeling a little better, she left and drove to a small restaurant near her hotel. She ate salad because she wanted it, not because someone thought she needed to lose weight, and added a bowl of cheddar broccoli soup because it was her favorite.

  When she walked into her room, she found herself humming an old country song that Todd played in the diner sometimes.

  She retrieved her squares from her suitcase, including the one she was trying to finish. She’d do the best she could. She held up her square. Actually, her stitches didn’t look as bad as she’d thought. She zipped the suitcase and carried the squares to the easy chair.

  Three hours later, she held up her square again and gave a sigh of satisfaction. Thank You, Lord.

  It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough. At least she wouldn’t have to be ashamed. And she knew her cousins would help her with the rest. It was time for her to start being herself and stop comparing herself to everyone else. After all, everyone couldn’t skate as well as she could. She cringed at that thought. Was that why she’d decided to return to figure skating? So she wouldn’t feel inferior to her cousins?

  She closed her eyes. Yes, if she were to be honest with herself, she’d dreaded telling Eve, Danni, and Zoe that she was a waitress in a diner. Again, she cringed. Such ridiculous self-pride. As if they would care. And even if they did, so what? She’d always had a special feeling for the diner. The shame had come when she thought of her older, successful cousins. Father, forgive me.

  Had she ever even liked training and competing? She remembered the early mornings when she’d just wanted to sleep a little longer. The tears when her mother would soak her blistered feet. Now that she thought of it, Grams had never once encouraged her to skate. She’d only said Carla should do what made her happy.

  She drew in a deep breath. And suddenly peace flooded her, and she felt lighter than she’d felt since she found out she was coming to Colorado Springs.

  Now that the decision concerning Harrington was made, Todd felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted off him. Even the uncertainty about Carla couldn’t detract from his overall sense of well-being. He knew God was in control.

  Of course, Hannah kept bugging him to tell her why he was suddenly in such a good mood after moping around for a week and a half. And when she started guessing, it didn’t take her but one try.

  “You talked to Carla, didn’t you?” Without waiting for an answer, she whooped. “That’s it. I knew it. I knew she wouldn’t stay away. I sure hope when she gets back you have the sense to ask that girl to marry you.”

  Alan tossed a dish towel at her. “For crying out loud, Hannah Marie, leave the man alone.”

  “Don’t call me that.” She tossed the towel back at him.

  “Why not? It’s your name.” Alan threw her a wink. “And a very pretty name for my girl.”

  “Oh, you.” She laughed and looked at Todd. “Well? Am I right?”

  “I don’t know, Hannah. When I talked to her yesterday, she was leaning toward staying in Colorado. But I haven’t given up hope.”

  She snorted. “Well, do you wonder why? Have you ever given h
er even a hint of how you feel about her?”

  The good-bye kiss flitted across Todd’s mind but he shoved it back. “I think she has at least a hint of an idea, yes.”

  “Well, maybe it’s time you came right out and told her you love her.”

  “Hannah!” Alan frowned. “Mind your own business.”

  The phone rang and Hannah picked it up. “Carla! Girl, when are you coming home? I can’t run this place without you.” She paused and then laughed. “Okay, let me give the phone to Todd. I know you didn’t call to talk to me. You take care of yourself. Bye.”

  Todd took the phone and carried it into the storage room. “Hi, Carla.”

  “Hi, Todd. It was nice to hear Hannah’s voice. I didn’t realize how much I miss her.”

  “Well, as I’m sure you can tell, she misses you, too. We all do.” There, he’d said it without sounding pitiful.

  Carla hesitated a moment. “Todd, I don’t think I’m going to pursue a skating career after all.”

  He stiffened to control the shout of joy that wanted to explode from his throat.

  “Oh, so you’ve decided against it?”

  “I think so. Would you please pray for me? I don’t want to make a mistake, and you know how impulsive I can be.” She gave a nervous little laugh. “Yesterday, I was almost sure I was going to compete. So you see, I really need prayer to make sure I do the right thing.”

  “You know I’ll pray for you, Carla. I want God’s best for you, whatever that might be.” Oh, but he wanted to shout, “I think God’s best for you is to come home to me.” He swallowed. “Do you want me to ask Hannah and Alan to pray, too?”

  “Would you please?” She sniffled. “I have to go now, Todd. Can we have a long talk tomorrow?”

  “Of course. I’m here if you need me. Call me before work, in between shifts, or after closing. You know the schedule.”