Page 27 of Just A Little Joy

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then I’m going to leave it as a surprise. Let’s get you dressed, and then we can go.”

“What are we doing here?”I asked, glancing around the empty parking lot of the skating rink. “Are we even allowed to be here?”

My heart thudded harder than it should have, like my body already knew this was something important.

“One of the perks of being the minority owner is that I at least have keys to the place. Which means I’m allowed to come and go as I please,” Travis answered from across the wide expanse of his SUV.

“Now sit tight, and I’ll come around and get you,” he said, followed by the slam of his door and a quick jog around to my side.

He opened my door, reached inside, and unbuckled my seatbelt. I didn’t need his help, but I appreciated the gesture. I didn’t need him to hold my hand as I got out of the car either, but I liked that too.

He paused briefly to grab a duffel bag out of the back seat, then led me across the parking lot toward the entrance.

“Are you absolutely sure?” I asked again—not because I didn’t believe him… well, partly because I didn’t actually believe him, but mostly because I wanted to reassure myself.

“I promise we’re not breaking into the skating rink,” Travis said as he fished it out and waved it triumphantly over his head.

Once inside, we stopped briefly at the skate counter so he could grab a pair for me. Based on the thunk when he dropped his duffel bag, his own pair must have been in there already.

After finding out my size, he led me over to a bench and dropped the skates next to me, along with his duffel bag.

“Sit tight. I’m gonna go get the lights,” Travis said before disappearing into the darkness.

I pulled off my shoes and picked up the skates he’d left beside me. I was still working on figuring them out when I heard a click and the lights around the rink flickered on. When I saw it—really saw it—the skates in my hands were forgotten.

Whoever was in charge of the decorations for the rink deserved a raise. They’d turned the place into an indoor winter wonderland. Streams of warm yellow light framed the rink while icicles and snowflakes hung from the ceiling and Christmas trees wrapped in colorful bulbs lined the perimeter. It was so beautifully done that I could almost forget it was indoors, and instead imagine that I’d been transported to a frozen pond in the middle of a forest. I expected woodland creatures to join me any moment.

For a moment, the whole world felt made for us, soft edges and warm lights and room to breathe.

“What do you think?” Travis asked when he returned to my side.

I was leaning over the railing, staring at the lights in awe.

“I think it’s the prettiest ice skating rink I’ve ever been in. It doesn’t even look like one anymore.”

“Then it worked. That’s exactly what we wanted.”

“Who’s ‘we?’”

“The other owner and me.”

“They usually go all out?”

“I’m not sure what the rink has done in the past because this is our first year owning it. The previous owner wanted to retire, so a buddy of mine from the team and I bought it together.” Travis took my hand and led me back to the bench. I felt a bit like a little kid—no irony there—but I was busy being awed by the lights. With a nudge, I sat down on the bench, and Travis took it upon himself to put on my skates and tighten the laces.

His touch steadied me, quiet and sure, like an anchor dropped exactly where I needed one.

“I should have asked before we came, but do you know how to ice skate?”

“Sorta? Maybe? Kinda but not really.” I’d been on skates before and had managed to make it a few feet before I fell.

“Hmm, I’m not sure if that’s a yes or a no.” Travis laughed.

“I’m much better on a snowboard than on skates,” I answered with a grin. His returned one melted away any hint of resistance on my part.

Travis always forgot to be cool, and I think that might have been what I liked best about him. He wasn’t afraid to show his happiness and made me feel like I could show mine. When he offered me his hand, I took it.