Sin Bin (D.C. Stars, #5)

Sin Bin (D.C. Stars, #5) — Chapter no 12

TWELVE

HANNAH

I’m doing something new.

TIERNEY Is it bangs??

ME I’m coaching someone for the first time.

TIERNEY

Like. An actual human?

Yup! Grant’s coach has a daughter, and she needs someone for her lessons.

Through a weird twist of fate, I’m the one who is going to be working with her.

TIERNEY Hannah, WHAT? Wait. I love this for you! You’d be a GREAT coach.

Are you excited?

Yeah… but I also feel like I’m going to be sick.

TIERNEY Deep breath. You’re a badass who is going to kick ass.

I can’t wait to hear all about it.

FROM THE VERY FIRST day I started skating, I’ve been confident stepping onto the ice. Today, I’m nervous as hell. I could barely eat lunch. I spent all day prior to arriving at the Stars’ practice facility making a list of things to discuss with Olivia.

I’ve racked my brain trying to remember what my coaches have taught me before we started working on program choreography. I don’t want to assume Olivia knows or doesn’t know certain terminology. I also don’t want to push her so hard she winds up like me, stuck in limbo about whether or not I see a future for myself in this sport.

Being a good athlete doesn’t mean you’ll make a good coach, but I’ve taught some Learn to Skate camps in the past. I’ve helped the younger skaters at the rink when they’ve struggled with some of their moves, and I’m going to rely on that directional instinct to help me get through our first couple of lessons.

No one will have any idea I’m flying by the seat of my fucking pants.

I fix my ribbon and walk down a long tunnel toward the players’ bench.

I pull out my skates and take off the soakers protecting the blades, reminding myself to breathe. Brody and I agreed on a four o’clock start, and a quick check of the time tells me I have fifteen minutes to shake out my jitters.

The ice is smooth, and a quick lap has my shoulders relaxing away from my ears. My legs are lighter, and this is what I’ve been missing: complete peace. The ability to skate just to skate, not to perform for judges giving me scores. The second lap has me smiling. I go through some of my favorite moves on the third lap, landing a double Axel more perfectly than I have in months.

“If I tried to jump like that, I’d be taken away in an ambulance,” someone yells.

I grin on instinct, finishing my turn to find Grant joining me on the ice in athletic shorts and a DC Stars Hockey hoodie. I move toward him,

noticing freshly dried blood under his eye and a nick on his skin.

“What happened to your face?” I ask, stopping abruptly and spraying ice on his shins. He groans and tries to shove my shoulder, but in his slides, I’m much faster. “You weren’t good-looking before, but now you look like a troll. I preferred the inch worm mustache.”

“Glad I have such a loving sister who boosts my confidence.”

“Like it needs boosting. I know you saw that social media page dedicated to making thirst trap edits of you.”

“What can I say? I’m the people’s princess.” His grin is smug. “As for my face, I took a stick to the cheek during morning skate. I’m fine, and the battle wounds make me cooler.”

“It would be even cooler if you were missing some teeth.”

“Might happen in our next game. We’re playing the team we beat for the Cup two years ago. It’s shocking they’re not fans of us.”

“Are you all scheduled for an afternoon practice today? Please don’t tell me my lesson is about to be taken over by twenty hockey players.”

“Nah. Just wanted to stop by and say hi before your first official day as a coach. How’re you feeling? Not stressed, I hope. You’re going to knock this out of the park, Han.”

It’s impossible not to smile at his encouragement.

Grant’s always been that kind of guy, the big brother who came to every competition and wore a shirt with my face plastered on it. Our skates were always the oldest ones on the rink. We had to fundraise for games and competitions that required travel. When the summer came where only one of us could go to camp due to finances, he declined a developmental academy’s invite to a prestigious event for select hockey players so I could spend two weeks in Boston training with a former Olympian.

He deserves every bit of success he’s earned, from the contracts and sponsorships with Bauer and BodyArmor to two Stanley Cups. He doesn’t even mind that he’s not a starter, preferring to join the second line off the bench to give the team a spark when they need it. A lot of my friends have sibling relationships that are stilted and sad, but that’s not ours, and I’m so glad.

“I’m a little stressed, but that’s because I’m trying something new. And I really want it to go well,” I tell him.

“It’s going to go well. Your triple dipper quadruple—”

“That’s an appetizer at Chili’s.”

“Whatever it’s called. It’s one of the best in the world because you’re

one of the best in the world.”

“Even now?” I ask.

“Even now.” Grant snaps. “What’s that mantra you used to say? In the

mirror, before a big event.”

“‘Inhale confidence, exhale fear?’”

“Yup. That. Here. I’ll do it with you. Deep breath.” He sucks in a long puff of air, and I mimic him. “That’s the confidence. And now we’re going to let go of the fear.”

I blow out the breath, feeling lighter after. “Okay. That might’ve worked.”

“Because you’re a genius.” He grins. “I should get going. We have a lifting session scheduled at the arena, then a team dinner. You still need to come to one of those, by the way.”

“I don’t have anything in common with the people there.”

“The girls that are part of the team come. Lexi, Emmy, Madeline, and Piper. You know most of them.”

“I’ll think about it.” I smile. “Thanks for stopping by, G.”

“Confidence, remember? You’re going to kill it,” he adds, jogging over the ice toward the tunnel. He almost slips, righting himself at the last minute. “Whoops. Pretend like you didn’t see that.”

I laugh and do one last lap, repeating the mantra until voices echo over the ice. There’s a deeper one, followed by a high-pitched laugh. I stop and fix my skirt, hoping I look professional enough. Brody comes into view, and beside him, there’s a girl who is the spitting image of him.

They’re a perfect pair, from her dark hair to the way she moves. Not nearly as broad, but her nose matches his, and so do her eyes. The only difference I can find after a quick once-over is her smile. Hers is big and bold, full of life from someone who hasn’t been burned by the world yet while his is more subdued, like you’re lucky to catch a glimpse of it.

“Hi.” I wave and head their way. “I hope it’s okay I’m here early. I wanted to get a quick warm up in.”

“The ice is yours to use.” Brody pins me with a look I can’t decipher, his eyes briefly flicking to my legs before moving back to my face.

“Hannah, this is my daughter, Olivia.”

“Hey.” I smile at her. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

“I’m going to get this out of the way now before I fall and embarrass myself, but I’m, um, a big fan.” Olivia’s cheeks flush, and she adjusts the bag on her shoulder. “I promise I’m not going to stalk you or anything.”

“Liv.” Brody shakes his head. “Why would you even mention that?”

“It’s okay. I’m flattered. It’s so nice to meet you, Olivia.” I bounce my gaze over to her dad. “Are you going to hang out?”

“No. Liv won’t let me watch her practice, so I’ll be back in an hour and a half to pick her up.” He fixes the bill of his backward hat and clears his throat. “I’m also, ah, not available tomorrow like I mentioned. Can we do next Monday instead?”

“Of course. I don’t have a lot going on at the moment.” I gesture around us. “I’m flexible.”

“Wait.” Olivia glances between us. “You two hang out?”

“No,” Brody says. “But we are friends.”

“He’s helping me with something. I might try my hand at hockey next,”

I joke.

“Please don’t. Their jerseys smell horrifying.” She wrinkles her nose.

“Like, truly awful.”

“You’re so right. I think I’ll stick to figure skating.” I grin and hike my thumb over my shoulder. “Do you want to get started, Olivia?”

“Yes, please.” She beams and gives her dad a quick one-armed hug, hurrying to the bench to change into her skates. “See ya, Dad!”

“The second she’s on the ice, she forgets all about me,” he says.

“It’s good to know your place. We’ll see you later,” I say. “And, again, thanks for this opportunity, Brody. I can’t wait to work with Olivia.”

With a nod, he disappears down the tunnel. Olivia is already on her feet, leaning over the boards and waiting for my instructions, and I guess that makes me in charge.

“I’m so excited.” She puts on her gloves, and I grab mine too. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

“Same.” I smile. “I hear your previous coach is pregnant?”

“Yeah. I’ve been training with Susannah Sharp. She competed for Germany in the Olympics.”

“We’ve been skating against each other for years. She’s fantastic.”

“You’re much better.” Olivia slaps a hand over her mouth. “Pretend I didn’t say that. I swear I’m not unprofessional.”

“Say what? I didn’t hear anything.” I grin and invite her onto the ice.

We head for the Stars logo, and I check to see how she stands when we’re not moving. Her balance is superb, and her posture makes me jealous.

“Your dad mentioned the Potomac Memorial is your big upcoming event.

What else do you have on the calendar?”

“Any competition I can enter, honestly. I want to be the best in the world. I know everyone says that, but I’m willing to put in the work.”

“I have a feeling we’re going to get along well, Olivia.”

“You can call me Liv.”

“Liv. I like that. You’re on the taller side for a figure skater, like me.

Have you noticed any issues with aerodynamics?”

“Yeah, I got the height from my dad. But I haven’t noticed any issues when I start skating.” She shrugs. “I have had a coach tell me I need to figure out a diet plan so I could lose a couple pounds, but I just got my period last year and—”

“Fuck that.” It’s my turn to cover my mouth. “Sorry. Pardon my language.”

“Please.” Liv laughs. “You should hear the things my dad says.”

“I’ve had coaches tell me the same thing. And, like, I get it. Science, physics, all of that. It’s hard not to let it get to you, but I’ve started using it as motivation. Nothing beats standing on a podium while someone who tried to control your eating habits watches you succeed. Have cookies and pasta three times a week. Food is fuel, and you’re never going to catch me mentioning anything about your size, okay?”

“Is it too early to say that you might be my favorite coach of all time?”

“Way too early, because I’m going to put you through drills that will hurt like hell.”

“I can’t wait.” She offers me a nervous look. “Am I allowed to ask why you’re not competing right now? There are tons of rumors on the internet.”

I hesitate before answering. Since my announcement about pulling out of Skate America and all the events on my calendar for the foreseeable future, my social media has been flooded with comments and DMs from fans as well as some of the women I’ve competed against checking in to make sure I’m okay.

“I’ve been skating since I was four years old. Over twenty years later, and fatigue is setting in. I’m burned out. I’m unhappy, but that’s where your dad comes in. He’s agreed to take me back to the basics of skating in hopes

I’ll fall in love with the sport again. When I’m here with you, we’ll focus on the technical aspect of skating. When I’m with him, it will be like I’m a beginner all over again,” I say, tilting my head. “Speaking of that—and we’re about to get deep here—I don’t ever want you to reach the point where you’re unhappy during our time together. If you’re having an off day or just don’t feel like skating, I want you to tell me, okay? Making this your career is a great dream to have, but what good is it if you have to sacrifice your happiness to get there? Communication is key, and a lot of my coaches haven’t put my mental health first. I’m not going to do that with you.”

“I promise.” Liv nods. “Dad talks to me all the time about not putting all my eggs in one basket, and I want to set myself up for success. I know taking care of myself is the way to do that.”

“Good. I’ve been through a lot with this sport. If you ever have questions or need advice on something, I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

“I appreciate that. I love my dad, but he’s not a teenage girl. He’s never been a teenage girl, and sometimes his solutions to problems are… not great.”

“Same with my brother. They mean well, but they just don’t understand certain things. And that’s okay!” I laugh. “Ready to get to work?”

“No pressure or anything.” She chuckles, shaking out her hands. “If I faceplant, I promise it’s just nerves, not because I’m uncoordinated.”

“There’s no judgment if you fall. We all do it at some point.”

We go through a warmup and do a few laps of easy skating. After, I pull off to the side, letting Liv take center stage. She shows me her waltz and salchow, followed by a flip jump. Her Lutz is clean, and so is her Axel, but she struggles with her double toe loop.

“I don’t know why that one is so difficult for me.” Liv sighs. “I can’t grasp the concept.”

“It’s my least favorite move because of the weight transfer. We need to make sure our arms and shoulders are in line with our hips. We also don’t want to curtsey. Here.” I motion to the middle of the ice. “Let’s do it slowly.”

Liv runs an exercise I give her, focusing on her single toe loop first.

After, we transition to another drill where she pays attention to her takeoff pivot. The last exercise is practicing rotations, and I talk her through

landing in a controlled manner. We stop and adjust. I point out her body position, and after half an hour, she tries the double toe loop again.

“Holy cow.” She laughs when she successfully lands the move, looking at me with wide eyes. “That felt so natural.”

“Right? Your alignment was much stronger that time.” I grin and give her a high five. “I’m someone who likes tricks and flashy moves, but when the flashy moves don’t seem to be working, I wind it back and go through the process step by step. That was beautiful, Liv.”

“Coach Susannah is so nice, but she never explained things like you did.

She would just tell me to do something again. I never knew what part of the move I was getting wrong.”

“Every coach has a different feedback method. Mine promoted self- correction. She wouldn’t get involved unless something was glaringly wrong. A lot of figure skating is trial and error, and you just nailed that, Liv.

Great job.”

We spend the next hour going through more drills, and by the time we start to wrap up our lesson, Liv’s confidence has only grown. I’m giddy at the thought of having made a positive impact on our first day together.

She pulls over to the bench and grabs her water bottle, taking a long sip while I do a triple Axel and wince at my landing.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Brody says, and I catch him standing in the tunnel.

“I was on the phone and lost track of time.”

“No problem.” I skate over to him and pull out my light blue ribbon. He watches me wrap it around my wrist like a bracelet, his throat bobbing with a slow swallow. “Talking to anyone important?”

“Riley’s agent and our PR department. He’s going to start practicing with our AHL affiliate team next week, so we were trying to come up with a plan for announcing his two-way contract.”

“No way. That’s amazing! Grant told me how hard he’s been working.

It’s going to be so special when he officially gets back on the ice.”

“Yeah.” He lifts his chin in Olivia’s direction. “How did it go?”

“Great. Liv is so fun, and she’s really talented, Brody. A lot of younger skaters have an ego. They don’t like to be told what they’re doing wrong, but Liv asks for that feedback and accepts it humbly.”

“She’s loved skating for as long as I can remember.” Brody waves, his mouth twitching with a smile as he motions for his daughter to grab her gear. “I did some research.”

“On?”

“Figure skating coaches and their salaries. I know what I was paying her old coach, but Liv is getting personalized, one-on-one lessons now. You’re going to be with her four times a week, and I thought eight grand a month seemed fair? But tell me if I’m wrong.”

I do some quick math in my head and gape at him. “You want to pay me five hundred dollars a session?”

“Is that not enough? Damn the internet for lying to me. We can make it—”

“Brody. That’s obscene. Especially for someone who has no experience coaching. I didn’t pay my coaches close to that.”

“Is it obscene?” He folds his arms and peers over my shoulder again.

“My daughter is smiling. She’s not hurt, and from the way she’s practically sprinting over here, I’d say she had a good time.” There’s pressure behind my ribs. It expands, taking up too much space when his eyes shift back to me. “There’s no number you could come up with that would ever be too high a cost to make Liv this happy every day.”

“Okay, well.” My skin feels clammy. I’m flustered. In my head, I knew he was a good dad, but seeing it firsthand is beyond obnoxious in the best kind of way. “We can discuss it next time.”

“Discussion is over. I’ll get a contract drawn up and we’ll switch to biweekly payments going forward. Consider this a deposit.” Brody pulls out his wallet and counts five hundred-dollar bills. His fingers wrap around my wrist, careful as he lifts my arm and unfolds my hand. He sets the money in my open palm, his thumb grazing my fingers when he pulls away. “Pleasure doing business with you, Hannah.”

He drapes an arm around Liv’s shoulders, nodding while she shares her rambled debrief about our session. Brody gives me a final, sweeping look and I watch them go, cash still in my hand and a warmth low in my belly.

Pleasure indeed.