All Chapters of Love on Thin Ice: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

JaxsonI hated tuxedos. They felt like a cage designed to keep a man from moving his shoulders, which, when you spent your entire life throwing body checks on the ice, was a miserable sensation."Stop pulling at the collar, Reed," Liam, my agent, said as we stood in the holding area outside the university’s grand ballroom. “The photographers from the Standard are right outside. The network has a dedicated livestream feed running on the homepage. Smile. Look like a man who isn't staring down a potential grand jury indictment.""The university deferred the charges, Liam," I muttered, checking my cuffs."The university deferred the internal campus discipline," Liam corrected me sharply, his voice dropping. “The donor's lawyers are still pushing the city police to file a formal misdemeanor assault charge. This gala tonight? This reality show? It’s the only thing keeping the DA from signing that warrant. If the public loves you, the DA won't touch you. If the public thinks you're a thu

Jaxson"I don't know how to waltz, Brooks," I muttered as I stood up, smoothing the front of my tuxedo jacket."Just put your hand on my waist and don't step on my silk, Reed," Summer whispered back, her hand sliding into mine as we moved toward the center of the polished hardwood floor.The ballroom lights dimmed, leaving us bathed in a soft, amber glow. Dozens of couples moved onto the floor, but as the HypeTV crew positioned themselves at the perimeter, a wide circle cleared around us.I placed my right hand at the small of her back. The silk of her dress was cool, but the heat of her skin radiated straight through the fabric, warming my palm. I took her left hand in mine, our fingers interlacing effortlessly.We began to move. To my surprise, she was light on her feet, guiding me with a subtle, rhythmic pressure against my shoulder that kept me from tripping over my own dress shoes."You're doing fine," she murmured, looking up at me. The amber light caught the dark depths of

JaxsonThe production trailer was silent as the door slammed shut behind us.Sarah Sterling wasn't inside. She was still in the main ballroom, frantically managing the fallout with the University President and the Athletic Director after security dragged Derek Vance out of the gala. The sudden transition from the deafening roar of the ballroom to the narrow, sterile walls of the trailer felt like stepping into an airlock.Summer stood in the center of the narrow walkway, her breathing heavy, the midnight-blue silk of her dress slightly rumpled from the chaos. She was shaking—not from fear, I realized, but from pure, raw adrenaline. Her hands were clenched into tight fists at her sides, her knuckles pale beneath the harsh fluorescent lights of the trailer."Are you okay?" I asked, my voice rough as I ripped off my bow tie, throwing it onto the counter. My knuckles were still stinging from where I’d pinned Vance against the pillar. The metallic taste of anger was fresh in my mouth

SummerThe production trailer smelled like stale coffee and ozone when I walked in on Thursday afternoon.Sarah Sterling was sitting behind her desk, the room dark except for the harsh, blue glow of her editing monitors. She didn't look up when the door clicked shut. Her expression wasn't her usual manic, ratings-driven smile; it was cold, clinical, and completely devoid of humanity."You wanted to see me, Sarah?" I asked, a cold prickle of unease starting to form at the base of my neck. “Chloe said it was urgent regarding the pre-championship package.""Sit down, Summer," Sarah said, her voice flat.I took a seat on the leather stool, my muscles tightening."You've done a wonderful job this season," Sarah said, finally turning her chair to face me. @The audience loves you. The redemption arc is a triumph. But as I told you before... stability is a plateau. And a plateau is death for a network finale.""The season is almost over, Sarah," I said, my voice steady despite the rising

SummerThe rain was pouring down in sheets on Saturday night, matching the bleak, suffocating blackness that had taken over my life. I was sick to my stomach. The Eastern University arena was glowing like a massive, silver spaceship in the dark, the parking lot packed with thousands of cars for the National Championship game against State. The noise from inside was a muffled, rhythmic thrum—the sound of ten thousand fans waiting for the final showdown.I sat on the concrete stairs of the communication building across the quad, my knees pulled tightly to my chest, my denim jacket soaked through with freezing water.My tuition was paid. My New York contract was confirmed. My future was perfectly secured on paper. I had everything I had spent four years starving for. And I had never felt more completely dead inside.A lot was going through my mind. I didn’t realize when Chloe walked up to me. "Summer?"I looked up through the curtain of wet hair to see Chloe standing there, holdi