Maria laced up her skates while glancing at the entrance to the rink that led out to the sixth floor of an urban Bangkok mall. A few young girls in glittering one-piece bodysuits arrived at the front desk, but no irritating blonde man. Emma popped up from the escalators a couple of minutes later without her two cab companions. Maria's eyes kept darting back to those rising stairs. Should she have stayed with Mitch? Was he alright?

"Ready to hit the ice?" Tom asked with an eager grin.

She felt a little guilty since he'd noticed her dejected mood all week and put a smile on her lips most days. Fixating on Mitch wasn't healthy, especially with his moodiness, but it was hard to help. Something was eating away at him if he was this bitter during the holidays. Everyone deserved warmth and cheer in their life today, even if they'd been maltreating others this week. He had apologized to both her and Becca.

"I'll wait for Emma, but you should go since our time's already started."

Tom nodded and ambled toward the rink to join the mix of foreigners, fumbling adult Thai skaters and the young agile ones who appeared to be training for some sort of competition. Emma paid at the counter and sauntered over.

"Merry Christmas, Em." Maria teetered on her gray footwear, some crossbreed of hockey and figure skates, to give Emma a wobbly hug.

"Merry Christmas, Maria." Emma surveyed the ice and furrowed her brow. "So, you any good at this skating business?"

Maria shrugged. "Half-decent."

"Becca half-decent or Tom half-decent." Emma studied the trembling Aussie who clutched the arms of a steady redhead skating backward with a smile.

"Probably more like Tom. How you never skated?"

"I have, but not in nearly a decade."

"It's like riding a bike."

"Really?"

Maria peered at the entrance, but Shawn or Mitch hadn't arrived. Shawn should have accompanied Emma. The more Maria fixated on it, the worse her mood would get. She couldn't take Mitch's actions personally like she had the rest of the week.

"I'm not sure. My mother drags us skating every year, part of her living the Canadian dream mentality."

"Okay, whiz kid, you can lace me up."

Maria laughed and kneeled down to help tighten Emma's right skate while she tackled the other. A few minutes later, they approached Tom and Becca, who had both fallen once. He still had the wet imprint on his jeans to prove it.

"I don't think I've ever skated when it's been so warm out," Maria said. The surrounding air was chilled, but well above zero degrees. How did that ice stay frozen?

Emma stumbled. "Stupid toe pick," she muttered.

As they drew closer, Tom saw them and led Becca over to the wall for a break. He asked Emma the question Maria couldn't decide if she wanted to ask. "Where are Shawn and Mitch? I thought you shared a cab."

"Apparently, Mitch is not feeling so hot, and they headed back," Emma said.

Maria stared at her skates. "Figures."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

She leaned against the rail, evading Tom and Becca's glances. Despite Mitch's distant attitude, she didn't need to spread rumours to those who loved to speculate. "No reason."

Becca studied Maria, manicured fingers clutching the edge. "Has he treated you worse than he has at school?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Oh?" Becca's raised an eyebrow alongside her tone.

Did she think they'd hooked up? "Or like that. He just seemed different this morning when we ran into each other."

"I'm surprised he agreed to come. The man's always acted above celebrating holidays."

Maria met Becca's eyes. Did she know what drove Mitch to drink this morning and if it was part of a long ruse advancing at a glacial pace with Maria? Or was he genuinely hurting in ways no one else noticed? Becca slipped, taking Tom down with her again.

"That's our cue," Emma said, clutching Maria's hand for stability. She wasn't moving fast, but they'd outrun stumbling Becca. Once they arrived at the opposite side of the rink, Emma turned to Maria. "I might have said something to Mitch."

Maria ground her blades into the ice, which was less firm than she was used to. "Please, tell me you didn't..."

Emma clutched the railing along the edge to stop alongside Maria but still kept going a few feet. "You've been through relationship hell, and you don't deserve whatever bullshit he's pulled the past few weeks. At minimum, he's been an absolute dick at work."

"He didn't do anything," Maria muttered. "It was me."

"You?"

Maria pushed off from the ice to match Emma's gliding pace. "I told him I would hook up with him. No strings or expectations."

Emma sighed and rubbed Maria's back. "I'm sorry, hun."

"Nothing happened. He turned me down. Why flirt with me for over a month, lay all this groundwork, and throw it away? Did he say anything?"

Emma bit her lip and averted her gaze.

"What did he say, Em?"

"After I tore a strip off him for treating you like his girlfriend then giving you an ultra-cold shoulder, he said he would stop."

The world swirled around for a moment, skaters, glittering holiday decorations, and wide windows. Cool air slapped Maria's face until her hands found the bar, and she steadied herself. What did stop mean? They were great friends, friends who were close in a non-traditional sense, but not dating. He was half the reason she was even okay and looking forward to continuing with her teaching contract out here. Her phone vibrated in her purse. Speak of the devil.

Mitch: Hey Maria, I miss your beautiful face. You're hella kind and amazing. You free on February 8th? Maybe we can spend the day together, you, me, Shawn and Emma, see the city, watch a movie, just chill. Everything is brighter and better when you're around.

So their friendship wasn't done, or he'd lied to Emma, not to mention that liquor was hitting him quick enough. Perhaps he'd been drinking longer than she thought. If he was honest with Emma, it would be all the little touches, snuggles, and hugs Maria so looked forward to that vanished. She sighed. This week hadn't been fun, but Mitch was right. If she spent all her time obsessed with an emotionally unavailable man, she'd never find love.

"That him?" Emma asked.

"Yeah."

Maria handed the phone to her, and Emma shook her head as she read the message. "Stop, my ass. Sounds like he's drunk or high. He sounded off in the car. What are you going to say back?"

"I don't feel like arguing today of all days, so I'll tell him what he wants to hear."

"I'm sorry." Emma rubbed Maria's shoulder. "I sort of pushed you in his direction, but I didn't know he'd string you along like this. He seemed like a chill guy to hook up with and move on."

"It's fine. I should have rejected him completely after Samet or slept with him then to go through this earlier when I cared less."

"He didn't need to keep leading you on knowing what you wanted."

Maria flashed a strained smile and sent Mitch a quick text back. Their time together kept flashing before her as she skated: his arms around her at Wat Arun, his soft lips and frenzied kisses at the beach, him reaching for her hand as they listened to Sunshine and Daniel's lives unfolding. She'd projected her own emotional needs into all of those occasions. In time, she'd find someone who shared her longing for those moments, but Mitch had been clear it wasn't him.

Her phone buzzed again. She didn't even try to wait to check it while Emma glided on.

Mitch: Wish I was there with you :)

Drawing in a shaky breath, she shoved the phone away in her purse. He'd been so cold about the outing this morning, and if he'd wanted to come why didn't he show up? She didn't know what kind of game he was playing, but she wouldn't tolerate being ignored, snapped at, and led on like this. Did he think that little of her that he assumed she had learned nothing from her last horrific relationship?

The loud scraping of skates cutting into the ice made her freeze as snowy powder flew in her direction. Tom stood there alone, his lips down-turned after one glance at her face. He ran his hands over his black and white reindeer Christmas sweater.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah, just homesick," Maria lied. If she admitted any feelings for Mitch, he'd lecture her or look at her knowingly.

"That's why I thought the skating would be fun. When I learned there was a rink, it reminded me of you, or of us, you know, two creatures from up North missing their habitat." He grinned. "I'm pretty sure Becca believes I did this to torture everyone, but I think she's found a solution." A couple of tall, fit men who probably could have played in the NHL skated on either side of her, catching her as she tripped.

Maria shook her head. "That didn't take long."

"Despite what others may think, she is a caring and worthwhile woman." The word 'others' sounded like a trap. She bit her tongue and kept skating. "And so are you."

Tom matched her pace, offering no more commentary. After a few laps, he proposed race, which became the perfect outlet for her angry energy. Her shorter legs pushed hard on the slippery surface, then she and Tom glided between the beginners, tourists, and novices. Artificially cooled air rushed past her face and through her hair as she picked up speed on the clear stretch ahead. She smiled as the rush diminished every other feeling in her.

As she swerved to avoid a man who suddenly veered in her path, Maria's skate caught on loose ice shavings and sent her tumbling into the perimeter wall. She took most of the impact on her side and hip but stayed upright.

"That's one way to stop," Tom said, skating back in her direction. "That sounded like it hurt. Are you okay?"

"It'll bruise, but I'll be fine."

"Sorry." Tom scratched his head. "Racing around the only rink probably wasn't a great call."

"No, it's alright. It was a fun distraction."

"We could go grab a warm drink if you need another."

Maria glanced at the enormous windows and the big sign announcing the Thai New Year's greetings in rainbow colours. "Maybe after the skate. We shouldn't squander a rare experience in Bangkok."

They skated a handful of laps at a leisurely pace. Two parents and their young children stumbled onto the ice, giggling and shouting with grins on their lips despite their slips.

"How's your family doing?" Tom asked.

"Good, things are going well for my mom at work, Tina asked her crush to the winter formal, and she said yes, and my dad is planning to build a small greenhouse this spring."

"Your dad's talking to you again? That must be great."

Maria smiled, surprised he even remembered detail like that. When she'd first come to Bangkok, her father was so insulted she'd thrown his efforts to emigrate from Asia that he wouldn't speak to her for over a month. Tom caring about that brought some warmth into the chilly air. "Yeah, it wasn't long after we returned from Samet. We got so busy with exams and everything I forgot to mention it."

"And Sunshine?"

Maria's eyes stung at the mention. Even though she and Sunshine had talked since that painful evening with Mitch, her cousin's name still evoked those memories.

Tom placed a warm hand on her upper arm. "Is everything okay with them?"

"Yeah," she said hoarsely. "They're great."

"But..."

Maria stared at the shiny ice. "But nothing, I'm just being selfish."

"It's not selfish to have a dream and to be envious of others who have it. It's a bit of a downer after I've talked to my brother or sister and my nieces and nephews. I'm not getting any younger or closer to finding it."

Maria met his soft hazel eyes, taking in their different hues for the first time. "I'm glad I'm not the only one."

"It's pretty normal."

As they finished a few more laps, and Emma and their coworkers Shannon and Peter approach the exit with big grins, Maria turned to Tom. "I will take you up on that drink if that offer still stands."

Tom's smile warmed her heart. "Of course, I'd love to."

As a tickle travelled up her throat, Maria turned her head to blink away the tears. With Mitch's rejection and Adrian's actions, she'd wondered if anyone would stick around to care for her. Tom had his quirks, but she had never been open enough to give him a real shot. Perhaps it was time she did.