CHAPTER SIX

The two weeks of long grueling practice had finally paid off. James and Hannah were skating together effortlessly now. It was such a confidence boost to know things were coming together at a rapid pace. Which they desperately needed, being only a few hours from their first public appearance as a team. Hannah and Jackie rushed to get ready at the rink while James went home to freshen up and get Alexandra. Zach was sending a car to get them, but figured it best to just meet them there. The media was going to have a field day with everything going on, and he didn't want him and Alexandra arriving together to add fuel to the inevitable fire.

James was glad Alexandra was going with them today. Other than her doctor's appointments, she rarely left the house. He hoped that her being able to wear a nice dress and fix up would perk her up a little bit.

"Wow" was all he could muster up when she walked out of their bedroom. Alexandra looked amazing. She blushed at the comments and surprised her boyfriend by walking over and planting a kiss on his lips. He was even more pleased when she took his hand on the short walk to the car.

The ride to the arena was very silent. Everyone was nervous about how the media would react to the change. Luckily, Alexandra would be by James' side to remind everyone that it was not a falling out on the team, but a decision Alexandra had to make for herself. They all hoped that the media would be more interested in getting to know Hannah than the oddity in the team's partnering with a firm owned by exes of two of the members.

Luckily, Zach had arranged for the team to be brought in through the back entrance so that they could be properly seated before being attacked by reporters, photographers, and fans. He, himself, would remain out of the teams way and hidden from everyone else. He was simply in the wings in case anything went wrong.

The new team of James and Hannah led way to the table, followed by Jackie and Alexandra, who then sat on either side. Jackie welcomed and thanked everyone, and then made the official announcement that James McKinsey and Hannah Dorsey would be skating together at Nationals in eight weeks. The official approval for Hannah to replace Alexandra had come through a little over a week ago. She then opened the floor for questions, which were fired at everyone on stage.

Everyone wanted to know why Alexandra quit, to which the response was always that it was a personal decision that she had to make for herself, and no, it was not easy. And no, it did not mean that she and James were no longer a couple. And no, she had not had any interaction with Zach since her former team had signed with him. She herself had no reason to sign with him.

Jackie was glad to be coaching her cousin and confident that the team still had a shot at the gold. No, she had not spoken to her ex-husband since signing with his company. If need be, she would work with him. She would always put her team's needs ahead of her own.

Yes, James would miss skating with his girlfriend, but was looking forward to taking the ice with Hannah soon. No, he did not show up with Alexandra as a publicity stunt. He still loved her as much today as he did when they were still a team. The look he gave her when stating that left no doubt that it was true.

Hannah reassured everyone that she was in as good of form, if not better, than she was when she made it to Nationals before. Yes, she regretted hanging up her skates years ago, but she, like Alexandra, felt it was something she needed to do and that's why she was glad to be able to help Alexandra out.

So far, they had been prepared for everything asked. And then, a local social report stood.

"Hannah, you were recently spotted at The Wine Bar with Alex Harrison. Is it true that the fact you are now dating is what led to the partnership of his company and your team the day you took over for Alexandra?"

The team all just stared at each other, unsure of what to say. Finally, Hannah pulled the mike over to her.

"Yes, it is true that I was having a drink with Alex. His firm is now representing my team, and due to his past relationship with my coach, I handle all dealings with him. He is also a very good friend of mine, and I believe that's grounds to meet for an innocent drink as well. Alex is a great guy, but he's certainly not my guy. As for the fact that our partnership with his firm came on the heels on my joining the team, well, sometimes what was a good fit for one team is not always a good fit for another. We needed someone more in tune with our unique situation."

By the time Hannah had finished her statement, Zach was at the edge of the stage.

"Thank you everybody for coming. At this time the floor is now closed. If we want these guys to bring home the gold, they need to get back to work. Any further questions may be directed to my firm."

The team took a few more minutes to smile at the cameras as everyone was ushered out. Soon, it was just the five of them. Alexandra and James got up immediately, stating that Alexandra needed to go find a water fountain.

"Well, that last question was certainly a shock to everyone." Jackie said.

"I am so sorry," whispered Hannah, "I never thought about how it would look when I met Alex the other night. Jackie, I would never…"

"I know, trust me. You and Alex were always close. He was a big brother to you and I understand that y'all will remain friends. Unfortunately, people looking for a scoop don't."

"It's clear that people want more of a story than what we've given them. They will be hounding you guys. The closer it gets to competition time, the more they're going to dig. We just need to be careful not to give them anything to twist, and I'm probably going to have to stay close to you guys." Zach informed them. He set up a time to meet Hannah the next day and headed back to the office before he had to deal with seeing Alexandra and James again.