“Here’s a good place to stop.” Jared brought them around to a tree stump wide enough for them both to sit. “Change into your shoes. We’re going off-path.”
“You must’ve read my mind.” Lexy laughed silently to herself as she began unlacing her skates. “I was just thinking we should do that.”
He chuckled. “No mind-reading here. We’re going someplace specific, and you can’t get there following the path any further.”
He pulled off his skates and stuck his feet into pre-tied sneakers. They were soft and dingy. On the side, there were dark gray scuff marks, and the heel was bent in and cracking.
“Do you come out here a lot?” she asked.
“Sometimes. It’s one of several places I go to relax. Here, hand me your skates.” He held both of their skates by the laces and tied them to a low-hanging bra
