Chapter 198
The skaters–won over by Lucas enthusiasm and manners–let him borrow a board. One teen even crouched down to give him a quick lesson, pointing to different parts of the board and showing foot positions.
Lucas stepped on, arms spread wide. His first attempt sent the board shooting out from under him, but he jumped back on without missing a beat. His face scrunched in concentration as the board wobbled beneath him.
“Here comes trouble,” Irene murmured, fingers twisting together though she made no move to step in.
But something clicked for Lucas. His body found its center, his knees bent naturally, and suddenly he was gliding across the concrete like he belonged there. Within minutes, he was making turns, his entire being focused on each movement.
“Look at him go!” Irene’s face lit up, worry replaced by pure delight. Her hands clapped together without her seeming to notice.
Adam found his attention split–half watching Lucas show surprising skill, half caught by the raw emotion on Irene’s face. This version of her–guard down, eyes bright with pride–hit him in a way he hadn’t expected.
“He’s amazing,” Irene said, her hand almost reaching for Adam’s before catching herself. “I had no idea he could do that.”
“Natural talent,” Adam replied, his gaze lingering on her animated features rather than Lucas’s performance.
The crowd’s attention had shifted to the small boy navigating with unexpected grace. Alex and Lily jumped up and down at the Ledge.
“That’s our brother!” Alex shouted, forgetting to be cool for once.
“Go Lucas!” Lily hollered, clapping wildly.
Lucas stayed locked in concentration, trying the same move over and over until he got it right. When he finally managed a small jump–nothing to a pro but impressive for a first–timer–the crowd broke into genuine applause.
Irene couldn’t contain herself, clapping and beaming with joy. As Lucas returned the board with enthusiastic thanks, a middle–aged man followed him back.
“Sir, ma’am,” he addressed them both with a nod, “your son has remarkable talent.”
The triplets exchanged lightning–quick glances. Alex’s eyebrows shot up meaningfully while Lily slapped a hand over her mouth to trap a giggle. Lucas stood taller, looking ridiculously pleased.
“I’m from the Regional Skateboard Association,” the man continued. “We’re always scouting young talent. Your boy has exceptional balance and instinct–things you can’t teach.”
“With proper training,” he added, his enthusiasm building, “kids like him can go really far–national competitions, maybe even Olympic qualification someday. It’s never too early to start developing natural ability like that.”
Adam responded with surprising ease. “Thanks for the feedback. He’s still young, and ultimately it’s his decision. We’d need to
discuss it first.”
Irene froze, her mind racing. He thinks we’re both Lucas’s parents. And Adam didn’t correct him. Why didn’t he correct aim? She snuck a glance at Adam, who looked completely unfazed by the misunderstanding.
The casual way he included himself in the family decision made Irene’s pulse jump.
“Of course, absolutely,” Ron nodded eagerly. “Could we exchange contact information? I really hope you’ll consider it. Talent like his
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Chapter 198
doesn’t come along every day,
Adam turned to Irene, their eyes meeting in silent communication. Something flowed between them–an unspoken understanding that felt strangely right, as if they’d been making joint decisions about the children for years.
Irene felt an unexpected sense of comfort in this moment of pretend and the realization caught her off guard. Somehow, playing along with this family charade felt more natural than it had any right to.
“We’ll think about it,” she finally said, her voice steady despite her inner confusion. The “we’ll hung in the air between them like a promise neither had intended to make, but neither rushed to take back.
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