Love on Ice

Emily James showed great promise as a figure skater, but has not been in the public eye in eight years, then when she stopped skating competitively without a public statement as to why. Now, she lives in Lakeville, Michigan, where she grew up, works as a waitress at Hildy's Gourmet Cafe owned by her deceased mother's best friend Hildy Perdy who has always been a second mother to her, and teaches group skating to children. Emily's decision to quit competitive skating was not because she lost her love for the activity, as demonstrated by the fact that she is at the rink every every morning before it opens, skating for her own pleasure, and by she always willing to help Dave Shelton, the rink/skate shop manager, with skating parties. One of her former child pupils, Nikki Lee, is where Emily was eight years ago: the face of figure skating future. A young man, Spencer Patterson, has just been hired as Nikki's new coach, he who is to take her to a gold medal at the upcoming regionals. If she does so, it could also make Spencer's name in the sport as a coach. What Spencer did not anticipate in taking the job is having to deal with Nikki's stereotypical stage mother, Mia Lee, who believes she knows what's best for Nikki in all aspects of her skating. Spencer knows of Emily from her skating days, and seeing her skate again asks two things of her (in order): to be his co-coach for Nikki as a trusted person in her life; and for him to be her coach, he who believes she as talented a skater now as she was eight years ago and could be a force at the regionals. As Emily discloses why she stopped competing, she ultimately accepts both of Spencer's offers. As she starts to train again, Emily faces some of the same struggles she had in the past, including needing to make a living to put food on the table. But each of Emily, Spencer and Nikki, beyond wanting to do what's right for each of them, truly want what's best for the other two. Others external to three may have other thoughts, some who do not want to see Emily back as competition. The situation gets more complicated as an attraction starts to form between Emily and Spencer.