Free Winter Storms by Lucy Oliver

her.”
    “I don’t have to listen to this crap.”
    “I think you do, actually, if you’re going to have any chance of getting her back. You keep saying that she broke it off with you, which she did, but you didn’t put up much of a fight. There was no reason for you to leave Haven Bay, other than the fact you couldn’t bear to see how broken she was.”
    “I know it’s my fault, I’ve always known that.”
    “But there’s a difference between accepting it and facing up to it, you took the blame, you never shied from that and I admire you for it, but you didn’t try to mend your mistake. She was left to do that alone.”
    Daniel gripped his mug, knuckles showing white. It wasn’t nice hearing what his coach had to say, but to his shame, he suspected that some of it could be true, in which case it was no surprise that Carly reacted as she did. Turning his head, he stared at the snow gathering on the outside windowsill; it would be getting cold in the car.
    “I have to go, she’s waiting for me. Let me know what you decide to do about the team.” He stood up.
    “You’re off the team.”
    “What?” he said, his mouth dropping open. “Off?”
    “Yes, you’re not in a good place at the moment and it’s affecting your ability. The same rules apply to everyone; just because you won gold doesn’t mean you can flunk the Nationals.”
    “You can’t do this to me, Shane, what else will I do?”
    “Sort your life out, like Carly has.”
    “So that’s what this is about?”
    “No, it’s purely on your lack of ability at the moment. I’m afraid you’re distracted and too sure of yourself.” Shane put his cup down and rose from his chair. “After the accident I tried to persuade Carly to join the Paralympics, but she’s now terrified of water. If you get her sailing again, I’ll reconsider your situation.”
    “This is blackmail. I’m not forcing her to do something that scares her to get back on the team.”
    “Until she gets back into a boat, she’s never going to recover, and until she does, you won’t. You belong together, but there’s too much anger and resentment on both sides, I don’t expect her to join the Paralympics, but I’ve seen her sitting by the harbour watching the boats, a tissue scrunched in her hand. She misses it terribly, but is too scared to get back into a dinghy. You didn’t help her before, so help her now. Get Carly sailing again.”
    Taking a coat from the back of his chair, Shane strode out, leaving Daniel in the empty bar. Closing his eyes, he clenched his fists tight; never had he expected to be off the team. And how would he explain to Carly that in order to help him, she needed to get back into a boat?
    • • •
    Carly could tell something had happened the moment Daniel strode out of the sailing club, face pale and set. He hadn’t been thrown out, had he? Surely not. Taking the boat didn’t warrant that level of punishment. Wrenching open the door, he climbed into the car and started the engine without looking at her.
    “Are you all right?” she said.
    “Fine.” He shot out of the parking space and toward the exit.
    “Watch your driving, I don’t need any more injuries.”
    Instantly, he slowed, turning right onto the coastal road and looking at the clock. “I thought we’d stop for lunch, have a chat,” he said.
    She nodded, frowning as she looked at the tight grip of his hands on the steering wheel. Hopefully he wasn’t out, that would be terrible. It had been hard enough for her to sort out a different life and she wasn’t famous like Daniel. He left school with a few more qualifications than she had, but not enough for a new career, and the newspapers would love photos of him serving in shops or ice-cream kiosks.
    Daniel parked the car outside a pub and came around to open her door, but instead of lifting her out, he reached for her hands and held them tight.
    “I’m sorry, Carly, for what happened and for letting you down. I shouldn’t