"Phoebe slung her skates over her shoulder, informally, the way she had done as a child. Casey-Marcel was gone and so was the Phoebe on her way to the rink at Calgary less than a year ago. Freedom from the routine of study and competitive skating practice was not the gift she had imagined. She looked forward to working with college skaters, but they were not yet on campus.
In January, the first of her skaters would arrive: from Winchester, Massachusetts, Aaliyah, a freshman, whose vision was to study biochemistry, did not want to give up her life as a competitive skater; Eve, a sophomore transferring from Calgary, came to Silicon Valley to study graphic work stations -- and at the same time to keep skating at a competitive level. Phoebe had seen Eve skate under coach Genevieve McGuire, whose son coached the Huygens Tech football team.
In a meadow beyond the portable rink, the foundation for the Huygens skating rink was now emerging from the ground. However, until next year, a rink suitable for competition level practice meant a trip to a town called Palo Alto. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles the hockey season would open soon for the man now known as The Saint, and it would be a while before he was in her bed again. Phoebe was restless.