Page 86 of Love so Cold

"Yep!" She grins, popping the 'p' with a cheeky sparkle.

Olivia's eyes light up. "Oh! Can we see the Thanksgiving Day parade? I've always wanted to go to one of those."

"The parade?" I hadn't even thought about it. "I'm not sure what Victor has planned, but I'll try my best to make sure we can break away in the morning to see it. It does sound fun."

She beams at me, clearly excited by the prospect. As she starts folding again, she hesitates, then turns to me with a serious expression.

"Mom, I just want you to know... I'm really glad things with Victor seem to be going well. It's nice to see you happy instead of moping around all the time."

I can't help but laugh. "Moping? You think I mope around?"

"Well, yeah," she says matter-of-factly. "You always used to be sort of on edge, but that seems to have gone away lately. I really hope this thing with Victor is here to stay."

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. Have I reallybeen that transparent? That miserable? I'm about to respond when the doorbell rings, making me jump.

"Oh no, that's Victor!" I exclaim, suddenly frantic. "I'm not ready!"

I start throwing clothes haphazardly into my suitcase as Olivia laughs and heads for the door. My heart is racing, but not just from the rush. It's racing because, despite my fears, I'm excited. I'm hopeful. And maybe I'm ready to take a chance on happiness again.

Chapter Forty-Six

Avery

The crisp winterair nips at my cheeks as I watch Victor and Olivia glide across the ice, their laughter echoing through Central Park. It's been a whirlwind of a week, each day filled with new adventures that Victor meticulously planned.

"Look, Mom!" Olivia shouts, executing a wobbly spin. "Did you see that?"

I give her a thumbs up, my heart swelling with joy. "Great job, sweetie!"

Victor skates up to her, demonstrating a more polished version of the spin. Olivia's eyes widen in awe, and she immediately tries to mimic him. I can't help but smile at their interaction.

As I stand on solid ground, bundled up in mywarmest coat, I reflect on the past few days. Victor's taken us to Broadway shows, museum tours, and even a chocolate-making class. It's been... fun. Really fun. More than I'd like to admit.

Victor breaks away from Olivia and glides towards me, his cheeks flushed from exertion. He comes to a stop, spraying a bit of ice.

"You sure you don't want to join us?" he asks, a hint of a challenge in his blue eyes.

I shake my head firmly. "No way. I'm perfectly happy right here, thank you very much."

He chuckles, slightly out of breath. "Suit yourself. You're missing out, though."

"Are you guys done?" I ask, noticing how he's panting slightly.

Victor glances back at Olivia, who's still practicing her spins. "Not quite. Olivia wanted to skate a bit more. She'll come over when she's finished."

"Okay," I say, tucking my hands deeper into my coat pockets, trying to hide the involuntary shiver as the wind picks up. "Well, she's having the time of her life, thanks to you."

"Hey," he says softly, his blue eyes locking onto mine for a moment too long, "as long as you're both happy, I'm happy."

And just like that, I'm reminded why I'm falling for him, despite all my rules and walls.

Victor plops down beside me on the bench, hisskates clinking against the concrete as he tugs them off. "These things are a menace," he mutters, but there's a grin playing on his lips.

"Olivia doesn't seem to think so," I say, noting the way her laughter echoes across the ice. "She's in heaven out there."

"Thanks to you," I add, watching him untie his laces with deft fingers.

He glances up at me, those piercing blue eyes searching my face. "And what about you? Having any fun?"

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