Page 65 of Wonderstruck

I let a giggle slip as he embraced me, hislong arms curling around my back, before he let go, and I saw Tristan appear by Goldie’s side.

“Rory you were incredible.” He said,taking me in a hug like Jesse, before settling beside his girlfriend.

The silence settled long enough for me tonotice he wasn’t here, but before my mind could even let his name trickle into my thoughts, I saw him.

He was weaving his way through thecrowd, his friends parting instinctively tolet him through. He looked a little windswept—dishevelled in a way that somehow worked for him—and the boyish grin on his face made my stomach flip more than it had when I landed my double.

But it was the flowers that undid me. Asimple bouquet of pink roses and baby’s breath, wrapped in brown paper, cradled in his hands like they were made from glass.

He stepped closer, his gaze soft, theusual edge in his voice absent when hesaid, “Hi.”

I felt my cheeks start to burn. “Hi.”

Behind me, I heard Goldie clear herthroat dramatically. “Wow, I could reallygo for some popcorn right now. Anyone else?”

“Definitely,” Cora said as she nudged Daisy.

“But there’s still some left,” Tristan started,lifting the half-full tub in his hand.

“Nope, we need fresh popcorn,” Goldieinsisted, tugging him along. “We’ll meet you outside, Ror.”

“Yeah, c’mon, Jess,” Daisy said,grabbing his sleeve. “Let’s find some Twizzlers orsomething.”

Jess glanced back at me and Finn, hisbrow quirking slightly before followingher.

And then it was just us.

Finn stepped closer, his gaze flicking tothe bouquet before landing back on me. “These are for you,” he said, holding them out.

It was odd how for the better part of tonight I'd been wondering whether he’d be in the crowd,and now that I knew he’d been here, that he was stood right in front of me, all I wanted to do was hide away. It felt juvenile in a way that I wanted to hold on to.

I lifted my head and met his stare, andsomehow his smile was in his eyes too.Like he knew I was close to melting.

“They’re beautiful,” I whispered, takingthe flowers from his arms. “Thank you… for being here.”

He pulled his head back, blowing a laughthrough his nose. “You say that like itwasn’t the only place I wanted to be tonight.” He took a step closer. “And you were amazing. I can’t believe a month ago was your first time back on the ice. Because…” His words faltered, as though they were a tumbling tower on the tip of his tongue. I’d say he was nervous, but I was sure that was an emotion Finn Rhodes had never felt before. But saying that, his eyes scanned the floor in a way that almost convinced me I was wrong.

He lifted his head, the spotlights hitting the edges of his blonde strands. “Because that was breathtaking, Aurora.”

I never wanted anyone else to say myname ever again. Only him. My namewas for him and his mouth only as of this moment.

My smile quirked, those nervous fluttersthat only seemed to take flight around him flapping in my stomach. “Not too bad for Bambi, right?”

He grunted a laugh. “We’ll see aboutthat. But now that I know you’re doing theseincrediblydangerous manoeuvres, I’m demanding extra ice time with you. I won't take no for an answer.”

That mouth of his was a weapon tonight.A lethal thing when coupled with the seductive twang that could undo me with a few words.

And those words hit my ears again.

Ice time. With him.

“You want to help me?”

He nodded. “I know you don’ttechnically need it but…” His eyes sparkled as he shrugged. “When I was at the rink with you it was the first time in a long time where I was skating and didn’tfeel pressured to be the best version of myself. I was just me.” His smirk tugged higher. “That is if you want to.”

I spoke without thinking. “I’d love to.” Iglanced around at the chaos for a moment, when I caught sight of the judges packing up their table, before a thought wandered into my head and I turned back to Finn. “Although I might not even need ice time, depending on what the judges think of my ability to not fall on my ass and myimpeccablemethod acting.”

We both laughed, our cold breathsmingling in the space between us. Until Finnknocked his head to the side. “Well if they’ve got eyes then I’m sure they’ll make the right decision. And if not, me, Jess and Tristan might have to meet then in the parking lot.”

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