Page 102 of Perfectly Faked

I spin to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I do it all the time with my emojis.”

“Definitely not the same,” he growls before giving me a lingering kiss that makes my knees buckle.

I pull away and close my eyes, happiness fizzing in my heart. “How am I supposed to skate after that?”

“No clue,” he says with a low rumble of a laugh. “But since you’re so good at making me smile, I thought I’d return the favor.”

I am smiling, taking all of him in. Those ocean-blue eyes. That delicious mouth. His irresistible grin. “After today, you get to have me back.”

“I know,” he says as he leisurely kisses my shoulder, then my neck, like he’s perfectly content to shut out the crowd, waitingon my last performance. “But for now, I’ll be right here, cheering you on as your biggest fan.” His lips find mine one last time, and I’m just about to melt into him when somebody clears their voice loudly behind us.

“Leo and Vic sitting in a tree . . .”

Leo groans as he whirls around to face Rourke. “Go away, Rourke. Can’t you see we’re busy?”

Rourke smirks. “You guys thought you were going to get some kissy face time before the show? Sorry to break the news, buddy, but you’re wanted by the judges.”

Tate is next to him, looking embarrassed for interrupting. “If it hadn’t been for Lauren forcing me to come down here to tell you we’re ready...”

“Lauren, huh?” I ask, giving Tate a mischievous smile. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with her.”

Tate’s cheeks suddenly turn a shade of pink I’ve never seen on him before. “Only because she’s made me her ‘project’ for the Crushers’ social media.”

“Ooh, tell me more,” I say, rubbing my hands together.

“She’s trying to change my public image. Says I’m too boring and need to embrace the smart-hunk-in-glasses look.” He cringes. “I think I failed my first test with the motorcycle photo shoot.”

“Why’s that?” Leo asks, biting back his smile.

“Because apparently, I looked like I was holding on for dear life instead of looking cool. She had to get on the back of the bike with me before I could relax.”

“Oh, I’ve got to see this,” Rourke says.

Tate shakes his head. “I don’t know why I let her talk me into these things. Next, she’s making me pose with puppies for the Crushin’ on the Crushers’ fan site.”

I laugh. “Please tell me she’s giving you a leather jacket and sunglasses for the full effect.”

“Worse,” Tate mutters. “She told me I should wear my jersey, then rip it off like a romance novel character. Said it’ll ‘up the charm factor.’”

Leo grins. “Be careful, Tate. That’s how it starts. With a jersey.” Leo’s eyes flash to mine.

“Oh, no.” Tate shakes his head. “Not Lauren and me. We’re totally incompatible.”

“That’s what they all say,” I tell him, giving Leo a quick smile. “You better get back to your job before Lauren comes down here and ‘accidentally’ spills coffee on your shirt—just to make you change in front of her.”

Tate glances over his shoulder, as if half-expecting Lauren to be lurking behind him, before he and Rourke head back to their spots.

“One more thing,” Leo says, turning to me before he leaves. “I want you to know how proud of you I am today—no matter what happens on the ice.” He presses a kiss to my cheek and leaves me with a grin that makes my heart sigh.

When I came back to Sully’s Beach, I realized that more than anything—more than skating, more than chasing old dreams—I wantedthis.I wanted Leo. I wanted to stay. So I made the choice to hang up my skates for good. The sport was killing me mentally, but I’d clung to it for so long, convinced that achieving this dream would finally make me happy.

But you know what actually made me happy? Finding my people. Trying new things that sparked joy, like baking with Jaz and Sloan. Even teaching little kids how to skate was remarkably satisfying. Soaking in the little, everyday moments that once felt so ordinary... those were the things that made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

As hard as it was to tell Peter I was retiring, I was also the one who helped him find his next partner—one of Sloan’s bestskaters, who just graduated from the university and wants to go pro.

But Leo insisted on one last performance—a chance to give my biggest fans a proper farewell. That’s why I’m here tonight.

He went all out, arranging a private event at the Ice House, dubbing it Fake Nationals. It even comes with a panel of totally unbiased judges: Sloan, Delilah, and, of course, Leo himself. Then he invited everyone we know—his teammates, the Crushers’ staff, our families, and all the kids I teach. And because he never does anything halfway, he even got Pro Ice Gear to film it, making sure this moment is one I’ll never forget.

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