Page 149 of Of Pucking Course

Maya, Bella, and I go “aww.” Sophie beams and kisses Xander.

“We were friends first,” Ingrid says to Del.

His grumpy frown fades, and the corner of his mouth hooks up. “Not for long.”

He tucks her long blonde hair behind her ear, and she flashes a giddy smile.

“We definitely weren’t friends when we met,” Maya says while smiling at her husband Theo. He grins at her before kissing her cheek.

“Neither were we. We couldn’t stand each other.” Blomdahl looks at Bella and chuckles. She laughs too.

“I hated how cocky and smug you were,” Maya teases Theo.

“But now you love me,” he says with a grin.

“Aww, now look at us. We’re all in love,” Ingrid says.

Xander pours out more shots. “We should toast to that.”

“Any excuse for more shots, huh?” Blomdahl jokes.

“Yup,” Xander says without missing a beat. “To the new love birds.” He hands Sam and me shots.

I let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, um…”

Sam’s gaze cut to me, an expectant look in his eyes.

Xander looks between us before his eyes go wide. “Oh shit, sorry. Didn’t mean to jump the gun for you two.”

“It’s okay,” I say, then look at Sam. He smiles, looking completely at ease at unfazed.

We take our shot and continue laughing and chatting. The night winds down, and people start to filter out.

When Sam and I head out of the bar and walk toward his car, he clears his throat. He shoves his hands in his pockets.

“So, um, that was pretty funny how Xander called us love birds,” Sam says.

“Yeah.” My nerves kick up. It feels like a swarm of butterflies going crazy in my tummy.

I should just laugh it off. But I can’t. My feelings for Sam are too strong. I need to tell him how I feel.

I grab his hand, and we stop walking. I turn to him. “I’m in love with you, Sam.”

I hold my breath, my nerves going haywire as I wait for him to say something.

His brow is at his hairline, and he looks at me for a solid five seconds without saying a word.

Doubt creeps in. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.I probably freaked him out, and he’s about to go running for the hills.

But then the corners of his mouth curve up in the most gorgeous smile.

“I love you too,” he says.

“You do?”

“Of course I love you. You’re amazing, Dakota. I’m crazy about you.”

I’m so dizzy, I’m about to pass out.

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