Page 108 of The Love Dare
Winnie looks around at her mother and father, her brother and her best friend, everyone she adores gathered in one place, and she’s so happy she could burst. Not sure what to do, she watches as the last lingering bits of confetti drift slowly onto the ice. After fourteen hours of travel, she should probably be exhausted, but she’s so high on adrenaline, sleep is the last thing on her mind. Maybe she’s gotten too used to production bossing her around, because she’s at a complete loss, as if part of her is just waiting for Nina to step out of the shadows and start barking orders. When that doesn’t happen, she looks up to Tyler instead.
“So, what now?”
“You’re the reader.” He shrugs. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Isn’t what obvious?”
He presses his lips to her ear. “We live happily ever after.”
“Oh, is that all?”
“Yeah,” he says so matter-of-factly she grins. Then he grins too. “But first, we party.”
“Party?” She laughs. “You hate parties.”
“Just this once, for you, I was willing to make an exception. Besides, I always secretly wanted a birthday party here, but my mom could never afford it, and I was too afraid to impose more on your parents. But now, I figure—fuck it. They’re my in-laws. And if I’m going to make my dreams come true, I might as well be thorough about it.” He turns around. “Alex!”
“On it!”
Her brother rushes across the ice and vaults over the edge of the rink, then disappears into the shadows. A second later, music blasts over the speakers and a disco ball drops from the ceiling. On the far side of the rink, the concession stand lights up, revealing the usual cast of employees watching on with matching grins as they start to line up little cups of food all along the counter. Waiters emerge carrying trays of champagne. The doors on either side of the rink open, and people start to stream inside—friends, family, teammates, loved ones from all different stages of their lives. Most are locals who could make it on short notice, but some came from farther away. Winnie spots Sam’s fiancé, Cooper, in the crowd, his cowboy hat and flaming red hair hard to miss as he rushes across the rink, getting to Sam just in time to catch her before she face-plants on the ice. Five-inch stilettos would never take her down, but the girl is an absolute disaster on skates. They went one time during their first Christmas together in New York, and Sam spent the entire hour clutching the wall for dear life, watching with murder in her eyes as Winnie zipped around her. Suffice to say, they never went again.
“Looking good, bestie!” Winnie can’t help but taunt.
“I did this for you.” Sam arches a brow and points a sharp finger in her direction. “Never question how much I love you.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Cooper kneels down and Sam climbs onto his back like a monkey, glancing at Winnie with a little wink before she yells, “Yeehaw!”
Tyler snorts. “Did she just?—?”
“Yup.”
More friends call out congratulations. More people flood the ice. Winnie practically squeals when Charlotte and Harper race over and wrap her in their arms.
“I’m going to murder Cynthia at the reunion,” Harper growls.
“Not if I get there first,” Charlotte says.
Winnie jerks back in surprise. “Charlotte!”
“What? I’m not always nice,” her friend replies with wide eyes. “I can be mean when I want to be.”
Winnie and Harper share a look, smothering their smiles. It’s like watching a golden retriever try to be pissed.
“I’m serious,” Charlotte adds. “I can be.”
“Sure,” Harper drawls, then turns to Winnie with a suddenly sharp expression. “The camera guys told us what happened—that little bitch. I promise, we had no idea what she was doing. If we had, I?—”
“Hey,” Winnie interrupts, squeezing her friend’s arm, taking a second to look both Harper and Charlotte in the eyes. “I trust you both. Iloveyou. And I’m not going to let Cynthia’s issues get between us, okay? You guys are the only reason I found the strength to stay on the show. I wouldn’t be here with Tyler now without you. AndI’llhandle Cynthia at the reunion. Don’t you worry about that.”
Harper grins. “Can I handle her just a little bit?”
Winnie snorts.
Charlotte wraps them both up again. “We’re so happy for you.”
When Winnie pulls back, she catches sight of Alex speeding across the ice. He hops the ledge to intercept two people at the entrance of the rink. It takes a second for her to recognize them as Grace and Liam. She hasn’t seen them since high school, but she heard through the grapevine they got married two years back.
