Page 90 of The Love Dare
“We should probably figure out a game plan first,” she comments lightly. Tyler looks down at her with a frown. Her grindeepens. “Knife? Poison? You distract my parents while I go in for the kill?”
He wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her in, laughing into her hair. “Come on.”
They step into the kitchen still beaming at each other, Winnie tucked up against his side, faces close, their fingers loosely clasped by her collarbone. Three sets of eyes land on them and they pause. Thirty seconds pass without a sound, a word, a move. It’s different. It’s new. Is her family really okay seeing her and Ty like this?
The oven dings.
Her mother turns to gather her mitts, and Alex makes a dive for the cozonac taunting him from the center of the kitchen island. The nutty sweetbread takes hours to make and is thus usually reserved for special occasions—Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and apparently, television appearances. The temptation is too much for her brother to handle. But her mom’s got eyes in the back of her head. Before his fingers even reach the loaf, she snaps a dish towel like a whip. Alex yelps and snatches his hand back.
“Ow, Mom! Shit!”
“Language,” her father booms. But as soon as her mom returns to the oven, it’s his grubby paws that are reaching for the bread. He tears a piece off before Yetta sees. A devious grin lights his face as he tosses the chunk between his lips.
Winnie shakes her head with a laugh.
Alex glances around in disbelief.
Her mom just rolls her eyes as she nudges the oven closed with her hip, fully aware what went on behind her back. “Tyler, dear, help yourself.”
Alex’s jaw drops even farther.
“Can’t say no to that.”
Winnie folds her lips between her teeth, trying to hide her mirth as Ty leans forward to rip off a piece. He gives it to her, then takes some for himself before throwing Alex a huge chunk. Her brother catches it easily and tears off an obnoxiously large bite with his teeth. Midchew, he finds Winnie’s gaze over his fingers and offers a sly wink.
Just like that, it’s done.
No more awkwardness. No more curious glances. When Ty grabs her hands again, it’s accepted. When she leans into his side, no one bats an eye. Alex does pretend to gag when they swap a quick kiss, but he’s an immature child stuck in a twenty-six-year-old’s body so it fits. They settle around the table, talking about the show and catching up, forgetting about the cameras unless production chimes in, asking for something to be repeated or explained for the audience. That part is a bit unnatural, but everything else feels so utterly normal, Winnie almost can’t believe it. They’re the same little unit, only better, because instead of yearning for Ty from across the room, she holds his hand under the table, squeezing his fingers in silent commentary, and he meets her eyes with an unspoken response. Every so often, she catches a gleam of approval in her father’s gaze or an edge of contentment in her mother’s smile, and she knows this is right.
This is how they were always meant to be.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
tyler
He spendsthe rest of the week counting down the days until he can see Winnie again. Nina stares at him from behind the camera the entire time, practically stabbing him with her eyes, willing him to go along with the game. But he can’t. Not after telling Winnie’s parents. Not after looking Alexandru in the eye and promising to be faithful. She can plant whatever stories she wants. Spread whatever lies she wants. He’ll figure it out. His reputation can be salvaged. Winnie’s too. Alexandru’s trust cannot.
So he hugs the other women hello. He kisses their cheeks. He’s as cordial as he knows how to be with their families, keeping it all as platonic as possible. Every time the crew tries to steer the conversation to proposals and romance and love, he not-so-kindly steers it back. After three days of this shit, even he’s getting bored of talking about hockey, but it’s his safe zone. His neutral ground. And it helps that most of the parents have stars in their eyes whenever he brings the topic up, future Hall of Famer and all—it softens the blow of him clearly not being in love with their daughters.
At the puzzle ceremony, he doesn’t even bother trying to pretend. He ignores Nina’s death glare and refuses to leave Winnie’s side until it’s time to send someone home. He wants to keep both of Winnie’s friends for another week, but he already made that deal with Nina to let Victoria stay until the end, so that option is out. The choice between Cynthia and Charlotte doesn’t really matter much to him, but the network makes it easy by offering Charlotte a spot on some dance competition show. The opportunity is one he’s sure Winnie wouldn’t want her to miss. So he says goodbye to the sweet Southern belle and keeps Cynthia around instead.
Just like that, there are only three women left and three more dates before he can shed the pretense of giving a shit about anyone on this show except Winnie. Best of all, it’s “dream suite” week, which means he’s going to get a night sans the cameras with Winnie plus the ability to cut the other two dates short. It’s a win-win.
One more week to get through.
One easy week.
He can do it.
Hewill.
“Can you believe this?” Winnie laughs as she sticks her arms beneath the powerfully churning waterfall and looks up at him in awe. Their date started with an hour-long helicopter tour of Oahu, followed by a short hike to this private lagoon where they’ve been given permission to swim while production prepares a picnic over on the rocky shore. He knows he should be captivated by the lush tropical surroundings. They’re straight out of a movie and unlike anything he’s ever experienced before—all green jungle and pink flowers and crystal-clear waters. As the spray catches the sunlight, rainbows dance across the sky. It’s insane.
Yet all he sees is Winnie.
Her bright hazel eyes.
Her long black hair.
