Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 116597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Earth to Liv,” Maven said beside me, snapping my attention to her. She arched her brow with a knowing grin as she waved my fresh martini in front of my face until I took it. “You okay over there?”
“I’m great,” I lied. Or was it a lie? I did feel great, but I also felt… nervous.
Of what, I had no clue.
“Mhm,” she said, sipping her glass with her eyes still assessing me. “Then tell me what I just told you about the Sweet Dreams initiative and who signed on to help.”
I cringed. “Um… Cardi B?”
Maven swatted my arm playfully. “Brat. I knew you weren’t listening!”
When my eyes drifted back to Carter without permission, I wanted to smack myself. And Maven clocked it immediately.
“Oh, I see. We’re a little distracted, are we?” She looped an arm through mine and led us away from the bar to one of the cocktail tables. “I have to say… he seems like a completely new man. How are those lessons going?”
I sighed, curling my fingers around the stem of my glass. “I think he’s well past ready to graduate.”
“So, that’s it, then?” Maven asked. “Deal’s done, debt paid, and you two just… go back to him being a bumbling fool around you and you pretending like it annoys you?”
My throat was tight when I nodded. “That’s the plan.”
Carter’s gaze swept to mine, and this time, he sent me a wink that had my stomach fluttering like a jar full of fireflies.
“Huh,” Maven mused, sipping her drink with her eyes sliding to me again. “I don’t think your student agrees with this post-graduation procedure.”
My ribs squeezed painfully tight around my lungs, but before I could laugh and wave her off with all the nonchalance I could muster, there was a clinking of glasses and a call of attention to the makeshift dance floor near the pool.
Mia and Ava stood there together, Mia tapping a fork against her champagne glass as Ava bounced excitedly on her toes next to her, eyes alight with mischief.
I silently thanked the universe for the excuse to run from my confusing, terrifying thoughts a while longer, dragging Maven closer to the action.
“Our esteemed guests,” Mia began as everyone gathered around. “We are gathered this evening to celebrate the union of Chloe and Will Perry, our little ball of rainbow sunshine to our grumpy little rain cloud.”
Ava giggled loudly at that, and the rest of us chimed in, Vince elbowing Will where he stood next to him.
“And what better way to celebrate than with… a dance?!” Ava twirled with the words, landing in a wide stance with one hand on her hip and the other pointing off beyond the pool. “Hit it, DJ!”
And who was the DJ but Carter Fabri?
Seemingly out of nowhere, a giant speaker on a tripod had appeared. Carter must have had his phone hooked up to it because he tapped something on his screen and then a catchy pop beat rang out over the space.
I recognized it instantly as Mia’s song, “Perfect Storm.”
Mia handed her glass and fork to Grace, and then she and Ava launched into a fully choreographed routine — one that had all of us in stitches by the second line of the song. The lyrics were about finding your person in a time you least expected it, about bracing for a storm to be greeted with sunshine, instead. It was playful and fun, a complete bop, while also being layered with profound sentiment. That was the magic of Mia Love’s songwriting, and watching her and Ava dance around throwing confetti over Will and Chloe, it was impossible not to smile.
It was impossible not to get emotional.
I felt it as soon as Chloe’s eyes watered, her laughter sweet like the sound of wind chimes as she watched the show. Will tugged her in closer, his smile the brightest it’d been all night, his eyes on his daughter.
It was a full-circle moment for them, and my heart burst at the sight.
“Oh, my God,” Maven said beside me, swiping tears from under her eyes. “This is illegally cute.”
No tears found my eyes when I nodded my agreement, but my heart was in a vise grip. It was impossible to be surrounded by that kind of love and not feel it permeating through you.
As the chorus repeated, Ava and Mia snagged Chloe and Will and shoved them onto the dance floor, forcing their hands together like dolls. The newlyweds laughed, awkwardly swaying at first before melting into their own rhythm. Then Mia and Ava kept grabbing whoever was closest—friends, strangers, teammates — and shoving them into pairs until the whole yard was moving.
We howled when they tossed Jaxson and Aleks together. Jaxson performed a ridiculous curtsy before yanking Aleks into some sort of chaotic waltz, Aleks muttering curses the whole way.