Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Everyone would assume it’d be hockey,” Dad starts.
“And we do,” Mom supplies with a grin.
“But really, we are huge caramel apple people.”
The breath is knocked out of me by the small smirk that pulls at Ambrosia’s lips. “Good thing most of you have false teeth.”
The room explodes, and even I can’t hold in my loud laughter. Dad pops out his front bridge and sticks out his tongue at her. “It’s true. Nothing to stop me from devouring my apple.”
More laughter as Mom shakes her head. “I have my real teeth.”
“And you complain all the time,” Dad tosses back, but she just beams. “True, but nevertheless, all the Sinclairs get together and make them the day before Halloween.”
“That’s so cool!”
“You should come,” Mom says, and fuck, I’m holding my breath.
Please say yes. Please say—
Ambrosia’s gaze cuts to mine before she quickly looks back at my parents. “I’d love to.”
That means she’ll come with me, right?
Dad gathers Mom closer. “Bay here makes the best damn caramel. It’s homemade, so get ready for some fun.”
Mom laughs as she smacks him playfully. “It’s not that good. You just think everything I do is great.”
“Because it is,” Dad says with a chuckle. “I know Rowe said the same thing about you. Huh, Valeria?”
Mrs. Mercer beams as she nods. “Yes, he did.”
“He was obsessed with her,” Naylia says, and everyone chuckles. “Just as you are with your stunning wife.”
“Absolutely,” Dad says, kissing my mom proudly.
For some reason, I’m really looking at my parents and realizing something. My dad is totally in love with my mom. He has been since the beginning and has fallen in love with her over and over throughout the years. Everything he does—the touching, the looks, the need to dote on her—I want to do with Ambrosia.
So, does that mean I’m in love with her?
Suddenly, Mrs. Mercer is sitting beside Ambrosia, holding her side as she leans in. “I have to say this, and you guys understand since you knew Rowe, but I am so proud of Ambrosia. She has really taken her papa’s belief and proven it again and again with each guest.”
“Absolutely,” Dad says, leaning toward the mic. “Even when our eldest son doubted her theory.”
Everyone laughs as they look over at me. I smile and hold up my hands. “Way to throw me under the bus, Dad.” Ambrosia’s eyes are full of humor as I get up and sit between my parents, much to Ambrosia’s surprise. She gives me a look, asking what I’m doing, but I just wink.
At this point, this episode is a family affair.
“Do you still doubt her?” Mrs. Mercer asks me, but my eyes are on Ambrosia, loving how her lips are curved up at one side.
“Absolutely not,” I admit, my eyes never straying from Ambrosia’s. “I was naïve to think that finding your person doesn’t change everything. I know that’s hard to believe when I have spent my whole life watching my parents love each other, along with the couples in the rest of my family. All of them are in loving and healthy relationships. For me, though, I have only focused on my sports and my schooling.”
“Why is that?” Ambrosia asks. “Didn’t you want what your parents have?”
The people in the room disappear, and it’s only her and me. “It seemed unattainable to me. I mean, you see them, you heard their origin story, how perfect they are for each other. I didn’t believe the perfect person was out there. With that thought, I also didn’t want anything getting in the way of my going pro. I have goals, and I didn’t believe there was a person out there who would work with me on my goals and not against me.”
Her brow rises, and I can see the skepticism in her eyes. “And you do now?”
I grin, leaning forward on my legs just for the chance to be even a bit closer to her. “I have spent months listening to all your episodes. I am completely caught up and have listened to a lot of my idols tell you how much being with their spouse changed their game for them. At first, I didn’t want to believe them. I’d thought they were full of crap, but in the end, it wasn’t them who convinced me. It was you.”
Ambrosia’s eyes widen. “Me?”
“Yeah,” I say, totally entrapped by her stare. “I know for a fact that a person can change not only your game, but you as a person.”
A grin pulls at her lips as her cheeks flush a bright pink. “That is a very bold statement, Dawson.”
I flash her a goofy grin. “You should know by now, I’m a bold guy.”
She snorts as she looks away then mutters, “You’re something, all right.”
I don’t even hesitate. “Yours.”
Her head snaps up, her eyes widening. “What?”
“I’m yours.”
The room is so quiet, you could hear a puck hit a pillow. I feel my parents’ gazes on me, but I don’t dare look away from her. Her lips are parted in shock and a blush is creeping up her neck, but I only grin at her. “Lots of dead air,” I say with a strained chuckle, feeling completely exposed.