She disappears toward the restaurant. Chloe immediately opens her phone, pulling up the photo.
We’re standing close, my arm around her waist, her hand on my chest. Both of us smiling like we’re actually in love. Like this isn’t a business arrangement. Like we’re a real couple at a real wedding, celebrating real feelings.
“We look good,” Chloe says softly.
“Yeah. We do.”
We stand there staring at the photo for a long moment.
“Ready for that walk?” I ask, needing to move, needing the cold air to clear my head and remind me where this whole thing is headed.
“Yes. Please. That was a lot first thing in the morning.”
We head outside into the sharp February air. It’s crisp, hovering just below freezing, the kind of cold that makes your lungs burn in a good way. The sun is higher now, melting the frost on the pine trees, making everything sparkle. The resort grounds stretch out before us—paths winding through the woods, the lake visible through gaps in the trees.
We walk in silence for a few minutes, our footsteps crunching on the gravel path. Our breaths come out in white clouds.
“That was really cool,” Chloe says finally. “I’ve never been interviewed about my business before.”
“You were amazing.”
“I was nervous.”
“You didn’t seem nervous. You came off passionate. Confident.” I glance at her. “You should do more of that. You’re a natural.”
“Ha. Hardly.”
But I stop her. “Listen. You’re honest. And real. And not caught up in worrying what people think of you.” The words come out before I can stop them. “I admire that about you.”
She is looking at me, nonplussed. “You admire me?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Brody Kane, hockey’s golden boy, admires me?”
“I’m not—” I stop. “I’m not a golden boy. That’s just a persona. A performance. Candy Kane isn’t real.”
“I know.”
“You’re the only person who sees that. Who sees me.” My chest is tight. And then I say something completely corny. “You see the dragon underneath the scales everyone else wants.”
Oh brother. On the list of most cringeworthy moments in my life, I think that one will be holding a top spot for a while. But she doesn’t laugh. Doesn’t cringe. She just nods.
Then, “And the princess needs the dragon too. Because while her blindness lets her see beyond his sparkle, he makes her laugh and helps her to feel…safe. And maybe special.”
And right then I know.
I’m in love with her. And this isn’t a game, and…
The words fill my lungs. “Chloe, I?—”
“Chloe!” Maya’s voice carries through the trees. She’s jogging down the path toward us, still in her pajamas but with a coat thrown over them. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! We have final dress fittings in an hour, and the florist called and the flowers have arrived frozen?—”
“Calm down—we’ll fix it.” Chloe takes her hand, then looks at me apologetically. “Duty calls.”
“Go. I’ll see you later.”
I’m left standing alone in the woods with the crushing realization that I have approximately twenty-four hours left on this contract.
