Noelle blows out a breath. “Truth or dare?”
“Dare.”Come on, make me do something deliciously terrible to you.
A sweet smile crosses her face, but it’s the mischievous glint in her eyes that really makes my chest tighten. “I dare you to go live on one of your social media accounts and declare yourundyinglovefor me.”
Holy fucking shit. I did not see this one coming, not even a little. What is her angle? Is she trying to embarrass me, or scare off any girl who follows me so they won’t try to seduce me? If it had been anyone else I would have said they were looking for their fifteen minutes of fame, but that’s not my Noelle. She hates the spotlight, with being recognized on the street by former classmates already nearing the point of being too much. So what is it she’s after?
Either way, a dare is a dare. And even though I would very much enjoy seeing her ogle my body if I took off my clothes, I am not a chicken.
“You’re sure about this?” I ask, giving her a chance to reconsider. “There’s a decent chance your name will be in a lot of magazines after this. You better shut down your phone for a few days, too, because everyone will want to speak to you.”
Noelle doesn’t answer. Instead, she does a shockingly accurate rendition of a chicken. Fine. You want a love declaration, you’ll get it.
I grab my phone off the couch and open the app. We have a few bars of cell service, so there is nothing holding me back as I set it up. It must be a rather slow night, as viewers flood in in droves every second. Including my teammates. Fuck.
“Hi guys, Cole here. Hope you’re all having a lovely evening.”
DudeKai21:Look at grandpa discovering technology
It takes a lot of effort not to roll my eyes. “We’re experiencing a bad snowstorm and lost power, so if you’re telling me to turn on the lights you’re wasting your breath. Anyway, I’m here with my best friend, Noelle Adams, and I have something to tell her that I wanted you all to hear, too.”
I wink at Noelle while I position the phone to a better angle, leaving my hands free to do this however I want. And I want to be dramatic as all hell.
A slightly amused smile plays Noelle’s lips as she waits for me to reveal my next move. I think we both are enjoying this a little too much, but I have to keep my face neutral so as not to give away the dare.
I sink down on one knee, immediately regretting that decision when pain shoots up my leg. “Noelle, my beautiful little snowflake.”
Noelle can barely push down her laugh, making it harder to suppress my own.
“You have been my best friend for fifteen years, but there is something I never told you…I love you. I’m in love with you. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about you, that I don’t long for the day you wake up and realize you love me too. So if you don’t feel the same, please tell me now. Put a poor man out of his misery,” I plead, and even though my feelings and words are real, this whole thing is so fake I can barely withhold my laugh.
Slowly, as if trying to compose herself, Noelle shakes her head. “Cole…”
I drop my head as if in defeat and swipe the phone away, barely able to keep my composure until I press end on the Live.
Noelle’s laugh is as clear and crisp as the falling snow, filling my lungs with air like I hadn’t breathed in days. I looked like a damn fool, and the press is going to have a field day, but I don’t care. It was more than worth it to hear her laugh this freely, to see her be this…open, comfortable. Happy.
I glance down at the screen to find the comment section blowing up with new comments, but it’s the familiar names that fill me with dread. Maybe I should have given them a heads up, or maybe I need to steal Noelle’s phone and block my profile from it so she can’t see them. Because one glance at my teammates’ comments and my biggest secret would be out.
MasonGRayson:Finally, my man grows a brain and sees what’s good for him.
Oh. That one’s not too bad.
HRHRhys:Man I really hope she didn’t break your heart there. It’s bad enough to hear you whining about being in love with her, can’t imagine this whining would be any better
Jace4Ace98:congratulations to the happy couple! #Jace4BestMan
AidenKMac:FUCKING F I N A L L Y
DudeKai21:So you finally took my advice and decided to go for it with Noelle. HAPPY BONING
Thank all gods that Noelle’s phone is nowhere to be seen—I would have alotto explain if she saw these comments, and something tells me she wouldn’t buy me saying it’s their terrible sense of humor.
“I have to give it to you, that was surprisingly well done,” Noelle laughs. “If this hockey thing doesn’t work out, you should try your hand at acting.”
“Likewise,” I say. “You definitely got your payback now. I’m going to be dealing with this forweeks.”
Noelle grins. “Worth it. You’re next, I’ll take a dare please.”
