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Turning on my heel, I begin walking down the hallway and past all the lockers. I love the feel here. I never thought I’d find a place like my last school, but somehow, this one feels even better.

Settling into Seattle has been far easier than I could’ve ever imagined, especially since Amie is officially out of the picture. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t heed Zach’s advice to stay out of our lives. She continued to turn up at our apartment, and when she posted on social media, spreading lies about how her relationship ended with Zach, trying to drag his name through the mud, that was the final straw. His agent, the Scorpions media and press team, and his lawyer—Kate to be precise—all went about setting the records straight and saying what really happened. Amie seemed to forget that when you send manipulative and abusive text messages, there’s a chance people might save them, you know, just in case. And the thing is, the general public doesn’t like liars and neither do they like her sport and fitness brand anymore. I just hope she checks her behavior since shes’s a new mom.

My phone buzzes in the pocket of my coat as I step out into the frigid air. The sky is slowly turning dark, and Seattle is definitely experiencing a cold snap.

“You got it, right?”

“Yes!” I squeak out and then quickly turn around to check no one is behind me to witness my embarrassing happy dance.

“I don’t like to say I told you so,” Felicity replies.

“Yeah, go ahead, say it anyway.”

“I told you so.”

I pull out the key for my new car—a sunshine yellow Jeep Wrangler. Turns out Zach wasn’t finished with his Christmas gifts and ordered me to sell my old one since it was “dangerous.” That lit a fire under Jon, who has tried twice more to replace Martha Mini, but Felicity clings to her for dear life.

“Congratulations, babe,” she sings through the speakers as my phone connects to the Bluetooth.

“Thank you. No more boredom at home.”

“Have you heard from your mom?”

My excitement dulls. “Yeah, but she says she needs time to ‘deal with it all.’”

She scoffs in disbelief. “What? To come to terms with the fact her daughter is happy and in love with the man of her dreams?”

“Yep,” I say, cranking the engine and switching on the heated seats.

Felicity clears her throat, and I can tell she’s biting back her frustration toward my mom. But being the positive person she is, she decides to move past it. “So, what do you have planned to celebrate?”

I look in the back seat and at the gleaming white skates Zach bought last year, along with the huge pink coat and matching earmuffs he said I’d need. “I think I’m going to break my neck and go skating.”

She barks out a laugh. “What at the rink?”

“No, he told me to meet him at Lake Washington. I’m headed over there now.” I check the time and wince. “And I’m running behind.”

“Best I let you go then,” she replies in a giddy tone.

“You sound more stoked about this job than I am,” I say, pulling out of the school lot.

“It’s a big deal, babe. Make sure you celebrate hard. Even if it’s on a freezing cold lake in the middle of nowhere.”

“Hmmm you’re not selling it.”

“Just don’t fall on your ass. Enjoy! Mwah!” she says before hanging up.

I hit the freeway, needing to make time, and fast.

I throwmy car into park and hop out, pulling the back door open and grabbing my coat, gloves, and earmuffs.

God knows how I’m going to get these skates on.

“Need some help, Rocket?” My boyfriend makes me jump as he comes to stand next to me, his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

He looks hot in a backward cap, don’t get me wrong. But Zach Evans in a black beanie is another level of delicious. His brown hair curls around the edges and frames his gorgeous face perfectly.

“If we want to get on there before midnight, then yeah, please.”