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An official is telling me I need to go, so I don’t have a chance to tell her anything else before I’m pulled away. As soon as I can pull my phone from my back pocket, I send her a text without knowing when she’ll get it with this crowd, but I need her to know.

I love you, too.

July2024

I fight my way through the crowds, trying to use what little height I have to my advantage. Why did everyone in this goddamn sport have to be so tall? And why were they all making some kind of mass exodus?

A couple of feet away, I spot a bench that’s half unoccupied and make a beeline toward it. If I can’t grow, I can stand on something taller. I can hear my friends amusement as they call my name behind me. I climb up to scan the crowd, ignoring the startled look from the lady occupying the other half.

It’s been weeks since I’ve seen Carter, and I’m anxious to be back in his arms as we turn our attention to the rest of our lives. And whatever the future brings us.

“Kat, you’re going to get in trouble,” Josie warns, but she’s smiling up at me. “Seriously, someone’s going to come yell at you in angry French.”

“I’m not bailing you out of Olympics jail, Katrina,” Bryce warns.

I stick my tongue out at him. “That’s not a thing!” He raises a brow, making my joy falter ever so slightly. “Is it?”

“That’s where they put the athletes when they break their cardboard beds after having too much sex.” He shrugs and nods to his left. “Do you really want to join them?”

Turning, I can see a police officer weaving his way through the crowd, eyes focused on me. Which means I need to find my boyfriend before he reaches me. It can’t be that hard to spot his messy brown hair.

“Mademoiselle—” The guard begins only a few paces away from me now, but it doesn’t matter because Carter seemingly appears out of nowhere. He looks exhausted, but the smile on his face hasn’t dimmed in days.

Before I can say anything, his arms are around my waist, effortlessly picking me up from the bench. It takes my breath away, and I feel like I’m in a movie where it’s only us and everyone—especially the police officer—melts away. I grew up wanting this kind of relationship. Spent most of my adult years believing I’d have to settle. Now I have it, and I am not letting it go.

“Okay, let her down before she gets seasick,” Mia jokes from somewhere.

She’s not wrong. I am starting to feel a little dizzy, but I’m not sure if it’s a result of the moment or Carter spinning me around. He lowers me to my feet, but he doesn’t let me get far. Hands resting on my hips, he pulls me in close, still grinning brightly. “Hi, love.”

Still a little breathless myself, I grin back with my hands tightening on his shoulders. “Hi. I’m so proud of you, Carter.”

I’ve said those exact words at every opportunity I’ve had since we left Omaha all those months ago, and it always has the same effect on him. His grin drops slightly, like he can’t believe what I’m saying, before the normal, brilliant smile is back.

“Okay, lovebirds.” Bryce’s voice breaks into our bubble. “We all want congratulations hugs. Break it up.”

Reluctantly, we release one another, and I hand him over to his best friend, who immediately engulfs him in a huge hug. Standing back, witnessing how loved he is, makes my heart melt. His family let us handle this, and we’re meeting them for dinner after this. Then we’re heading home in a couple of days. Back to Columbia, and back to real life.

We all offer to stick around for a couple extra days, let him enjoy the city and the rest of the Olympics, but Carter is ready to go home. He still had some media requirements, but he’d only agreed to the bare minimum, and he’d be back in South Carolina within the week.

As he finishes hugging everyone, he finds his way back to me and pulls me into his arms. Everything about him is radiating happiness and I want to melt into this moment, live in it forever. “Hello again.”

I throw my head back, laughing. His fingers tangle in my hair as my arms wind around his neck. When I meet his gaze again, the delight is gone, and it’s been replaced with pure love. I know I’m staring at him the same way. “Hi yourself.”

He leans in, closing the distance between us to press a soft kiss against my lips. It ends a second after it started, leaving us staring at one another. I can see how exhausted he is, but there’s a glimmer of something else in his green eyes, adrenaline, and contentment.

I comb my fingers through his hair, and he leans into the touch. “Are you sure you’re done?”

“Yes,” he promises me, not a single sign of doubt on his handsome face. “That was amazing and I’m glad I did it, but I’m done.”

I don’t ask him again, trusting him to be honest with me. Bryce has pestered him for months, mostly out of regrets surrounding his own experience, and he’s tired of answering the same questions. I don’t ask again. Instead, I cup his cheek, and lead him into another kiss. This one is deeper, his tongue instantly seeking entrance as I sink back against him. Our friends are making all kinds of amused noises around us, certainly drawing attention our way, but I don’t care.

When we separate, we’re still in our own little world, but Bryce seems to have other ideas as he reminds us about dinner.

“We should go,” I whisper against his lips before he steals another kiss.

“I also need to talk to you about something,” Bryce calls to get us to move along. “I have someone I want to hire.”

I almost groan because Bryce really does have the worst timing.