Page 122 of Make-Believe Match

“Come on, it’s like a ten-minute ride at most.” The front legs of his chair dropped to the floor with a thump. “You can handle it.”

“Fine,” I said, my stomach churning. “New ring. Ride the chairlift. Do you think that’s enough?”

“Well, you’re gonna have to say some words, but that’s always been your specialty,” my brother pointed out.

The room spun. “Notthosekinds of words.”

“Just say what youfeel,” urged Kelly. “Don’t plan anything. It should come from the heart.”

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll try. Anyone want to come to the jewelry store with me?”

Kelly was out of her chair and racing for the stairs in a heartbeat. “Yes! Give me five minutes to get dressed!”

“When is this happening?” Xander asked.

“Today, if I can arrange it. But I have to get in touch with the lift operator—it’s not running right now. I’m also going to need his help inventing a reason for her to go up there.”

Xander laughed. “This is a lot of work to propose to a woman who’s already your wife.”

I grinned. “She’s worth it. She’s fucking worth it.”

* * *

While I waited for Kelly to get ready to go, I made a phone call.

“Hello?”

“Hey Luke, it’s Devlin.”

“Hey, Devlin. What’s up?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your holiday weekend, but I need a favor. The kind that only the lift operations manager at Snowberry can provide.”

He laughed. “Name it. It’s done.”

“It involves getting Lexi to the top of the mountain at sunset this evening. Do you think you can do it?”

“Hmmm. I could tell her there’s an issue with the arrival station up there. We’re open for business tomorrow, so she’d want to look at it right away.”

“Perfect. Just one more thing.”

“What’s up?”

Closing my eyes, I took a breath. “I need you to run me up there first.”

TWENTY-FIVE

lexi

On Friday,I didn’t even feel like getting out of bed.

I lay around in my pajamas in my old room, staring out the window, trying not to cry, and wondering where I was going to go from here. Around ten, my phone buzzed, and my heart started to pound. But when I grabbed it and checked the screen, it wasn’t Devlin.

“Hey, Winnie,” I said miserably.

“Hey.” Her voice was soft. “Just checking on you. Are you okay?”

“Yes and no.”