Page 68

MILLIE

Can I call you Mr. Fisher?

The afternoon blurs into night, and Noah doesn’t let me leave his side.

He has countless interviews, people congratulating him and people to hug, but he always seeks my gaze or reaches for my hand. He stares at me like he can’t believe I’m in front of him and every time our bodies touch, my body sizzles with electricity.

Eventually Mack and Sofia pry us apart, for Noah to shower and do some champion paperwork things and for me to freshen up in anticipation for the awards dinner.

Sofia invites me and Gabby to her suite, where she’s organised dresses for us to wear and also does our makeup. The three of us spend the time getting ready, squealing about how the final went and giggling at the internet’s reaction to it.

“People don’t know what to make of it,” Gabby says, sipping a glass of champagne. She’s wearing a floor-length, pearl-coloured dress made of silk and looks more like she’s attending the Oscars than anything else. “Some people think you two and Noah are in some kind of throuple.”

I snort as Sofia dusts powder on my cheeks. “I like you, Sofia, but I’m not sharing him.”

She laughs in response. “If it makes you feel better, I’m not looking for a man right now. I have things I need to sort out with my career and social circles first.”

“Some people think you leaking the footage was a PR move,” Gabby says, reading from her phone.

Sofia smirks. “Well, it was.”

Yesterday, I was curled up in my house in Australia, crying over my broken heart and hiding from the world.

If you had told me twenty-four hours later, I’d be sitting in the deluxe hotel suite of Noah’s ex-girlfriend, who recently kissed him, having my makeup done by her, joking and laughing with her and Noah’s sister, I would’ve thrown you out of my house for talking like a mad person.

“All done,” Sofia says, snapping her powder case shut. “Go get dressed. You girls need to hustle.”

“Noah keeps asking how long we’ll be,” Gabby adds. “He’s such a pest.”

“You sure you don’t want to come?” I ask Sofia.

She nods. “I’m certain. This night is for you guys. I’m going to turn off my phone, get into my pyjamas and watch reality TV for the first time in months. It’s going to be amazing.”

Gabby groans. “I like the sound of that.”

I smile. “Thank you, Sofia. None of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for you.”

She quirks an eyebrow. “You’re right. If I hadn’t kissed your boyfriend, things would be very different.”

I chuckle as she pushes me towards the bathroom, where I put on the most gorgeous scarlet gown I’ve ever seen in my life.

The awards night is to congratulate Noah on his victory, but to also officially open the Championship Tour.

Surfers, almost unrecognizable in suits and tuxedos, fill the large room overlooking the moonlit ocean.

People mill around chatting and eating canapes and those not competing indulge in the bar tab.

Gabby leads us through the crowd, finding her family and Noah’s friends with ease.

I smile as I take them in, Rick, Callum and Mack, all wearing tuxedos with giant grins on their faces.

Noah’s mum is wearing a gorgeous black dress and I go to tell her, but I forget how to speak when my gaze settles on Noah.

He’s wearing a classic tuxedo, perfectly fitting his broad, muscled frame. His brown curls fall into his eyes, which are the deepest green I’ve ever seen them, and they widen as he spots me. I stifle a grin as his pink mouth falls open in appreciation.

“Jesus,” he whispers huskily, his gaze dragging up from my body.

Sofia knows how to pick a dress. The red was a good choice; the material cinching at the waist and flowing to the floor, with a split up the thigh. It’s the fanciest thing I’ve ever worn, and I’m terrified of spilling anything on it because there’s no way I can afford to ruin it.

“Congratulations again, Mr. King,” I murmur.

One side of his mouth lifts. “I like the sound of Mr. King.”

“I don’t,” Rick cuts in, shattering the illusion. My cheeks burn as I duck my head, but my embarrassment melts away as Noah pulls me into his side. I’ve missed standing this close to him.

“Lighten up, Pops,” Noah says, grinning.

Joan smacks Rick on the chest. “Leave them be. Nobody’s called you Mr. King in your entire life.” She smiles at me. “He’s angry because he hates wearing a suit. You look beautiful, dear.”

“It’s so tight,” Rick grumbles, pulling at his collar.

“You both look gorgeous,” I tell Noah’s parents as I wrap my arm around their son’s waist. “I never knew the surfing world was so glamourous.”

“This isn’t the norm, thank God,” Callum says and Rick nods in agreement. “They like to open it with a bang and close it with a bang, but we don’t have to do this every time there’s a comp.”

Gabby grabs two champagne flutes from a passing server and hands one to me. “Where’s Dan? Don’t tell me he got out of wearing a ridiculous outfit.”

“He’s on his way,” Mack says, glancing down at his watch. “The formalities will start in fifteen minutes. King, we better go over things not to say on stage.”

Noah waves a dismissive hand. “Relax. I’m not going to say anything stupid.”

Mack raises his eyebrows. “Bullshit.”

Gabby smiles at me, but it quickly fades from her face as she gapes at something over my shoulder.

I turn to follow her gaze and even my mouth drops open.

Dan stalks towards us, parting the crowd and turning heads in an all-black tuxedo.

He’s trimmed his beard and the way he carries himself across the room makes it seem like he’s used to wearing fancy suits.

“Jesus,” Callum whines, holding an arm out towards Dan. “How the hell does he look that good?”

Dan stops next to me, adjusting the cuffs of his suit. “Genetics.” He leans down and kisses my cheek. “You look beautiful, Millie.”

“Thank you, and I mean it wholeheartedly when I say, you do too.”

Noah smirks at me. “Stop checking out my best mate.”

I grin as I watch Dan greet everyone in our huddle before getting to Gabby, whose gaze hasn’t left him since he arrived. She blatantly checks him out, craning her neck when she meets his gaze, a knowing smirk on her lips.

“Can I call you Mr. Fisher?” she drawls.

Dan furrows his brow. “What?”

“Don’t ask,” Rick says as he shoots his daughter a look of warning. Gabby just grins.

“Come with me.” Noah tugs my hand and pulls me from the group as they’re talking. We make our way through the crowd and eventually outside onto a private balcony, where Noah seals us off from everybody else.

An outdoor heater is lit above our heads, but it’s still cool outside. Noah pulls me into him and holds me there as we each take some big breaths.

“Wow,” I sigh. “What a day.”

“What a day.” Noah kisses the side of my head. “I missed you.”

I lean back to look up at him. “I missed you too.”

His green gaze drifts to my mouth. “I want to kiss you, but I don’t want to ruin your makeup.”

“Sofia did good, huh?”

Noah grins. “She did. You look incredible.”

I sigh quietly to myself, drinking in his defined cheekbones, his tired, yet sparkling eyes. I can’t believe how the day panned out, or that I’m even back in his arms. “I’m sorry. I wish I could go back and handle last week better.”

Noah shakes his head. “You have nothing to apologise for.”

“Yes, I do,” I insist. “I cut and run at the first sign of trouble.”

Noah tucks an invisible lock of hair behind my ear. “I don’t blame you. The whole thing was a mess.”

“I should have believed you,” I tell him. “I just thought it’d be too hard to . . . to do this.”

Noah studies me carefully. “What about now?”

I hold his piercing gaze, my heart thumping between my ribs. “I can’t exactly ask Sofia to lend me her jet any time I want to see you.”

Noah’s lip twitches. “I told you I’d fly you back and forth. Whenever you need.” He reaches for my hand and laces his fingers through mine. “But only if you want to. I understand if it’s not something you want to take on. It’s a lot.”

Noah’s face is hard, his eyes hopeful as he waits for my response. He’s asking for clarification on my feelings. Even though I flew over here and jumped into his arms on television, he’s not taking that as a guarantee.

“It is a lot,” I agree. “ You’re a lot. You’re cocky and arrogant and make headlines everywhere you go. You’re terrible with time management and don’t get me started on charging your phone?—”

“Mack bought me a power bank to slap onto the back of it,” Noah cuts in.

I smile. “You’re also earnest and kind and always make me laugh. You’re a good person and even though I’m not big on the spotlight stuff, I want to try this . . . if you do.”

Noah exhales deeply. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

“You were?”

Noah nods, his hand sliding to cup the side of my neck. “I love you, Millie.”

I balk, my eyes widening as I check Noah for signs of joking. There’s no smirk to his mouth, no twinkle in his eye. Just a vulnerable truth, waiting for my response.

My chest swells. Electricity skitters down my arms and into my toes. Butterflies beat violently against my ribcage as a smile I can’t contain stretches across my face.

“It’s been a hell of a day. Are you sure that’s not the dopamine talking?” My voice is barely a whisper.

Noah’s green eyes swirl with earnest. “I’ve felt this way for a while. I’m positive.”

I swallow, reaching my hands up to his cheeks. My hands smooth over his cheekbones and I smile. “I love you, too.”