Page 25 of Kiss Me

He looks across the room at Kennedy and then gives Taehyun’s cousin, Dae, a scolding look. One ten times more vicious than the expression he gave Stasi.

“Mom, please remind your husband that he lost fair and square.” Kennedy looks over at her mother.

Patience holds up her hands. “I’m a judge and therefore an unbiased party in this situation.”

Aaron Townsend grumbles something, making his youngest daughter laugh before she presses a kiss to his cheek.

The exchange brings on thoughts of my own father. A familiar tightness begins to spread in my chest. Not for the first time I long for the father I had before he became my manager.

No, in truth, before I turned professional. Back when I was his Ace for doing something minor like tying my shoelace, orgetting into my skis all by myself. A time when things were simple and easy.

Before sponsors and brand deals and expectations of gold medals.

“Back to the judging,” Patience Townsend says, bringing my attention to the moment at hand.

I go to look up at the older woman but instead my gaze connects with Taehyun’s.

His eyes are narrowed but not in an angered or frustrated way. He’s watching me, like he’s trying to figure out what’s going on in my head.

I quickly school my features and sit up, making sure not to jostle myinjuredleg at the same time Patience Townsend says, “Congratulations to Taehyun and Tania for winning this year’s Townsend Gingerbread House Competition.”

Despite a few grumbles that sound around the room, there’s applause and congratulations thrown our way.

“Let’s see what the winners get,” she says.

“Wait, there’s a prize for winning?” I ask.

Countless heads turn my way. “Of course there is,” Patience answers. “Last year’s winner won a movie theater-style popcorn maker.”

“Which Little Miss Chloe broke after three months,” Destiny Townsend calls out and looks over at her youngest daughter—the cutest little girl with tawny brown skin and red hair just like her father, Tyler Townsend.

“She was framed!” Tyler defends.

Destiny rolls her eyes. “We literally have video footage of it. One day that man will admit that little girl has him whipped.”

He grins and leans over to tell his wife something in her ear. It’s hard to miss the way her hard expression softens from whatever her husband privately says to her.

A lump in my throat forms. I might not have been around this family for long, at all, but it’s damn hard to miss how much love is shared amongst all of them.

I know the feeling. Even though the family I grew up with—my mom, dad, and me—was small, there was plenty of love to go around.

I take a bite out of the leg of a gingerbread man to sweeten the sour taste that’s developed in my mouth.

Looking over, I’m not surprised to see Taehyun’s eyes on me. I have to be making things up when I swear, I see a look of concern in them. I haven’t known this man long enough for him to be concerned about me.

Right?

I meet his gaze again and yup, he’s still staring, not even trying to be shy about it.

“And this year’s prize that goes to Taehyun and Tania is …”

CHAPTER 7

Tania

“I can’t believe it,” Eve says, waving a red envelope in her hands. “Stasi, we’re going to the X Games!”

“Thank you, Tania.”

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