Page 75 of Faking the Face Off

“Work good today, honey?” he asks, the teasing in his voice not getting past me.

“It’s great, I never thought that taking care of others would make me so happy.”

“Yet you were an assistant for so long…”

I think about what he’s saying, reflecting. “True, but being someone’s assistant is a little different. Being a PA, I felt like I was reacting for someone else who was leading the way, but when you’re an agent you’re protecting and leading the charge, so there’s more room to maneuver. Freedom.”

“Well, word on the street is that you’re kicking ass. There’s a new guy looking at joining the team next season and I overheard Noah telling him to make sure he sent you an email to discuss representation. Not Travis, you.”

I stop to consider what Ollie’s shared, a surge of warmth flowing through me; we’ll call it pride. “Really?”

“Really,” he says as he dumps a pile of crabs in the middle of the table. “Travis was standing there, too, when he said it and all he did was nod in agreement.”

“Travis is easy to work for, and he’s great as a mentor.” And that’s not a lie. I’ve spent time on the road with Travis, quite a bit in fact, and he’s always impressed me with his skill. From the way he handles his roster to how he works with executives, be it team owners or with sponsorship opportunities, he’s always putting his people first. “Did you talk to your dad today?”

Ollie nods. “We’re having breakfast next week, after his last therapy appointment.”

I grab a roll of paper towels, some cocktail sauce, and a few lemons before I park myself at the kitchen table. “He’s come a long way since the beginning of the year when he went into rehab.”

“He really has.” I can hear nothing but pure joy in Ollie’s voice. “He’s got a way to go, but he’s on the right path now. After I see him, he’s going to go and stay with Mia in Maryland for a week or so, while she packs up. He wants to make up for some lost time with her, too.”

With all of the back and forth that happened with Ollie’s dad being in rehab, and the help she was giving their mother at her shop, Mia had finally made a decision to move back home to River City herself. The thought makes me very happy, she and I have started to become pretty close.

“Is he riding back in the U-Haul with her?”

“That’s the plan,” he says as he spins around to show me a sealed container. It’s pink and really pretty, smells like cinnamon, and it makes me giggle. “I also stopped to get a surprise treat for after dinner.”

Pursing my lips together, I shake my head. He really does know the way to my heart. “Did you get me my favorite dessert from Shelly’s?”

“Shelly actually made this especially for you,” he announces, holding it in the air like a scene fromThe Lion King.

A tiny surge of excitement goes through me. I love when she gets creative. I reach for the bag, but Ollie pulls his arm away.

“Huh?” I shoot him a look filled with faux disappointment. “But you said it’s especially for me.”

Ollie chuckles. “It is, but it’s forafterdinner.”

I roll my eyes. “Come on, let me see. Please? I can smell the cinnamon. Is it a churro cupcake, because she told me the other day she was going to try to make a batch.”

Ollie still holds the bag in the air, dangling it above our heads like a carrot in front of a pony. Those blue-grey eyes of his sparkle with absolute glee as he slowly lowers his arm and hands me the bag.

“Fine,” he says as he hands it over. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Laughing at his ridiculousness, I snap the bag from his hands and step away, pulling the container out. I flip open the lid and my eyes land on the churro cupcake first—golden brown with a generous swirl of cinnamon cream cheese frosting dusted with sugar.

But then I see it, perched right on top like the crown jewel, nestled in a tiny swirl of frosting: a ring.

My heart leaps, a giddy, breathless kind of leap that makes my hands fly to my mouth. It’s beautiful. The band is rose gold, delicate and elegant, with a single round diamond sparkling so brightly it almost looks alive. Tiny stones trail down the sides, catching the light and making the whole thing shimmer like magic.

I let out a laugh, half a squeal, half a sob, because this is so perfectlyOllie.Sweet, thoughtful, and just over-the-top enough to make me feel like the only person in the world. A churro cupcake. From my favorite bakery. An understated but perfect proposal.

Of course he would.

My hands shake as I reach for the ring, careful not to crush the cupcake beneath it. The diamond sparkles again, and my chest feels like it might burst. I can’t stop smiling. I love him. I love Ollie. And this moment, this ridiculous, wonderful moment, feels like everything I’ve ever wanted.

“So, we should put that away until we eat…” he begins as I leap from my seat and into his arms. I can’t contain myself––he lifts me up, holding me close as I wrap my legs around his waist, our foreheads pressing together.

“Are you planning to ask me something?” I whisper.

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