Page 45 of The Love Trick

Okay, maybe I do need to slow down.

“Oh my gosh, you’re drunk.”

I burst into laughter and push back from the table, my knee-length purple dress feeling swishy—like I need to dance. I lean down and bop him on the nose. “I’m going to go dance with my sister.”

Blaze grabs my hand as my finger rests against his nose. “Three songs, and then you need to get to bed. You don’t wanna be hungover for the wedding tomorrow.”

“Okay, Mr. Scrooge.” I giggle, breaking free from his hand. I kick my sandals off and head for the dance floor, skipping the whole way there. I jump in line next to my sister, finishing the macarena.

“Girl, you’ve had too much wine.” Aurora nudges me. “I’ve seriously never seen you so happy, though. It’ssocute.”

“Thank you,” I say, falling in rhythm to the music. “Blaze says I can only have three songs, and then I have to go to bed.” I giggle. “He’s always been like that, taking care of me and stuff.”

“It’s so sweet,” Aurora says. “You should tell the DJ a song you want him to play for the third one and make Blaze dance with you!”

“We don’t have a song,” I say, nearly having to shout over the music. “I don’t think so anyway.”

“Hmm,” Aurora hums. “I bet I can come up with one. Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out. You just wait.”

“Okay…” I watch her as she jogs away, but she doesn’t go to the DJ like I expect her to. Instead, she runs to Blaze. My heart jumps to my throat as he glances at me as she explains something to him.

Then he gets up. But he doesn’t come to me. He heads to the DJ booth.

Aurora comes back to me, a giddy smile plastered on her face.

“He says he knows what song he wants to play for your dance,” she squeals, clapping her hands together.

I stand there, heart rattling my ribcage as Blaze chats with the DJ. Tingles roll through my body as the DJ fades out the song.

“This next song was a special request from this NHL player to his lady,” the DJ says into the mic. “Enjoy ‘Somebody to You - Reimagined’.”

The electric guitar intro starts, and I legit think I might pass out as Blaze makes his way over to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into him. I can’t look at him as we start to dance.

I’mdyinginside.

Even as he spins me around the dance floor, I can hardly cope with the feeling in my chest.

It has to be the wine.

“This song came out the year we met in college,” Blaze says against my ear. “But this version came out this year. Seems fitting.”

I squeeze my eyes shut as the side of his head presses to mine, and all I can feel ishim. “I had the biggest crush on you in college,” I blurt out.

He stills and then leans back. “What’d you say?”

I meet his gaze, seeing something in his eyes that I don’t recognize. I quickly shake my head, remembering our conversation at the pier. “I don’t know.”

He furrows his brow as the song comes to a close and everyone cheers. “About ready to call it a night?” He lets me go but hangs onto my hand.

Still, I can’t breathe. The song replays in my head over and over.

It’s just a song. He picked it because it lines up with the ruse.

But I can’t help it. As we reach the elevator, I stop him. “Why did you pick that song? How did you know it came out when we first met in college?”

He tugs me gently into the elevator, not offering an answer. “Conversation for another night, Addy. You’re kind of drunk.”

I nod as the doors close. “Thanks for dancing with me.”

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