Page 75 of Glitz & Goals

“So much for being the heartless ice queen!” Jaime teases.

“I think you picked a good one,” Mia whispers, “but if he ever fucks up and does you dirty, I’ll gladly help you hide the body.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about him,” Vanessa scolds. “We’re going to need to catch up over coffee tomorrow. I need details! God, I feel so out of the loop!”

One by one, everyone offers their congratulations. I’m a little bewildered when Knight’s sister, Knova, takes her turn.

“What brings you here?” I ask.

Knova shrugs. “Eh, you know the drill. Your brother. Viktor needs help, and he calls me. He’s like a walking recessive trait. Congratulations. Hope you love the party.” She gives Grady a once-over. “And the man, I guess.”

That’s such a Knova statement that I can’t help but cackle.

The food is amazing, the drinks plentiful, the company delightful. Grady and I walk around the party hand-in-hand all night. There’s no secret texting anymore. There’s no need for it.

We have nothing to hide anymore.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Grady

Sometime around eleven o’clock, the older members of the crowd start yawning. Usually, I’d be one of them—I’m an early-morning guy, after all. But every time I look at Vivian, and at the ring sparkling on her finger, I’m hit with a jolt of adrenaline so intense that I wonder how I’ll ever settle down.

When Molly starts to drift off, Noah claps his hands. “All right, folks!” he bellows. “Party’s over. We’re turning into pumpkins. Out you get.”

I reach for Vivian’s hand. “Any chance you want to come to my place tonight? We can come over tomorrow to find new homes for the gnomes.”

“Oh, I figured they’d come live with us. After all, the Gnome Gloam here is pretty full, and we ought to start one of our own, don’t you think? Gnome Gloam 2.0?”

I like the sound of that.

She brushes a kiss against my cheek. “And yes, I’m staying over tonight. Let me just pack a quick overnight bag first.”

I gather up my things and collect my dog, who has had strangers feeding him table scraps all night and is, therefore, both bloated and gassy. I say one last round of farewells to everyone, including Molly, who is a little tipsy and insists on hugging me three times before we leave.

“You better take good care of her,” she says, not bothering to lower her voice. “I read a lot of true crime. Don’t make me get ideas.”

Between my knee and my dress suit and the sheer volume of gnomes I had to transport, I drove over tonight, although I didmake sure to park farther down the street to ensure that Vivian wouldn’t spot my car. She hauls her duffle over her shoulder—it’s the most she’s ever brought with her for a visit, and I wonder if that’s just because this is the first time she could pack without earning scrutiny from her family… or if she plans to stay longer than a night.

We haven’t discussed the details of what happens next, and I’m in no rush to do so. We’re getting closer to the end of the season, and I won’t be anywhere near as busy during the off-season. I can finally finish unpacking. Maybe set up a crafting room for her or convert the pool house into a workspace so that she can have a place that’s all her own where she can run her business without being disturbed.

I’m ready to drag Vivian to bed, but when we pull into my driveway, she hops out and grabs her bag. “I’ll let you get Blade sorted out and meet you out back, okay?” She rushes to the front door without waiting for my response.

Blade is exhausted from so much excitement. Halfway back to his room, he drops to the floor, rolls onto his back, and refuses to move another inch. He’s too heavy to drag or carry, and even a handful of treats accomplish nothing since he’s already had so many snacks tonight. In the end, I’m forced to abandon him in the hallway, belly up and snoring, and hope that he doesn’t get into too much trouble when he wakes up.

The back lights are on, as are the pool lights. There’s a ripple of something moving through the water. I wonder if Viv’s decided on a nighttime swim. I imagine her naked body slicing through the water as she swims laps, and every hair on my body stands on end.

“Hey,” I call under my breath as I pad barefoot across the pool deck. “What are you—oh.”

Viv’s arms are hooked over the edge of the pool, letting the tail she’s wearing wave behind her. The end of her blue wig float on the surface of the water.

“Hey, sailor,” she teases.

I walk over to where she’s floating and look down. Unlike the full-coverage suit she was wearing the day we met, this tail rides low on her hips. Her back is bare. When she looks up at me, I can see down the front of her chest; she’s wearing nothing but clamshell pasties.

“Hey,” she says. “I’ve been working on this in my free time. A new one, just for us. No buckles, no zippers, nothing that can get stuck. Want to see the best part?”

“I thought this was the best part.” I admire her breasts, the planes of her stomach, the curve of her hips and ass.

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