Page 129 of Imogen

As Imogen takes my hand and we walk across the stage area, she leans over to look at Sabrina. “Can I really keep the dress?”

“Yes. He would never have said it if he didn’t mean it.”

My shoulders drop at her answer because I can’t wait to take it off her.

I just have to get through a night with the Carters first.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Imogen

I watch with a grimace as Maddox goes flying down the slope, taking Landon, Drew and Mark with him in his attempt to tackle Ben. He didn’t count on the fact this isn’t Ben’s first time on a ski slope. Ben skilfully moved himself and Charlotte out of the way before they took her out too. Ben and Charlotte are the first to reach the bottom, and after they’ve unclipped the board from their feet, they begin to make their way over to where me, Hope and Ciara are taking a breather.

Well, the girls are. I’m still sulking over the fact I had to wear pumps. They feel unnatural on my feet and I’m walking like I’ve got something shoved up my arse.

“Your cousin is going to get someone killed,” Ben hisses.

“You shouldn’t have touched his food,” Hope and Ciara reply like they rehearsed it.

Ben’s not going to give me up even though Maddox already knows I played a part in it. He’s just too afraid to confront me.

“I’ll do more if he keeps trying to take me off the slope,” Ben growls as he turns to Charlotte. “Are you okay?”

Ever since I told him what happened to her, and why she is still a little jumpy around people, he has changed the way he treats her. Most people mistreat her, thinking she has a screw loose or something, but she really is that sweet. Still, she is a Carter and has a conniving streak just like the rest of us.

When I addressed his change in behaviour, he surprised me by saying that he’s always thought she was too good for this world, and to know someone did that to her, it made him wish he could kill the bastard who hurt her. I’m not even jealous of what he said because every little bit of it is true. She is too good for this world. He also has three sisters, so I can understand his concern. What happened to Charlotte happens to a majority of women.

In a daze, she pulls her gaze away from the slope to answer him. “I’m admiring my boyfriend.”

Ben’s lips twitch as he walks over to pluck me off the chair like I weigh nothing before dropping down, depositing me on his lap. I huff out a breath, pretending like I don’t think it’s sweet.

“Are you really still in a mood about the shoes?”

“I could have done this better in my boots,” I reveal.

“No, you really couldn’t have,” Hope teases. “Remember when we went sledging in the snow?”

“It was a one-time thing,” I argue.

“What about when you went arse over tit from the ice at the office?” Ben questions. “’Cause none of us had an issue walking across the car park. Want to know why?”

“No, I really don’t.”

“Because we had better shoes,” he answers anyway.

“My legs are aching,” Charlotte announces as she takes a seat.

“Did you get hurt?” Ciara asks, biting her bottom lip.

“No, I had a lot of sex,” Charlotte blurts out, then goes back to staring at her boyfriend like she didn’t just reveal personal information.

“Well okay,” Ciara replies, unable to hide her amusement.

“Must be from going around his huge frame,” Hope mutters dreamily.

I laugh. “You will find someone,” I promise her. “Maybe on the cruise.”

Faith and Beau are planning their honeymoon before their wedding and decided to make the best of it by inviting all of the family. My aunt Harlow has said she will cover half since she only has one daughter’s wedding to pay for. Her parents died young and left her with a lot of money. Both of the twins got their trust fund when they turned twenty-one, and Trent will get his when he comes of age. Maddox started his construction company, and Madison is happy with her florist shop and market stall that is open on a Thursday and Saturday. She wanted to expand to open a bridal or party shop, where she could display chairs, tables, and décor flower arrangements with the proper setting, but she got outbid and still hasn’t gotten over it.

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