Page 103 of Love Game

She held a small clutch of flowers at her waist. He didn’t know what they were called, but he recognized the thin stems of bell-like blossoms from the flower beds his mother kept along the side of her house. He gaped like a love-struck teenager as she moved slowly across the dimly lit barroom, working every step. It wasn’t until she drew close that he caught a flash of color and tore his gaze away from her long enough to look down.

Kate smiled, handed her bouquet off to Millie, and lifted the hem of her dress just enough to expose the toes of the multicolored trainers he’d given her.

Swallowing the boulder in his throat, he took her hands in his and pulled her close. “Great shoes,” he whispered.

“Thanks. I like them.”

“I love you.”

Kate beamed at him, her hazel eyes dancing with devilment. “Well, then, I guess that makes me the winner.”

Clearing her throat loudly, Avery stretched her arms wide as if calling down the deities. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to deliver this woman and this man into the bondage of eternal teamwork…”