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My parents and Charlene are waiting outside the locker roo me from the flash of camera phones, video cameras, and outstretched ht

“I knew he’d finally get it right!” my mom yells

Charlene nods “Here I thought Alex was pulling out the big guns with the interview! Everyone’s going to be talking about this!”

As we h gear As aweso end of a public profession of love, Alex and I still need to talkTonight’s party is a private affair, but the venue is still packed The crowd is in a celebratory ne and sugary shooters,else By the time the Hawks arrive, I’m tipsy

Alex finds lad I am you’re here It makes the win so much better,” he says His lips brush my cheek, but he doesn’t make another move to kiss me “I have so much I want to say”

While a conversation is co, it will have to wait until later, when he’s not the center of attention and in celebration mode His teaht hold on my hand It’s difficult because so ht I can sense how divided he is by the way he constantly reaches forsure I haven’t disappeared

An hour into the party Alex switches to water and stops accepting drinks I follow suit, ae should be sober for our inevitable talk

We find Charlene at a table with Darren Buck and Sunny are cozied up together as well, along with both sets of parents I look to Alex to gauge his reaction to the way Buck’s ar across the back of Sunny’s chair Surprisingly, he doesn’t seeh, I suppose in the past month, Buck has made it abundantly clear to the media hounds that he’s off the market

Robbie stands as soon as he sees me, his s “It’s very good to see you again, Violet”

“You, too”

He smiles down at me “I’m sorry my son was a dipshit”

Alex’s dad is the best I don’t think he sugar-coats anything “Me, too, but I think we’re going to try to work it out”