Page 111 of Sparks Fly

I stepped closer and kissed her. “Ready to charm my entire chosen family?”

She smirked and pulled her helmet on.

“Born ready,” she said.

I helped her fasten the helmet, my fingers lingering for a second longer than necessary beneath her chin. Something sparked between us, just enough to make us both grin.

“You look amazing,” I said more quietly.

Her eyes softened.

“So do you,” she replied.

I gestured toward the bike.

“Come on, gorgeous,” I said. “Let’s go meet the chaos.”

She climbed on behind me, her arms wrapping around my middle, and as we pulled into traffic I couldn’t stop smiling.

It felt like I was bringing her home.

We rode toward the edge of the city with her cheek tucked against the back of my shoulder. The wind was cool and the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting everything in honeyed gold.

By the time we reached Topgolf, the skyline had given way to open air and the buzz of Friday night energy.

The place was alive. Patio lights stretched across the outdoor bays, music thumped from mounted speakers. Groups of people laughed near the entrance, pitchers of beer passing between them.

I guided Addison through the crowd with my hand resting low against her back.

Our bay was already half full. Blake perched on a stool in combat boots and ripped jeans while Nina danced in place to whatever pop song blasted through the speakers. Vic talked animatedly with a couple of friends while they demolished a plate of nachos.

I lifted my voice just enough to get everyone’s attention.

“Everyone,” I said, “this is Addison.”

She smiled warmly. “Hi,” she said. “Thanks for letting me crash the party.”

Vic grinned wide. “Oh, we’ve been dying to meet the woman who turned our local hard-ass into a complete sap.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m right here,” I reminded them.

Addison laughed softly. “She’s still a little scary,” she said with a shrug.

“Good,” Nina said while handing Addison a neon pink cocktail. “She needs to keep some edge. Keeps the rest of us in line.”

Any nerves I’d had about tonight dissolved quickly after that. Addison didn’t just fit in. She lit the whole place up.

At some point Nina stole Addison away to argue over which cocktail on the menu sounded least disgusting, and five minutes later they were laughing like they’d known each other longer than an hour.

We shared sliders and pretzel bites, passed cocktails around to taste, and started a round of Topgolf that turned into chaos almost immediately. Nina swung so hard on her first try that she nearly tipped over. Blake declared golf a scam every time they missed.

Addison wasn’t good, but she didn’t care.

She laughed at herself, leaned into me when she missed entirely, and when she finally hit a ball clean and sent it sailing across the range, she threw her hands up like she had just won a championship.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Vic nudged my elbow. “You’re doing the thing,” they said quietly.