It’s interesting how we’ll bury our head in the sand and pretend not to see what’s right in front of us until something threatens to take it away. Which is exactly what happened to me, more than once where Avery is concerned.
I still have guilt over not being in the car with her that day, and I don’t know that it will ever go away, not completely. Especially on those days when her ankle aches, or she limps those first few steps after she’s been sitting for a long time.
But she’s strong and independent and forgiving. When those feelings crop up, I remind myself that she’s moved past that, and I should too. I’ve also realized that just because my parents’ relationship was messed up, it doesn’t mean mine has to be too.
Avery’s birthday is in the summer, which is perfect because it means the obstacle course is set up in the water. She joined a rec soccer league two months ago after getting the all clear from her doctor. This one isn’t competitive, and she’s probably the best player on the team, but she’s not willing to put herself at risk or give up on her favorite sport, so this is a good compromise.
As with every challenge she confronts, Avery finds a way to adapt and she’s developed a serious love for water sports and anything that involves swimming, so that’s what today’s course is based on. That and our mutual love of word puzzles.
She arrives ten minutes later. I’m thankful that it’s a balmy day with only a few fluffy clouds in the sky.
“Hey, birthday girl, how was your morning?” I wrap her in a tight hug and kiss the top of her head.
“Fantastic! Thank you for pampering me.”
On London’s recommendation, I sent her to the spa for a massage and a manicure and pedicure. Avery isn’t big on the girly stuff, but I figure if there’s ever a time to go all out, today is the day.
When I release her, she smiles up at me. “The guys called and said they’d be here around four. Is there anything I can help with before our friends get here?”
“Actually, yes. We set up the obstacle course, and I figured you and I could run through it to make sure we’ve worked out all the bugs.”
Avery claps her hands and bounces excitedly. “Oh definitely! I’m totally down for that!”
She rushes back to the hotel to change into a swimsuit and returns less than five minutes later, hair pulled up in a ponytail.
I explain how the course works. There are four buoys in the water, we swim out, free a bag of tiles, and bring them back to the tile board one at a time. Once we both have all four of our bags, we can empty out the tiles and start working on our word puzzle.
“Oh, man.” Avery hops from foot to foot, her excitement uncontained. “I’ve been word puzzling it up lately. You’re totally going down.”
I give her a lingering once-over. She’s in a bikini, all her athletic curves on display. “I definitely plan to do that later.”
She smacks my arm. “Seriously, Deck.”
“One hundred percent. It’s your birthday, babe, you get all the full service you can handle.”
“Sex talk distractions aren’t going to work. Prepare to have your ass handed to you.” She makes her way to the beginning of the course, and Harley counts us down, giving the signal to race to the water.
Since Avery has been spending a lot of time in the water, she’s become an incredibly strong swimmer. It doesn’t take her long to come back with the first bag, but each buoy is farther than the last, so she slows a little as she gets to the final bag, but still manages to keep up.
I’m always impressed with her tenacity and determination not to let her injury hold her back. She’s careful with her body, and some days are more difficult than others, but she doesn’t let it keep her down for long.
We make it back to the puzzle station around the same time, and she starts untying the bags and dumping out the letters to form her four-word clue that will unlock the box.
My puzzle pieces are different from hers and only contain three words. Since I created the obstacle course, I have a distinct advantage.
She shifts the letters around, her expression fierce with concentration. She looks over at me every once in a while and frowns when she glances at her own pieces, realizing our letters aren’t the same.
And then it all clicks into place as she shifts the pieces one more time to spell out the phrase:
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
Mine reads:
PLEASE SAY YES
I know London and Harley are around somewhere, probably secretly recording this. I slip my hand in my pocket and pull out a Ziploc baggie containing the small, velvet box and drop to one knee in the sand.
Avery shakes her head, but her smile is wide as I slip it free from the bag and tuck that back in my pocket.
I flip the box open. “I’ve loved you since I met you, Avery, and I tried for a long time to push those feelings down, thinking I could never be what you need, but your patience and love taught me that I can. You’re my best friend and my favorite person in the world. There’s no one else who gets me the way you do, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me every single day. Will you marry me?”
She runs her fingers through my hair, eyes soft like her smile. “You’ve been my rock for so many years, Declan. I don’t think that I realized exactly how integral you are to my life until those few months apart. And while I know we both needed it, I never want to be without you again. You’re my best friend, of course I’ll marry you.”
I slip the ring on her finger and stand. “Thank you for teaching me how to love with my whole heart. I promise I’ll take good care of yours.” I take her face between my hands and dip down so I can seal my promise with a kiss.
Avery is my best friend, my soul mate, my everything.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always, Hubs and kidlet, you’re my two favorite people in the world and I’m so lucky to have you in my corner. Mom, Dad, and Mel, thank you for always being on my team.
Pepper, you are my bestie for life. Thank you for being such an amazing friend.
Kimberly, you’re always there to bounce ideas off of and to help me make each book the best it can be. I’m grateful for your friendship and your guidance.
To my SMP team, it’s an honor and a pleasure to work with you, and I’m so excited for what’s to come!
Sarah, you’re a blessing. Hustlers, you’re a fabulous group of women and I love you dearly.
Tijan, you’re amazing. Thank you for being such a fantastic friend.
Sarah, Jenn, Hilary, Shan, Catherine, and my entire team at Social Butterfly, you’re rock stars.
Gel and Sarah, your incredible talent never ceases to amaze me.
Beavers, I couldn’t be more honored to have you as readers. Thank you for always being excited, regardless of what I throw at you next!
Deb, Tijan, Leigh, Kelly, Ruth, Kellie, Erika, Marty, Karen, Shalu, Melanie, Marnie, Julie, Krystin, Laurie, Angie, Jo, and Lou, you’re the foundation of friendship, and I’m blessed to have you in my life.
Readers, bloggers, and bookstagrammers, you’re the foundation of this amazing reading community and your love and passion for romance never cease to amaze me.
ALSO BY HELENA HUNTING
SHACKING UP SERIES
Shacking Up
Hooking Up
I Flipping Love You
Making Up
Handle with Care
STAND-ALONE NOVELS
The Good Luck Charm
Meet Cute
Kiss My Cupcake
The Librarian Principle
Felony Ever After
Little Lies (writing as H. Hunting)
ALL IN SERIES
A Lie for a Lie
A Favor for a Favor
A Secret for a Secret
A Kiss for a Kiss
LAKESIDE SERIES
Love Next Door
PUCKED SERIES
Pucked (Pucked #1)
Pucked Up (Pucked #2)
Pucked Over (Pu
cked #3)
Forever Pucked (Pucked #4)
Pucked Under (Pucked #5)
Pucked Off (Pucked #6)
Pucked Love (Pucked #7)
CLIPPED WINGS SERIES
Clipped Wings
Inked Armor
Fractures in Ink
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author HELENA HUNTING lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her two awesome cats, who think the best place to sleep is on her keyboard. She writes all things romance—contemporary, romantic comedy, sports, and angsty new adult. Helena loves to bake cupcakes, has been known to listen to a song on repeat 1,512 times while writing a book, and if she has to be away from her family, prefers to be in warm weather with her friends. You can sign up for email updates here.
Thank you for buying this
St. Martin’s Press ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
1. Yay or Nay
2. Chilling with My Bestie
3. Just One of the Boys
4. It’s a Bust
5. So Unreliable
6. It’s All My Fault
7. I Need a Vacation from My Life
8. Let that Reality Sink In
9. Shower Time
10. Friend Zone
11. Stabilize
12. I Probably Should have Knocked First
13. It’s a Great Idea
14. I’ll Make It Better for you
15. Not What I Expected, But I Like It
16. Back in the Saddle
17. Never too Much of a Good Thing
18. Adventures in Avery-Sitting
19. Loose Lips Sink Ships
20. The Freaking Turtles
21. Miss Independence
22. Sticky Labels
23. Back in the Game
24. All the Ways to Make a Mess
25. I Saw the Future and It Wasn’t Bright
26. Shifting Gears
27. Across Crossroads
28. One Haunt At a Time
Epilogue: Run the Course
Acknowledgments
Also by Helena Hunting
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
First published in the United States by St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of the St. Martin’s Publishing Group
WHEN SPARKS FLY. Copyright © 2021 by Helena Hunting. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Danielle Christopher
Cover illustration by Ali Mac; couple © Macrovector/Shutterstock
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Hunting, Helena, author.
Title: When sparks fly / Helena Hunting.
Description: First Edition. | New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2021. | Identifiers: LCCN 2021016067 | ISBN 9781250624703 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781250624710 (ebook)
Classification: LCC PS3608.U594966 W48 2021 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021016067
eISBN 9781250624710
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].
First Edition: 2021
When Sparks Fly Page 27
