Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Together, they’d been labeled the power couple of New Zealand sport, and they leveraged that power to support both Catie’s foundation and his work with the youth clubs.
Today, however, it wasn’t about them or about him—it was about Catie and the sleek, muscular power of her as she raced down the track in the finals of the one-hundred-meter sprint.
“Go, baby, go!” Danny was up on his feet now, yelling his encouragement even though he knew she couldn’t hear him down there.
Ísa and Sailor and their entire combined family—Jacqueline and Clive included—screamed beside him, as did the whole stand of Kiwi fans.
Catie was the wind, blowing past the finish line so fast that she was a blur on the big screen.
The entire stand erupted into wild chaos.
Danny’s grin ate up his whole face. He hugged an ecstatic Clive, then turned back to roar his joy for Catie as she stood bent over, well past the end of the track—where she’d finally come to a stop. Her chest heaved when she straightened to her full height, the silver of her racing blades gleaming under the lights. Her grin was dazzling as she pinpointed him in the stands, exactly where he’d told her he’d be.
Grabbing the New Zealand flag he’d secreted away, he threw it to her.
She caught it with ease, draping it around her shoulders as she raised a hand to wave up at the fans who were screaming their joy. Danny’s face ached, he was so damn happy for her.
When one of the camera crews went up to her, he looked at the big screen to make sure he could see and hear exactly what she was saying, not wanting to miss a moment.
“How does it feel to know that an entire country is celebrating with you?” the reporter asked. “You were the biggest trending topic in New Zealand after your spectacular time in the semifinals. Your win will have set the country alight.”
“I feel like I’m full of fireworks.” Catie grinned. “All those years of hard work, all the early-morning wake-ups and training sessions, it’s all worth it to be here today.”
“Now that you’ve achieved this dream, what’s next for Catie River?”
“Oh, I’ve got a few more goals to hit—including in my other scheduled races,” Catie said, her smile full of mischief. “But there’s one specific dream that I’d like to set in motion today.”
“Oh, what’s that?” the reporter asked.
Catie shifted her gaze. “Hey, hotshot!” she said, meeting Danny’s gaze. “How about it? You and me and a wedding?”
As the entire stadium erupted, Danny cupped his hands around his mouth to yell back, “Yes, Princess!” He thought of the ring burning a hole in his pocket and grinned even harder.
This was her moment, and he’d intended to wait until they were alone and in private so as to let her bask in the spotlight, but if Catie wanted to claim him in front of the world, he wasn’t exactly going to argue. Especially not when he knew what a big deal it was for her to trust him enough to propose in front of millions of people.
It wasn’t that his enthusiastic agreement had ever been in question—that they’d get hitched was a given between them, the proposal a formality. This, the way she’d done it? It was a joyous acknowledgment that she knew he’d always have her back, no matter what or when or where. Catie trusted him to be there for her, trusted him not to hurt her. Most of all, she trusted him to love her. Now and always.
Catie blew him a kiss, her own love ablaze for all the world to see.