Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
She pulls a coin from her pocket and looks at it. "Heads, I stay. Tails I leave." The coin is flying through the air, spinning as it goes, before any of us have a chance to object. She can’t seriously want to rest such a massive decision on the turn of a coin. Dawn catches it and slaps it onto the back of her hand.
"Dawn," Kyla squeals. "You can’t be serious."
"Deadly." Dawn grins broadly and I don’t understand how she can be so happily flippant about something that carries so much meaning and consequence to me and my friends.
She inhales deeply as though the strain is finally hitting, but there’s a tug of smile on her lips. Or at least, I think there is.
She’s been through so much, and we all want her to be our girl, but there’s no way any of us will be happy for her to stay on a coin toss.
When she lifts her hand and peeks beneath, my heart skips a beat, then thuds in one big squeeze. My fingers grip so tightly to the edge of the chair, because it’s like watching the climax of a thriller movie.
"Put them out of their misery, for the love of god," Dex says, shifting to broaden his stance and fold his inked arms over his chest. The man seems as impatient as the rest of us and it’s not even his future hanging in the balance.
"It’s heads," Dawn says softly.
Heads. That’s it! That means she’s staying!
I glance at my twin, then around at Kyla and her men, and all my buddies who gather with such a vested interest in this moment.
Then Dawn slides off Bradley’s lap and sits next to me, handing the coin.
I raise my palm to look at it, curious, realizing it’s not Aussie currency. There’s something strange about it. Flipping it over, I see what it is and why Dawn’s given it to me.
The coin has a head on both sides. She didn’t decide to stay on the flip of a coin. She knew before she came back.
"I bought the coin in a magic shop in Sydney," she says softly. "I thought you’d appreciate a little magic. That’s what you’ve all brought into my life."
I pull Dawn to me, pressing a hard kiss against her lips. "Damn you, Dawn," I whisper. "For being so infuriatingly perfect."
Then I turn to everyone. "SHE’S STAYING," I shout, the reality of this fundamental knowledge finally landing. In a rush, Jared, Joshua, Logan, Lachlan, Thomas, Mitchell and Cooper surge forward. Dawn is passed from man to man, disappearing into fierce embraces that convey the relief and excitement they feel. Mitchell spins Dawn around, kissing her on her forehead. Lachlan presses her head against his broad chest, cradling her like a child who was in danger but is now safe.
We’re watched by Carl, Noah, and Dex, whose expressions are wildly different. Carl’s is serious, as though he’s trying to assess if the feelings being expressed are genuine or maybe he’s viewing everything with a protectiveness over Dawn. Noah is grinning, seemingly ecstatic that Dawn is getting her happy ever after moment. Dex nods as though what he sees meets his approval. Kyla has her hands clasped together, and tears glazing her eyes, genuinely moved by the turn of events.
"I can’t believe you made us think you’d leave on the turn of a coin," Cooper says, as he kisses Dawn’s forehead and then draws back to meet her pretty green eyes with his own. "I swear, I was considering tossing you over my shoulder and carrying you off into the sunset if that coin had shown tails. There was no way I was going to let you throw away something this good."
She reaches out to cup his cheeks and draws him closer for a soft kiss. "Thank you for sticking with me," she whispers, her eyes drifting to connect with each of ours. "I know that being with me has been a little like riding an out-of-control rollercoaster."
"That’s an understatement," Mitchell says, with an accompanying broad grin.
"But I promise things will be a little more Zen from here on out."
"Zen?" I say. "Please no. If we wanted someone Zen, we never would have gotten into a relationship with you."
Everyone laughs, including Dawn, whose cheeks are pink, and eyes are bright.
"Just be your crazy, fun, passionate, inspiring self, Dawn. That’s all we want. Just be you, and we’ll be happy every single damn day."
I get a second hug from the girl whose rollercoaster ride I hope I never have to get off. And when my eyes meet Carl’s over the top of her head, I finally see him nod his approval.
EPILOGUE
DAWN
Six Months Later
"I’m nervous," Logan admits as we wait in arrivals at Brisbane airport.
Dad’s flight is running late, which has left poor Logan with more time to think about the seriousness of this visit. He’s convinced that Dad is flying to Australia to assess their worthiness rather than simply wanting to spend time with his daughter.