Page 186 of Game Night: Truth or Dare

Violet grins mischievously, clearly pleased with his choice. “I dare you to kiss the person you’re sitting next to.”

For some idiotic reason I look to Henry’s left where Karen sits, but Henry doesn’t look her way at all. My breath catches in my throat as Henry turns to face me, his gaze soft and tender.

Everything fades into the background as I wait with bated breath. He takes my hand and squeezes, and then our lips meet in a sweet, lingering kiss. I try to keep it chaste, but that’s impossible where Henry is concerned. His tongue touches my lip and I open as the kiss deepens. But as soon as our friends erupt into cheers and laughter, we pull apart.

“Finally!” Karen says. “About bloody time.”

I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face as I see their happiness at the news.

“Aw, you guys are adorable!” Violet pulls both Henry and me into a tight hug. “I always knew you two would be perfect together.”

“Nicely played,” Alex says when Vi finally lets us go. He raises his hand and they high-five.

It’s obvious then that the whole thing was a set-up. I turn to Henry and catch him winking at Vi. Oh my God, the two of them planned this together. I smile as the laughter and chatter continue around us, looking back at Henry and giving him a small, tentative smile. He returns it, his eyes filled with warmth and reassurance. In that moment, I know without a doubt he feels the same way I do—not only about each other, but about finally being able to share what we’ve found with those closest to us.

“Hey,” Henry murmurs, leaning in so only I can hear him. “You okay, babe?”

“Better than okay,” I assure him, my heart swelling with happiness. “I’m… I’m just really grateful for all of this. For our friends, for you… for everything.”

“Me too,” he whispers, giving my hand a squeeze.

Epilogue- Austin

6 Months Later

Islip out onto the balcony and stare over the water, pulling my jacket tight against the chilly breeze. I just need a minute to myself, away from the craziness inside. Azure is busy, and Henry has been keeping things running smoothly as usual. He’ll be handing over to Lucas soon. Lucas, who started as a bartender, has proven his worth a thousand-fold, allowing Henry to have a couple of free evenings a week and we make the most of them.

I sip my beer and watch the water, thinking about how much has changed over the last few months. My love for Henry has only deepened and life is an adventure beyond anything I ever imagined experiencing. I remember the first time he took me to the city to show me his old life. We visited the clubs and stayed out dancing till dawn. Even better was the night we camped at the cove and danced under the stars. Then there was the weekend getaway up the coast where I taught him how to fish, and we barbecued our freshly caught catch in the backyard of a secluded cabin. Henry’s met my family, and become my sister’s best friend. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, given they’ve ganged up on me a few times. Mum insists we join them for Sunday lunch whenever Henry and I have a rare weekend off. So many special moments and ways he’s enriched my life.

“Hey, Austin!”

I look over to see Scott, Jamie’s brother, at the open door, waving me over.

“Coming.”

I follow him back to the table, where I’m happy to see Henry sitting. I touch his shoulder and drop a kiss to the top of his head before sliding into the seat next to him. Scott sits next to his boyfriend, Tim. They’ve been together a couple of years now, but they’re like new lovebirds in the way they look at each other.

Lucas appears with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket. A server follows with a tray of flutes and passes them around the table.

“Oh! What are we celebrating?” Karen asks.

Henry grins and takes the bottle, popping the cork as he speaks. “I thought we’d toast Scott and Tim’s engagement.”

“Hey, guys, you didn’t have to—”

“Of course we did,” Henry says. “It isn’t every day you get engaged.”

“I thought maybe there was something you wanted to tell us, Henry,” Violet says, grabbing a glass. “But any excuse for bubbles. Congrats, boys.”

Scott and Tim grin as everyone raises a glass in their direction.

I tap my flute to Henry’s, holding his gaze for a moment. The candlelight from the tealights on the table sparkles in his eyes and when I take a sip of the champagne, bubbles dance on my tongue, all the while my heart is overflowing. We’ve been together for only half a year, but I know it won’t be long until we take the next step—I’m already planning something special.

“So, obviously you both live and work in Blue Point,” Scott asks, “but how did you end up together?”

“You haven’t heard the story?” Karen looks between Scott and Tim with wide eyes.

Scott shakes his head. “Austin told me when he started seeing Henry, but he never gave all the details of how they first hooked up.”