Page 96 of Surprisingly Us

Ramsey moves the ring box side to side.

“It’s so sparkly. When are you popping the question?”

“I don’t know.”

“Normally, I would say you should opt for a romantic candlelit setup, but if you’re going for publicity that’s not going to give you as much bang for your buck.”

“When do you think I should do it?” I ask, hoping he’ll laugh in my face like I would expect anyone else to and tell me I’m an idiot for even concocting this plan.

“If Lettie’s on board, then I think tonight is the perfect opportunity.”

He’s right, but there’s no way I’d be able to discuss it with Lettie beforehand.

Ramsey follows me out to the vehicle waiting out back. With the small velvet box tucked away in my pocket, I text Lettie.

Rhys:Good luck tonight, Princess.

The text goes unanswered, as I expected it would. She’s already at the theater preparing for tonight.

Later, when I’m dressed in my suit for the fundraiser, I stare at the velvet box on my dresser before shutting off the light and leaving. I’m halfway up the stairs when I decide to run back and get it. There’s no downside to being prepared.

Watching Lettie perform is not how I imagined it would be. I knew she’d be graceful and make it look effortless, but I had no idea how strong she is. How fierce and determined.

I’ve been to the ballet many times. My mom was a lover of the ballet. She had been a dancer into her teens, but didn’t have the talent to continue professionally. When I was younger, we’d go to performances as a family and by the end she’d be misty-eyed. I had always thought she was sad about her dance career ending, but watching Lettie and Sebastian onstage, I get it now. The performance is more than the dancer’s movement, it’s the way they use their bodies to express emotion and connect with the audience.

Lettie’s magnetic onstage. As I watch her, I think about the hard work and grit she puts into a career like this. I wish I was half as passionate about something as Lettie is about ballet.

One moment I’m caught up in their movements, the next I’m trying to reconcile that the same woman who was having an anxiety attack about dating is flawlessly pirouetting in front of a packed theater. It’s hard to believe she has any insecurities at all for the way she moves. And she and Sebastian are spectacular together.

Knowing Sebastian has no romantic interest in Lettie puts me at ease. It allows me to enjoy the performance and not take note of every time he touches her and where, though I’m still highly aware.

His arm around her waist, I want it to be mine.

A hand cradling her thigh or her calf, I want to be the one feeling her smooth skin beneath my palm.

I’m not jealous of him, yet by the time the performance is done, I’m on edge thinking about all the ways I’m dying to touch Lettie but can’t.

Lettie and Sebastian take their bows to a standing ovation. There are hundreds of people here, so I’m not expecting anyacknowledgment, but then Lettie makes eye contact and throws me an enthusiastic wave before blowing me a kiss.

Ramsey elbows me in the ribs. “Did you see that?” He gestures to Lettie. “That was for you.”

“Yeah, I saw her.”

Sebastian flashes a flirtatious smile in Ramsey’s direction, and I nudge him back. Ramsey swats me with his program and I flick his ear. We’re acting like a couple of tweens teasing each other about their crushes.

Once the curtain drops, the audience starts to filter out to the theater lobby where the rest of the night’s festivities will take place.

It’s just my luck that Ramsey and I run into Jerrod and Corinne on our way into the lobby.

“Rhys, your girl really knocked it out of the park,” Jerrod says.

“She’s so talented.” Corinne sighs, emotion still filling her eyes from the performance.

“She’s amazing. I’m so proud of her.” The words fall easily from my lips. They’d be the same even if I wasn’t her fake boyfriend. Lettie is a talented dancer and I am proud to know her. I know she wants more. That’s the motivation behind dating and finding more passion in her life, but based off what I saw on stage tonight, in my opinion she’s already there.

There’s a bottle neck at the theater door, leaving us stuck next to Jerrod and Corinne. While we’re standing together, another couple that I don’t recognize exits the row in front of us. The woman, an energetic redhead in a pink dress, nearly flings herself at Corinne.

“Corinne!”

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