Page 99 of Surprisingly Us

Jerrod is going to be a pile of dust when I get done with him. They’ll never be able to identify the body.

Aditi places a hand on my forearm. “It’s normal to be nervous. It’s a big commitment and a huge declaration to make in front of a crowd like this, but I’m sure you’ll do great.”

“Thanks.” At this point, it’s all I can say. Jerrod has done enough talking for both of us.

“This is all very exciting.” With her fingers, Aditi makes a zipping motion across her lips. “I won’t say a word.” She squeezes my forearm, then hands the ring box back to Jerrod. “Good luck.”

With Aditi gone, Jerrod snaps the ring box closed and hands it back to me with a smug grin on his face.

“She’s never going to say yes. Date you…that was a stretch…but an engagement? I’ll believe it when I see it,” he says, strollingaway with his hands in his pockets like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

My heart is pounding, looking for a release for all the adrenaline it wants to unleash on Jerrod. With one mistake, I’ve been pulled even deeper into this game with him. I look around, hoping to see Lettie. To steal a private moment with her to explain everything that just happened.

And if she says no?I’m fucked.

My heart hammers in my chest at the thought of having to face Jerrod if Lettie doesn’t agree to a fake engagement.

But I have to ask her or she’ll be blindsided. She won’t know what to say in front of everyone.

Except, I know Lettie well enough to know she wouldn’t question a proposal in front of everyone and out our fake relationship. She trusts me.

There’s no time and I can’t take that chance. The foundation board presidency depends on it.

I know what I have to do, I just hope Lettie understands.

CHAPTER 29

Colette

As the curtain closes on me and Sebastian, the continued thunderous applause from the audience sends a thrill through my body.

“Wow, Lettie. That was—” I turn to see Sebastian, hairline drenched and temples dripping sweat. He looks like he’s run a marathon, when really, he gracefully performed a pas de deux. He pulls me in for a hug. “That was perfection.”

“That felt amazing, right?” I squeeze him back, his skin warm and sweat-slick from our performance, but I don’t even care. “You are the best. Thank you for doing this with me.”

He pulls back, holding my upper arms as we catch our breath and start to come down from the rush of the performance.

“Anytime, doll.” He kisses my cheek before grabbing my hand to lead me offstage.

We accept the water bottles from the stage crew and make our way to the dressing rooms backstage.

As I go over our performance in my head, I’m still in awe. We’d decided to incorporate the challenging lift that Alexei had been working with us on this past week into tonight’s performance and it had been executed perfectly.

But separate from the lift, there was something different about my dancing tonight. A tingle of awareness that made my movements less technical and more expressive. More passionate. Whatever it was, I could feel the difference, and I’m determined to chase that feeling and keep pushing for more.

And, I’ll admit, I enjoyed having Rhys in the audience.

I’d felt his presence and that had done something to me. I’ve always danced for myself, because I love it, and want to push myself to be the best I can. But I have to say, there was something thrilling about knowing Rhys was watching me, his eyes taking in every move, that made it more fun.

When it was over, my gaze had immediately spotted Rhys a few rows back, big hands clapping and a gorgeous, supportive smile beaming up at me. I don’t know what had come over me, but I’d given him a little wave, then blew him a kiss.

Now I’m realizing it was the first performance where my parents were in the audience but I hadn’t looked for them. My first thought had been about Rhys.

I grab a handful of pretzels and cheese off the snack table, then quickly shower and change into my dress before making my way to the reception part of the evening.

I chose one of the dresses Rhys had sent over for the dinner party last night. It’s cream with a fitted bodice, sweetheart neckline, and a chiffon midi-length skirt. I swear it’s the formal, grown-up version of a princess dress I had when I was younger.

I’d asked if he wanted me to return the dresses I hadn’t worn, and he told me they were mine now. I’d thought it was too much to accept them, especially once I got a look at their price tags, but when I asked Ramsey to return them, he pretended like he didn’t hear me and continued organizing them in my closet.

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