Page 40 of The Broposal

“Okay, so why aren’tyounervous?” I shot back, and Kenny grinned.

“Are you kidding? I was born for this.” He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. And, honestly, it kind of was. Now that Jackie wasn’t around to suppress Kenny’s expression, of course he’d end up doing something like this. “You don’t need to worry about me, okay, love?” he added with a wink.

“He used to get real nervous when I first started performing, too, verdad, Ale?” Bless Leti’s soul, trying to cover for me so Kenny wouldn’t find out about the proposal. A twinge of guilt jammed its finger in my ribs. Everyone was going so far above and beyond for me. I’d never kept anything from Leti before. If they knew this was fake, they’d kill me and Kenny both for keeping it from them.

And itwasfake, so why was I so nervous? I rubbed my hands on my thighs to keep them from bouncing. I’d never committed to anyone for longer than a few weeks. The prospect of asking someone tomarryme made my legs shake, like they wanted to run away. But I couldn’t run. I didn’twantto run. I wanted to stay here, in my home, with Kenny, as long as I could. That much was real.

When we got to the venue, I had to sit alone in the audience since Leti was emceeing and Kenny was performing. I didn’t mind sitting alone. I just had to try not to think about how this crowd would be watchingmesoon enough.

I tried to pay attention, but I couldn’t get my mind off my nerves. Performers came and went, and they were great—probably—but I could hardly focus. My mind was all on Kenny. Onmyperformance. I spent the next hour of restless jitters going over the speech I’d planned instead of watching the incredible talent before me.

Then Kenny came onstage. I honestly wouldn’t have recognized him if I hadn’t witnessed him getting ready myself. He waltzed out, letting the train of his red gown trail behind him. The picture-perfect embodiment of tonight’s theme: royalty. There was a mantle caping down from his shoulders and a gold and ruby crown so big I wasn’t sure how he was able to stand straight, much less keep his head up. Somehow, he walked with grace all the way down the runway. He kept his back perfectly straight, even when he lowered himself to the ground so the skirt of his dress spread delicately on the floor. With a gentle hand raised to the lights, he looked up at his fingertips regally.

I stood up and started whistling. The crowd clapped and cheered along. Before Kenny could walk offstage, Leti asked him to stay. That was my cue. I downed my drink, hoping it might give me the push I needed to get through this. The drink made me lighter, but it didn’t help. I only thought I might be light enough to fly away.

“We have a very special announcement from a very special someone,” they sang, and I knew it was now or never. I put one wobbly foot in front of the other, in complete contrast to Kenny’s graceful stride moments ago. I hoped no one could tell my knees were shaking. When I got onstage, Leti handed me a mic. I had rehearsed this, but I couldn’t remember the words for the life of me.

The crowd suddenly seemed bigger. Meaner. My mic-holding hand trembled as I brought it to my lips and choked.

I’d originally planned on lying as little as possible like with Kenny’s parents, but I couldn’t remember the true parts of my speech to save my life. Besides, I was in front of a bunch of strangers who didn’t know Kenny at all—and Leti, who would probably understand one day. No harm in lying here, right?

I swallowed my nerves and focused on Kenny. Even under the thick makeup and wig, his eyes offered a familiar reassurance.

“I, um…” I cleared my throat, and a few hushed murmurs echoed around. I turned to face the crowd instead of Kenny. “I want to talk about something—someone—very important to me.” I looked back to Kenny and held out my hand, which Kenny took in his, holding the other to his chest as if to say “Who, me?”

“Hi, Kenny.” I decided to ignore the crowd and just talk to him. “I wish I could say I’ve loved you since the moment we met, but we were six, and I hated your guts.” A few chuckles bounced against the walls. I had no idea where I was going, but I embraced the drama like Kenny encouraged me to. “But I love you now more than life itself…” I got on one knee and pulled the ring out of my pocket. The crowd went wild, but Kenny’s reaction was better. A look of recognition flashed across his face before he covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes sparkling. “… and I’d want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Kenny’s eyes watered, and I wondered if he felt even a fraction as guilty as I did. Maybe he was using that real emotion to fuel the fake narrative.

“Kenny… will you marry me?”

Still covering his mouth, he nodded yes, actual tears tracking eyeliner down his face. I wondered how the hell he made himself cry like that, but I got up to hug him anyway. Kenny leapt into my arms, and the crowd erupted.

I was thrown back into our living room, where we practiced this exact kiss. It happened as naturally now as it did then. The cheering and the blaring lights faded away, and for a moment it was just me and Kenny, kissing like no one was watching. Just like we’d practiced.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

KENNY

Han and I were bombarded with congratulations the second we left the stage. I recognized some people from Leti’s other shows, but the vast majority didn’t ring much of a bell. I wasn’t really a faces person, or a names person for that matter. I just wasn’t a “remembering people” type of person.

So when two guys around our age came rushing toward me and Han with tight hugs and cheek kisses, I figured they were overly enthusiastic acquaintances I was failing to remember.

“Oh my God, how many years has it been? I can’t believe we ran into you here! Congratulations!” the taller one exclaimed, practically squealing with excitement. On second thought, they seemed like more than acquaintances, but most people didn’t take kindly to being forgotten, so I opted not to ask who they were.

The other half of the couple looked at us pridefully, like we were his children gone off to college. “I can’t believe you’regetting married, too! We got engaged recently ourselves. You’re both obviously invited to the wedding!”

He immediately produced a save-the-date card from his bag and handed it to Han.

“Congrats to y’all, too, then,” Han said, scanning the invitation while I scanned him, hoping for some kind of hint about who these guys were and why we were close enough to be invited to their wedding. A glance down at the invitation revealed it was only weeks away, so I had to assume they were either desperately trying to get the venue filled, or they’d been saving these invites specifically for us all this time. “We’ll be there for sure” was all Han said before pocketing the invite.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I added with a smile, hoping they didn’t realize they’d been completely deleted from my brain’s memory files. Luckily, Leti walked up just then, giving me the perfect stealthy way to investigate. “You have to meet Leti, emcee slash drag queen extraordinaire, also Han’s cousin.”

“It’s an absolute honor!” the taller guy said as he reached out his hand. “Blaine.”

“Zane,” the other guy said.

“Smith,” they both said at the same time. “No relation.” Again in unison.

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