Page 142 of The Thing About My Secret Billionaire
“Get up, get up,” she says through clenched teeth while tugging on his arm. “Don’t steal their thunder.”
“No thunder to steal.” Miller puts his arm around me and draws me close to his side. “Go for it, Sam.”
I glance up at the kiss cam, and it’s still on them.
A chant gathers pace in the crowd, and it takes me a moment to realize they’re shoutingsay yes, say yes, say yes.
I’m willing Elsie to grant them their wish. She’s perfect for Grandpa. I haven’t seen him this happy in years. And the way she looks at him makes it clear she feels the same way.
I turn my attention from the screen back to the real people right in front of me.
“Elsie.” Grandpa takes her hand and kisses the back of it.
She immediately covers her face with the other and dissolves into giggles.
“You light up my life in a way I never imagined would ever happen again. Will you please say you’ll marry me before one of my new knees gives out?”
“Oh, get up. Yes, of course I’ll marry you. But get up, get up.” She tugs on his hand to encourage him to his feet.
He leans in to kiss her, and the crowd goes wild.
“A double proposal in the owners’ box today,” the announcer’s voice booms from the sound system. “That’s a first.”
Somewhere in the crowd, what sounds like a mini brass band strikes up “Here Comes the Bride” and the spectators start singing along.
“Oh my God.” Elsie turns to us, her face pink. “Can you believe it?”
I crouch and lean down to give her a big hug. “I’m so happy for you both. You are perfect together. Just hope you like donkeys.”
“Oh, I made sure of that first,” Grandpa says. “That would have been a deal-breaker.”
“Did you both plan this?” I ask Miller.
“I planned mine.” He’s full of pride. “Had to coordinate with the kiss cam guy.”
“And I just got swept up in themoment.” Grandpa kisses Elsie’s hand again. “Because life is way too short to not get on with it.”
They both have smiling eyes that are glossy with happiness.
It’s hard to know which fills my heart more—the thought of Miller being my husband or the late-in-life love and joy Grandpa and Elsie have found together.
“I believe we have a couple of things to celebrate.” Chase Cooper appears at the end of our row, holding a bottle of champagne. A woman beside him is carrying a tray of glasses.
“This is Amelia,” Chase says. “Our brilliant executive assistant but terrible server. So grab a glass before she drops them all.”
“I’m not that bad,” Amelia says with a laugh.
“Hey.” Leo appears out of nowhere dressed in his usual shades of gray and black despite the heat of the evening. “Amelia’s right. Not that bad at all. I totally wanted chocolate sauce with my burger last week.”
That’s the first time I’ve seen him smile in a way that reaches his eyes.
“It was in a squeezy bottle just like the mustard,” Amelia protests.
Leo reaches for the tray she’s holding. “Maybe I’ll take these anyway,” he says, “just to help out.”
Amelia’s face pinkens and she whispers a thank-you to Leo.
In front of me, Elsie giggles and takes the glass of champagne that Chase has filled for her.
