Page 38 of Dating His Brother

I nodded. “You did. But I don’t care. Because I’m in love with your sister. And I’m going to do whatever it takes to win her back and make her happy. That’s what you’re worried about, right? Her happiness? Isn’t that what all of this is for?”

“Of course, but Dawson…”

“Jack, please,” I begged. “We can talk more later. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. I’d even take my family’s money if that’s what you need from me. Just please let me go to Izzy. Look at her. She needs me.”

He turned around and we both studied the obviously distraught look on her face. It was enough to make Jack step aside to let me go. But just as soon as he moved out of my way, Richard bounded up from the bachelor’s section and got in my face.

“He may let you get away with this,” he fumed. “But I’m not going to. I’m going to kick your ass, Daws.”

Jack waved to the security guards in the back of the room to come and take Richard out. A woman in the crowd noticed and shouted, “Hey! Richard Hayes is being escorted out by security!”

Lucas stammered into the mic, unsure how to explain all the excitement to the crowd. While the chatter in the audience grew louder and more frantic.

All I cared about was that I was free to get up to the stage, to Isabella.

“Dawson,” she whispered into the mic. “What are you doing here?”

I stopped at the edge of the stage, staring up at her in the bright lights. “I think you know what I’m doing here, Izzy. Look at us. It’s just like Romeo and Juliet and the balcony all over again.”

“I told you I didn’t want to see you anymore,” she said, unamused. But her voice was cracking with emotion.

“I know what you said. And I know what has been said about me,” I defended. “But I think you know it’s not true. Admit it, Izzy. You got scared and you were looking for any way out you could find. Well, I hate to break it to you sweetheart. I’m not going to let you off the hook so easily.”

She shook her head. “I…I…can’t. I have…to…”

I cut her off, dropping to one knee. I pulled out the ring I had traded her portrait for. The whole audience gasped as I held it up to her.

“Isabella, you’re supposed to be telling everyone which bachelor you picked. I’ll move out of the way and let you do that if that’s what you want. But first, I need you and everyone else to know that you’re the one I pick. I want you to marry me, Izzy. Remember how happy you said you were with me? Let’s make a life out of that. It can be like that every day and every night.”

She looked breathless and teary-eyed for a moment while the audience swooned. But then Izzy did something unexpected. She sucked in all emotion and turned tense and angry.

“Well, Dawson,” she said sternly. “You did say you would move out of the way and let me tell everyone which bachelor I pick. Do that now, please.”

I felt my heart split in two. My head dropped as I slowly climbed back onto my feet. A few guards approached from the back and began to escort me down the aisle.

“I have decided which bachelor I choose,” Izzy declared into the mic, watching me be carried away. “I choose…that man right there. Dawson Hayes.”

The guards stopped and turned in shock. I spun on my heels with a baffled expression. Isabella stood there on stage, looking like an angel, smiling and laughing.

“Are you going to get up here and give me that ring, or what?” she teased.

I took off running for the stage, seamlessly leaping up onto it. I immediately dropped down to one knee in front of her again and held out the ring.

“You mean it?” I asked, full of hope.

“Don’t give me a chance to change my mind,” she quipped. “But yes. I mean it. I’m not going to be your sugar mama, though.”

I showered her hands and arms with a string of kisses. “If I have you, we can live in a box for all I care.”

“Dawson Hayes!” She stomped her foot. “I’m not going to live in a box!”

I stood to face her, kissing her deeply. I lifted her into the air, her legs wrapping around my waist without breaking the kiss. The audience broke into applause as I carried her off the stage.

“Take me somewherewithoutcameras.” She smiled against my lips.

“Actually, I thought letting the cameras stick around would be a great way for me to make some money to support us,” I joked.

She playfully smacked my shoulder before his lips melted back into mine. I walked away with her in my arms, both of us whispering how much we loved each other with every step.

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