“Thanks.” She glanced at the teleprompter as Milo continued. And what was this? It looked like there had been a change in Betzy’s intro.
“And now for the sensible, the rational, the ultimate taker of the highroad, our lovable Betzy Benton.”
The intro change had Grandma’s name all over it.Nice one.It’d become increasingly clear that the insightful woman was on to her, though she hadn’t come out and said so.
Betzy’s face flushed hot as she walked onto the stage, tucked her hair behind one ear, and gave her signature wink to the camera. Only this time, she should have directed it to the crowd.
That wink, though Sawyer didn’t know it, was for him each and every time. Hehadbeen the one to teach her to wink. He’d included the fact in his practice proposal to her, and Betzy would give anything to hear him say it all over again. Even if it was just for pretend. The truth was, the events he referred towerereal, and it seemed that Sawyer treasured the memories as well.
She hadn’t been able to see his seat from her spot behind the curtain, but now she could. He was sandwiched between Mom and his own mother, Kellianne, at the upper left corner of the audience. Grandma Lo was there too, seated beside Mom.
Another flash of heat rushed up the front of her neck and pooled into her face. What was she doing? Was she crazy to really go through with such a plan? To expect Sawyer to actually propose to her on live TV a month after he’d been named most eligible bachelor, no less. People might know it was a ploy.
James came out on cue, nodding at the crowd as he did. Boy, did he look happy. And he was. Betzy had noticed a big shift in him since he met Camila, and she was thrilled for him. Thrilled that he’d found the beginning to his happily ever after with such a great woman.
But would her happy ending ever come? And if that ending couldn’t be with Sawyer, would she even want it with someone else?
“And now for the lion with the loudest roar, the one who putsrudeinshrewd,it’s Zander Benton.”
Zander strode out, that famous smolder in check. In business, he wasnotone to reckon with, the audience knew that much. What they didn’t know was that, in his personal life, you’d rarely find a kinder human.
The first contestants, a middle-aged couple, stepped onto the stage and explained the charity they’d organized over twelve years ago after losing a child to cancer. Unbeknownst to them, Zander had already selected them out of the bunch as one of his picks.
He played his part by announcing the funds he planned to contribute. He then went on to explain the life-changing arrangements he’d made with the help of other generous supporters in the area—a key element Grandma and all her wisdom insisted on.It doesn’t matter if our means are large or small, everyone should have the gift of making a difference.
Milo turned the time over to sponsors. When the show picked up once more, the crowd-charming host would bring out James’ organization. Then Duke’s. And then Betzy’s would be up next.
Followed by the proposal. She’d kept her eyes decidedlyoffthe upper corner where Sawyer sat, but as their time approached, Betzy allowed her gaze to drift up to that magnetic spot in the crowd.
Sawyer straightened in his seat, meeting her gaze in a blink, and gave her one distinct nod, determination in the tight set of his jaw.It’s on.
Another burst of heat shoved through her chest. Life for both of them was about to change.
Chapter 19
“Can I see the ring?”
The question, poised by Betzy’s mother Claudia, took Sawyer off guard. In minutes, once the production came back from commercial, he was supposed to head down the steps and onto the stage, get on one knee, and propose marriage to Betzy on live TV.
Most of the audience members were up on their feet, following Milo’s dancing instruction while music boomed—a way of keeping everyone entertained during the break.
Still, Sawyer was careful as he cupped the ring box in one hand. He kept it low on the seat, then pried it open to give Claudia a peek.
Her brow lifted. A smile spread across her lips. And satisfaction rushed through Sawyer in a fast flash.
“That’s perfect,” she said. “Did she pick it out, or did you?”
“Betzy told me the cut she preferred. I took it from there.”
The woman nodded. “It’s going well so far. The top three tabloids talked about your appearance at the auction. One scored a picture of you two at the vet, and another reported that you’d spent the week with her at the cabin. The groundwork has been laid.”
“Right,” Sawyer agreed.
“What about the proposal? Do you know what you’re going to say?”
“Yep.”
“Please tell me Betzy gave you the one she wrote up. You need to say it just as she wrote it.”
