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Brooks unexpectedly jumped off the stage, mic in hand, and deftly landed on his feet. His dress shoes made a loud slapping noise against the tile floor. People immediately parted, creating a pathway from him to me. He slowly sauntered my way. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I recognize what a fool I’ve been. And I’m asking you to give me the chance to love you, like you’ve loved me. I know I don’t deserve it, but, Grace, I want to prove your theory right. To show you, you were right about me.”
Colette and Lorelai leaned into me and in unison said, “I think you have your answer,” before pushing me toward Brooks. Picking up his pace, Brooks rushed toward me and wordlessly enveloped me in his strong arms.
I was home.
I clung to him, resting my head on his chest. His heart was beating erratically, matching my own. The crowd around us began to applaud, and Lorelai snagged the microphone from Brooks.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I think this calls for a dance,” Lorelai drawled. “Mr. DJ, what do you say?”
“I already received a request for the perfect song. This one is for you, Gracie.” In seconds, “Affair of the Heart” began to play.
I looked up at Brooks, who smiled at me with such adoration it made my heart sing. “How did you know this was our song?”
“Because I know you.” He lightly brushed my lips. “Dance with me.”
I nodded, hardly believing this was happening. It felt like a dream. The one I’d been having since I was fourteen years old. I heard the voice say, I told you so.
Brooks took my hand and led me past our grinning classmates to the empty dance floor. There he took me in his arms and whispered in my ear, “I don’t know how to dance.”
“That’s okay, just hold me close and don’t let go,” I managed to choke out through my tears.
He pulled me to him. “I’m never letting you go again.”
“Perfect. We’re on the same page.”
Several couples joined us on the dance floor, though I hardly noticed. I only had eyes for Brooks.
“That was some speech you gave.”
He gently wiped some tears from my cheek. “I figured I needed a grand gesture to show you I was in earnest.”
“There you go using fancy words again, but I like it.”
“I’m happy to hear that.”
“I’m sorry you had to miss your presentation, though.”
“I didn’t. However, I would have. I convinced them to change it to this morning, and I caught the first flight I could. The entire time I was gone, I was kicking myself for not asking you to our reunion. For not placing you first, as I should have. As I plan to do.”
I rested my hand on his stubbled cheek. “I missed you, Brooks, so much.”
He leaned in to kiss me as Carly and Dillon came to dance by us. “It’s about time, brother,” Carly interrupted, punching Brooks’s arm. “Now carry on.” She winked.
Brooks didn’t need her to tell him twice. His lips landed on mine, and all felt right in the world for two seconds. Then Morgan reared her beautiful-yet-ugly head.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she spewed.
Brooks’s lips slid off mine, and we both groaned in frustration before turning toward her and Olivander, who she held on to with an iron grip as if he might escape.
Morgan’s face almost matched her wine-red gown. “How can you choose her over me?” she whined like a child. “She still lives at home, and she gives facials for a living. Not to mention she doesn’t share our goals.”
I might have been offended except it all sounded like sour grapes, plus I knew what a liar she was. Besides, I was proud of who I was.
Brooks smiled at me. “Thank God for all those things.”
Morgan didn’t appreciate his response. She dropped Olivander’s hand and clenched her fists. “You’re going to regret this.”
Brooks narrowed his eyes at Morgan. “I regret many things in my life, mainly my relationship with you. I suggest you leave now before I make another speech about how our valedictorian isn’t as perfect as she would like everyone to think. You are deceitful and manipulative, and you have no business being here.”
Wow, was he sexy when he got all authoritative.
Morgan tchted but uttered not a word. Instead she blinked several times, as if she couldn’t believe Brooks had talked to her in such a way. That someone had stood up to her. When she realized she no longer had any control over him, she melted away like the wicked witch that she was. Like all bullies, she needed to be stood up to, and once she was, her power was stripped from her.
Brooks breathed out heavily, as if he were relieved to finally be rid of the thorn in our sides, and gave me his rapt attention. “Now, where were we?” he sexily whispered.
