Page 129 of Fake it for Keeps

She led me to my old bedroom, and when she opened the door, I gasped for the second time in an hour.

The room shimmered. Crystals hung from the ceiling, catching the light and throwing rainbows everywhere. Candles flickered on every surface, creating a warm, intimate glow.

“I’ll send him in,” Frankie said, squeezing my hand once before leaving.

I stood in the center of the room, turning slowly to take it all in. This was where I’d spent so many summers as a kid. Where I’d dreamed about my future. Where I’d cried over boys and worried about college and planned out my whole life.

I never could have imagined this.

The door opened, and Colt stepped in.

I turned to face him, and the world stopped.

He wore a perfectly tailored tux, showing off his broad shoulders and chest. His hair was styled, his face freshly shaved, and those hazel eyes I loved so much locked on me with an intensity that made me shiver.

“Hallie,” he breathed.

“Hi.”

We stood there, just looking at each other. No cameras. No guests. No performance. Just us.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, moving closer. “The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.” My voice came out shaky. “You clean up nice.”

“I had motivation.” He stopped right in front of me, close enough to touch but not quite touching. “I wanted to look good for my wife.”

“Not your wife yet.”

“Soon.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small box. “But first, I have something for you.”

My breath caught. “Colt, what’s this?”

“The ring you’ve been wearing is fake. A cubic zirconia.”

My mouth dropped open. “What? Really?”

He nodded. “I’m a dick. I didn’t want to risk a fake fiancée walking around with a three-hundred-thousand-dollar ring on.”

I smiled. “Well, when you put it that way, it’s difficult to be offended. I wish I would have known it was fake, though. It would have saved me a lot of stress. I was so worried I would damage it or lose the damn thing.”

He opened the box, and I saw a diamond that took my breath away. “This one is real. Just like us.”

The ring was the design I’d seen in his study. The oval diamond in that unusual floating setting, with delicate metalwork that caught the light perfectly. It was stunning.

“You made this?” I whispered.

“I designed it and had it made.” He took my left hand gently. “I started it weeks ago, before I even knew this was real. Something in me wanted to create something beautiful for you. Something one of a kind. Like you.”

He slid the ring onto my finger. Unlike the fake one, it fit perfectly.

I stared at it, tears blurring my vision. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s yours. You’re mine. I’m yours.” He cupped my face. “And in about twenty minutes, I’m going to make it official.”

I tilted my face up toward his, our lips inches apart.

“Hallie,” he warned. “If you kiss me now, I won’t be able to stop.”