Page 54 of Grunt: A Marine Romance

27

BRET PEEKEDTHROUGH the backstage curtains to look at the audience. The place was completely packed, including his parents, Ray and his family, Pierce’s family, and Bret’s entire unit in the front row. The producers must’ve arranged it with the base.

Bret wanted to puke.

Twenty-one million people watched last week. Twenty-one million people had watched Bret gyrate half naked. He’d even received two marriage proposals. They were from jail, but still.

Someone get me a bucket…

He jumped up and down and shook his head and arms to loosen up. Robyn grabbed his hands and gave him a kiss on the head.

“It’s ours, babe. Don’t you worry. Here, let’s say a prayer.”

“A prayer? You just said don’t worry.”

“Shut up and pray, boy.” They bowed their heads and thanked the Lord for all their blessings. “Amen,” Robyn said. “Okay, let’s go show them how it’s done. Boo-YA!” Robyn gave Bret a high-five.

Behind them, Dima and Laura were kissing on the sofa.

A producer hustled into the room. “Everyone in the red room! We’re on in five minutes,” he said. Selena grabbed her ankle and stretched it to her butt. Vika propped her leg on the couch and leaned over into a split. Jenny took a big puff on her inhaler as the guys started barking and chest-bumping each other like a bunch of high school jocks. Robyn slapped Xavier playfully on the back of the head.

Selena grabbed her other ankle and leaned toward Bret. “We made it through the season. Can you believe we’re in the finale together?”

He nodded, his eyes wide, and then finally exhaled. “No, I can’t believe it. How we didn’t get eliminated that first week I’ll never know. No, wait, I do know—” he slapped her on her butt, “you helped me.”

Jenny helped Selena get ready. “I can’t believe we’ve been doing this show for five seasons.” She slapped Selena on the back of the head. “God help me, Sel, I actually love being on this show. Who would have thought it? And I’m glad you’re back with Bret. You seem really happy.”

Selena gave her a reluctant nod. “You’re welcome,” she said. Then she thwacked Jenny’s head right back. “Now stop messin’ with my ‘do and get outta my way, I got a crystal-encrusted dance shoe trophy to claim, be-yotch.”

“We’re on in three, two, one,” the producer said.

Matt’s voice boomed over the speakers. “In a season filled with triumph, scandal, and travesty . . . Now, the final three standing will prove to you why they should be the winners. Tonight, our finalists will come together for a Paso Doble Pow Wow, and the always exciting freestyle. Tomorrow, we will crown a new champion. Ten couples started and only three remain. Live, it’s the Dancing under the Stars finale!”

They all walked out when the intro music started and took their places side by side on the stage, dressed in complementary black and red paso doble outfits. Bret noticed Pierce’s family sitting in the front row. He hoped that Pierce was smiling down on him.

The cast had to stand there while long clips rolled of each of them babbling about which were their favorite dances of the season. Robyn and Bret picked their opening night mambo and their Viennese waltz. He watched their clip of the Viennese. She looked so graceful, flying across the stage effortlessly. She and Bret skated around the floor as if they were walking on water. Tomorrow, the seven eliminated couples would all come back to dance for the finale but tonight the producer filled up the air time by torturing the audience with these videos. By the time Dima and Laura and Xavier and Selena’s clips aired, they had been on stage for forty-five minutes. They hadn’t even set a toe on the dance floor and Bret’s back was killing him.

“Dancing together in our first ever Paso Doble Pow Wow.” Matt waved his arm with a flourish. “Our finalists.”

The music ripped through Bret’s body. Selena stood onstage with Robyn on her left and Laura on her right. The men started on their knees and rose in unison. They strutted toward the ladies. The partners swung each of the women around them before throwing them into splits. Dima and Laura started their solo and Robyn, Selena, Xavier and Bret slipped off stage, where they watched them from behind a curtain. Laura gave it her all and paraded around Dima. His shoulders relaxed and he dropped his head toward her and they pranced around the stage. Her shiny blond hair reflected off her satin red gown. Dima and Laura collapsed on the floor, arms wrapped around each other. Their steps may have been perfect, but Bret thought they’d been too reserved and never lost control. They sprinted off stage.

Xavier and Selena started their solo. The mood was totally different—they were on fire. The passion between them was electric and they moved in unison. Xavier tapped his feet like a matador and Selena teased him with her dress. She looked so sexy. Totally playing the moment, Xavier swaggered around Selena and then gave in, lowering to his knees. But even there, he stayed in charge. Clutching her waist, he rolled her into his arms. Good job—but Bret knew the audience hadn’t seen anything yet.

Bret and Robyn rushed on stage and stood alone on the floor. Two beats into their solo music, Bret thrashed his cape around, his chest erect. Robyn arched her back in defiance. The music started cascading as Bret beckoned her to him. Robyn twirled into his arms and he seized her as the music exploded to full beat. They charged across the floor, bodies perfectly in sync. Bret felt like he was in a real bullfight, with his eye on the prize.

Dima and Laura had been flawless, Xavier and Selena had been passionate, but Bret and Robyn were fierce competitors and they attacked the floor. The bass vibrated through Bret’s body and he threw Robyn into a death drop. Spinning around, she landed perfectly on her toes. This was Bret’s dance, Bret’s night, Bret’s mission. And he was alive.

The audience gave them a standing ovation. The camera panned to Bret’s Marines.

“Now what did the judges think?” Matt said. “Benjamin Brooks?”

Benny eyed Selena’s outfit like he was scouting out a back-up just in case it didn’t work with Vika.

Think again, old man. She’s taken.

“Definitely the best paso doble we’ve ever seen on this show. Dima and Laura—of all the Latin dances, this is where you shined. Your height gave you both a strong presence. Xavier, your feet dragged across the floor but at least your posture was strong. And Bret and Robyn, bugger me dead! That was bloody amazing. You’re the team to beat.”

Bret picked Robyn up and swung her around. He couldn’t believe this was happening. The other judges basically repeated what Benny said. Even though it was a group dance, they were judged individually because of their solos. Parading through the red room one couple at a time, Dima and Laura scored straight eights, and Xavier and Selena got two nines and an eight from Benny.