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Brynn bit her lip. “Would you mind staying for a few more minutes? They have their hair and makeup person doing demos tonight and I want to see how everything will work together.”
Kelsey stared at her, amused. “You’re serious?”
She shrugged, a little sheepish. “I’m a perfectionist.”
“You’re nuts, but I love you. And sure.”
Half an hour later, Kelsey’s hair was in an intricate up-do and her makeup had been applied with expert skill, bringing out the blue in her eyes and the angle of her cheekbones but not looking overdone. Kelsey stood on the center platform between a trio of mirrors. “So, now do we have a winner, bride-to-be?”
“I’d say so,” said a familiar voice.
Kelsey spun around so fast, she almost knocked herself right off her heels.
Wyatt stood at the entryway of the dressing area. In a full tuxedo. He smiled that dimpled smile of his, looking like a movie star who’d just stepped off the red carpet. “You look amazing, Kelsey.”
Her tongue was like a dry sponge lodged in her mouth. She forced herself to breathe, to swallow. “What are you doing here?”
He grasped his hands behind him, a little tentative. “I thought maybe you’d let me give you a bit of normal tonight. Make up for something you deserved but never got.”
She stepped down from the platform, her heart like a bass drum in her ears. “I don’t understand.”
He walked over to her with measured steps like he was afraid she was going to run away if he moved too fast. But he never took his eyes off hers. He stopped an arm’s length away and pulled something from behind his back. “Kelsey LeBreck, would you go to prom with me?”
Her gaze dropped to the clear box in his hand and the delicate red and white corsage contained within. “Prom?”
He opened the box, pulled out the wrist corsage, and took her hand. “Just say yes, love.”
She didn’t understand what was going on. Thoughts were firing in her head at hyper-speed, but none were making any sense. Prom. Wyatt. Corsage. Wyatt. Dress. Wyatt. None of it mattered except the Wyatt part. Having him this close again, seeing the hint of mischief in his eyes, hearing that low, cajoling voice, she could only do one thing. She said yes.
He gave her the full wattage of his smile, kissed her hand, then slid the corsage over her wrist. “Thank you. I even have the white horse this time.”
She took his arm, wondering if she’d actually fallen asleep in the dressing room or hit her head on a sharp object. Maybe she was having some weird drug flashback. “This isn’t my dress. We can’t walk out—”
“It is and we can.”
“What?”
But he didn’t answer; he simply kept moving forward. On their way to the door, Kelsey scanned the store for Brynn, but she was nowhere to be found. Reality finally clicked into place. Her sister—normally the world’s worst liar—had duped her? “Brynn knew about this?”
“That sister of yours is like a barracuda when it comes to protecting you, but you were right—she’s also a hopeless romantic.”
Holy shit. It’d all been a ruse? She shook her head, stunned. “But I told you I wasn’t.”
“You used to be. Maybe I can change your mind again. And if not . . .” Wyatt grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers, then pulled his expression into a fiercely serious one. “Come with me if you want to live.”
She stared at him for a second, then let out an embarrassing snort laugh. “Okay, you’re right, Terminator 2 won’t exactly work here.”
“Guess you’ll have to settle for my way, then.” He smiled and she thought he might kiss her, but then he seemed to think better of it and led her outside. At the curb, a horse-drawn carriage awaited them.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she blurted, unable to hold back her reaction.
Wyatt patted the horse’s brown mane, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Okay, so he’s not white, but I promise, he’s very noble.”
She put her hand to her forehead, almost giddy with how wonderfully bizarre this man was. “He’s perfect.”
You’re perfect.
Wyatt helped her into the carriage and then climbed in next to her. “Ready?”
