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There were several beats of silence. Then Becca sighed. “They’re in on all of this?”
“I think so.”
“Of course they are. Savannah is so competitive. You know the second she heard about the trophy, she’d be in. Now that there’s a reserved table, I know she’s determined to win.”
“Awhat?” Beau asked.
Becca sighed. “Yeah. There’s now a reserved table at Ellie’s up for grabs. Winner gets it for a year. Any time they come in.”
“What about the trophy?”
“That’s still part of it too.”
“They get both things?” Beau asked.
“Yep.”
“Well…fuck.”
She laughed. “Yeah. Things just got more serious.”
He groaned. “Yeah. We’re screwed.”
“So…what’s the plan here? They want you to come get me?” she asked. “I’m having fun, in spite of Paul.”
“They wanted me to come, interrupt your date, and then take his place because you deserve to have a great night out with someone who will treat you well,” he said.
She was quiet for a moment. Then she said, “Well, I do deserve that.”
“You do,” he agreed as he pulled up in front of the hotel and the valet moved toward him. “Which is why I’m right outside.”
“Oh.” Her voice was soft. “You don’t have to do this. I can deal with him.”
“Sure you can. But I can deal with him better. No offense. But…I can convince him very effectively that his attention is not welcome.”
She was quiet for a beat. Then she said, “But you’re working tonight.”
“This is much more impor—” He broke off.
Becca was definitely more important than work, but in the past, work had gotten in the way. Like the night they’d broken up.
He handed his keys to the valet and looked up at the front of the Marriott. “I’m here. Just tell me where you are.”
“Third floor. The Rosalie ballroom.”
“Be there in a minute.” He started inside.
There was a long silence on her end, then she said, “Well, maybe this will be good. I mean, if we want to get everyone’s hopes up and then go on about our business as if nothing’s changed, you rushing up here, still in your work clothes, and making a big scene of saving me, and me swooning at the whole thing, is exactly what we should do, right?”
He let that sink in. Right. They were playing this big game with their hometown. The two of them on one team and everyone else on the other. There was something fun about that. No matter how much he wished the claiming her and making-her-swoon thing was real.
“Yeah, exactly. Let’s play this out the way they imagined it. Make it dramatic.”
Besides, that might lead to some kissing…
Bad idea, Beau. Really bad fucking idea. You and your hand already spend enough intimate time together, don’t you?
“I’m going to head back into the reception so you can make a grand entrance,” Becca said. “Oh, I’ll see if he wants to dance, and maybe his hands will wander, and you can come in and make a big deal out of being jealous.”
