Page 119 of Darn Knit All

“I can’t believe you’re here,” I whispered, searching his face. “How?”

Theo’s expression remained calm and reassuring. “I’m here to support you, Mai. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

I swallowed. “But what about?—”

“It’s taken care of.”

I frowned. “Theo, I don’t want any more lies or?—”

“Hey,” he hushed me gently, brushing a thumb over my lips. “Do you trust me?”

I gazed into his eyes, seeing the earnestness there, and I nodded. “Yes.”

“Relax,” Theo said with a small smile. “Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”

Before I could question him further, a production assistant appeared, headset on. “Two minutes to showtime, lovebirds! Places please.”

“Places?” I asked, confused as fuck. My show wasn’t due to start for another hour.

Theo caught my hand and pulled me toward the middle of the stage—where two men had carried a couch, positioning it just so.

“Don’t worry. We’re just going to do another interview with Michelle. No biggie,” Theo said, trying to reassure me.

I took a deep breath, trying to center myself and work out what the fuck was happening.

Theo helped me sit, then did the same as a camera crew quickly set up a small tripod. A moment later, Michelle appeared, smiling large.

“Hey, you two,” she said, taking a seat. “I hear today is going to be a great day!”

A guy with a clapboard came up, holding it near my head.

“And in three, two, one. Action!”

He stepped back, and I tried to act normal as Michelle introduced the viewers toPerfect Fit.

Am I in the twilight zone? Haven’t we already done this?

“Now, Theo,” Michelle said with an easy grin. “Tell me, how long have you and Mai been dating?”

“Officially?” He glanced over at me. “She still hasn’t said yes. Unofficially? Years.”

She leaned forward in her seat. “That’s interesting. Our sources have indicated that you might have a few recent dating skeletons in the closet.”

Theo chuckled, placing a hand over mine, halting my nervous twisting of my ring by offering me the reassuring I needed.

“I kept dating after meeting Mai because she didn’t seem interested. I assumed I’d meet someone but I never did.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s always been her.”

My breath caught. He squeezed my hand, his gaze warm, his lips curving up at the sides.

“I tried, you know. But every time I went on a date, I kept wanting to be with you. Tell you the joke I was about to crack, or the story I was about to tell. I wanted to order extra fries and share a plate of chicken wings. Or walk down the street reminiscing about silly shit from our childhoods.”

He lifted my hand to his mouth, brushing a kiss against my knuckles. “You’re it for me, Mai. You always have been. It might have taken lying about the seriousness of our relationship to bring us together, but we were never fake. You’ve had my heart for years. And I just need you to know that.”

My heart pounded in my chest. I wanted so badly to believe this was real—that his words were genuine and not for the cameras.

---