Page 20 of Dating Her Brother's Best Friend

“Heck yes.” Her eyes widen as she claps her hands together. “I’m always up for surprises.”

I take her hand again and lead her out of the suite and into the private corridor of the stadium. We bypass noisy fans and shuffling crowds, making our way to the elevator for the owner’s suite.

The security guard smiles and opens the elevator for us to step inside. “Good afternoon, Mr. Head.”

“Good afternoon,” I tell him as we step inside.

The elevator doors open inside the owner’s suite. Paxton walks over, greeting us with a broad grin. “Jeremy! I’m glad you finally made an appearance,” he says, gesturing with the broad sweep of an arm like a showman inviting us to a grand spectacle.

“Oh my God. This place is amazing,” Caroline murmurs, taking in the plush seats and high glass windows that offer an unbeatable view of the field. Her appreciation is a balm to my nerves, validating the surprise I’ve been planning for what feels like forever.

Paxton pulls me aside briefly, his demeanor shifting to the business side he maintains so well. “I’ve got a cameraman set up to video everything. It will be broadcast throughout the stadium and on national TV, so make sure this is what you want,” he tells me, his eyes dancing with that mixture of seriousness and mischievousness.

“Never been more so,” I reply, glancing at Caroline, who’s entranced by the other people in the room.

We move to the front of the room, and Paxton tells one of his billionaire friends, “This is my partner and co-owner of the Riggers, Jeremy Head, and his better half, Caroline.”

Caroline’s eyes flicker with surprise as several people turn around to get a look at us. It’s like she’s piecing together a part of my world I’ve kept hidden, but here, in the bright lights and the buzz of the suite, she sees me for all that I am.

With half-time drawing to a close, we find ourselves back near the wide windows where the field sprawls below as the crowd spills back into seats, the hum of returning fans filling the air like a rising tide.

Heart thudding in my chest, I take a deep breath and turn to Caroline. At this moment, surrounded by the emblem of so many shared dreams and ambitions, there’s nothing but clarity and certainty in my mind.

“Caroline,” I say, and she turns fully to me, curiosity igniting her gaze.

The air stalls in my chest as I sink to one knee, the roar of the crowd dimmed to a whisper against the intensity of her gaze.

I pull out the ring, its gleam catching the light and sending prismatic shards shooting around the room. “I’ve loved you since the first moment I laid eyes on you. You own me heart and soul. Will you marry me?”

My sweet girl’s initial shock deepens into happiness, her hands flying to her mouth in a gesture that makes my heart swell three sizes in a single beat.

“Yes!” Her reply is so enthusiastic, so full of happiness, it leaves no room for doubt. Neither does the kiss she gives me after I slip the ring onto her finger and pull her to her feet. Cheers swell around us as others in the owner’s suite celebrate with us.

Walking back into the suite, hand in hand with my newly minted fiancée, feels like kicking down the door to a whole new chapter in our lives. The field spreads out behind the glass, vibrant with all the chaos of the game, yet all I can see is her.

The suite next door is oddly deserted, chairs askew and the air hanging with a soft echo from the earlier chatter. I half-expected Yvonne, the quarterback’s wife, to be holding court with her tight clique, but there’s not a soul in sight. I guess she couldn’t take the heat so she got out of the kitchen.

When Caroline wraps her soft arms around my waist, I forget all about everything except her.

CHAPTER 9

CAROLINE

“I can’t believeyou said yes,” Jeremy says for the fifth time, stroking the ring he placed on my finger with the whole world watching as we make our way up to our hotel room. The look in his eyes… God, I hope he never stops wearing that heated, triumphant look for the rest of his life.

“I can’t believe you asked me in front of the entire world!” The smile on my face is permanent at this point. It won’t budge. Ten days ago, my world was collapsing. Now, I’m wearing Jeremy’s ring, sleeping in his bed every night… and my favorite team just won their game.

And, holy crap, my man has secretly co-owned said team for years.

I’ve long suspected that Jeremy and Sawyer are worth a lot more than they say, just like Aidan is, but I’ve never cared. I fell in love with him when I thought he was just Jeremy, my annoying older brother’s best friend. That’s what I see—the man I love. Am I excited that we get to watch games from a fancy suite? Um, yes! Especially since it pisses off Yvonne Smith so badly. Would it change a single thing if we didn’t? Absolutely not!

The elevator shudders to a stop on the top floor and the doors slide open. Jeremy slips his hand into mine, leading me out into a luxurious hallway.

"You know I don't need all of this, right?" I ask him, a little overwhelmed by the luxury. I'm not this kind of girl. Never have been. Never will be. I prefer beer and pizza and Midnight Brew. "You don't have to wine and dine me to impress me. I love you and your beat-up pickup truck and that stupid hat you've had since I met you."

"Good to know because that's who I am, sweets." He squeezes my hip. "But that man will be spoiling the hell out of you whenever the mood strikes. Get used to it."

"Just so long as you know I don't expect it."

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