Page 529 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 11
No.
I wasn’t going to let this homecoming suck as much as all the others. I could still turn this around. I just needed to tell Jacob the truth. My stomach churned. “Sophie, I need to get Jacob alone.”
“On it.” She stepped toward them but then turned around. “Good luck, Scar.” She pulled me into a hug. “I’m so proud of you. Best homecoming ever! Team Jacob!” She released me from my hug and went right up to Jacob and Olivia.
I wasn’t sure if she said anything at all, but she grabbed Olivia’s arm and pulled her off of Jacob and started dancing with her.
Luckily Olivia just laughed and kept dancing.
Jacob’s eyes met mine across the room.
I knew he thought I’d lost my confidence. After years of wearing thick glasses and not being allowed to wear contacts. And wearing an ill-fitting uniform to school. And letting Axel constantly stomp on my heart.
But somewhere deep down, I was still that same little girl he’d fallen for when he moved to New York. I stood up a little straighter and took a deep breath. I was still me.
I walked across the dance floor toward him.
And he started walking too.
We met in the middle and I stared up at him. The stars on the ceiling above his head shone extra bright.
“May I have this dance?” I asked.
“I thought you’d never ask.” He smiled and put his hand out for me.
I slid my hand into his and he pulled me in close. The music was fast paced, but we just swayed slowly.
“Jacob, I...”
“Scarlett...” he said at the exact same time.
We both laughed.
“You first,” he said.
This was my chance. The moment I’d been waiting for. I took a deep breath. I was wearing contacts. And the most beautiful dress I’d ever seen. If I was ever going to be confident again, this was the moment.
“You were right,” I said.
“About?”
“Everything, really.”
One of his hands fell from my hip and he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Anything in particular?”
“I lost my confidence. But I think you helped me find it again. I deserve to be loved out loud.”
“You do, Scarlett.”
He didn’t say that he’d be that person. He just stared at me.
And I already knew how he felt. But I owed him the truth. “Operation Too Hot to Handle is over.”
“So...it worked? I saw you and Axel dancing earlier.”
“No, it didn’t work. And I’m glad it didn’t.”
Jacob raised his eyebrows.
