Page 143 of The Thing About My Secret Billionaire
“I just came to watch a soccer game.” She looks delighted and staggered and like she’s struggling to absorb everything. “But now I’m being served drinks by a movie star and going home with a fiancé.”
“As long as it’s that way around,” Grandpa says.
I reach down and throw my arms around his neck to give him the biggest hug I can at full stretch over the seats.
He puts his face to the side of my head facing away from Elsie. “No one’s taking anyone’s place, you know,” he whispers.
The fact his instinct is to worry about how I might feel twangs my heartstrings and sends another set of tears spilling from my eyes.
“I know. Don’t worry.” I sniff. “I love Elsie. She’s great. And I love seeing you this happy. She’s good for you.”
It flashes across my mind that maybe Miller and I could get married at the arts barn. The building is stunning. The local crew did an amazing job. The workshop spaces are all fully occupied—there was a waiting list—it has an amazing new café, and they managed to get a whole bunch of kids’ crafts workshops together in time for summer.
If my grandma can’t attend my wedding, at least she could be there in spirit in the building that now bears her name.
“Here.” Miller passes me a glass of champagne and looks concerned when he sees my face. “Are you okay?” He brushes the dampness from my cheeks.
“Yeah, just a lot of things swirling around in here.” I point to my head.
“We can unswirl them later,” he says, and kisses my forehead. “Together.”
“Everyone got one?” Leo asks, checking to see that we’re all holding a drink before putting the tray down and taking one for himself.
“We have a lot to celebrate this evening.” Chase raises his sparkling glass. “So here’s to…well, everyone, I guess.”
“To everyone,” Oliver echoes.
Miller looks at me out of the corner of his eye and winks. “To us,” he whispers.
I link my arm through his and, along with Grandpa, Elsie, Oliver, Chase, Leo, and Amelia, we chink our glasses together, right as the teams run onto the field for the second half.
“Fuck, yes.” Miller punches the air so hard both his feet lift off the ground.
Oliver’s loud yell on the other side of me makes me jump too.
The Commoners have scored in the dying minutes of the game to go two-one up.
Miller turns to Chase and Leo behind us. Chase is cheering, and Leo’s doing a more sedate clap while Amelia bounces on the balls of her feet, swinging her arms over her head, beside him.
“What a goal,” Miller shouts above the roar of the fans. “Glad we kept Schumann now, Leo?”
“Doesn’t mean it was the right decision on paper,” he says.
“You know what, Leo?” Miller sounds suddenly philosophical. “Sometimes you have to take the paper and rip it the fuck up.”
He wraps his arm around me and presses his lips to my forehead right as the ref blows the whistle and the home crowd takes the roars up another notch.
“What a day,” Miller says, applauding his team. “A win and two proposals.”
“Got to love how the win comes first on your list,” Oliver says.
“Priorities,” Miller says, and winks at me. I hope there’s never a day when that wink fails to make my insides shimmy.
“Whoa. That was quite the experience,” Elsie says, getting to her feet.
“The win or your engagement?” Oliver asks with a mischievous smirk.
“Honestly, both,” she laughs, leaning on Grandpa’s shoulder.
