Page 82 of Mr. Scandalous

And hehadmade her feel special, at least for a little while. What more could she ask for? That thought caused her throat to tighten and her heart to go all gooey.

Her cell phone rang.

She dug the phone from her back pocket, saw the call was from Ashley. She really didn’t want to answer it, but she worried that something had come up with an account, and sighing, accepted the call.

“Turn your TV toGood Morning America,” Ashley said. “Do it now.”

“Wh—”

“Just do it.”

“I’m not in front of a TV.”

“Get it on your phone and hurry! You’re about to miss it. They’re on a commercial break for now, but the clock is ticking.”

“Miss what?”

Ashley cleared her throat. “Please, just watch the program.”

Sighing, Eden shuffled out of the line and went to the back of the store. She parked herself at the end of an aisle, switched off Gloria in mid-song, opened the app that would let her watch the program on her phone and waited for it to connect.

The smiling face a popular host greeted her. “Welcome back viewers. Our next guest is a wildly popular social media influencer, entrepreneur and author of the runaway bestseller,Sex and the Single Guy.Please give a warm reception to Alec Ramsey!”

Eden’s eyes bugged and her stomach ached as if someone had stuck her in the gut and twisted the knife. Why had Ashley urged her to watch the program?

She wanted to turn off the phone and stick it in her purse, but Alec’s dear face flashed onto the screen, and she simply couldn’t look away.

He wore a tuxedo with a red rose bud in the lapel, looking impossibly handsome with his daredevil grin and his sexily disheveled dark hair.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Alec,” the host said. “You’ve made a career and built your brand on bachelorhood, but now you have a big announcement for your audience.”

“Indeed, I do.” Alec smiled.

“You’ve got your stage…” The host swept a hand at their surroundings. “What would you like to say?”

“I’ve recently come to realize how limited my life has become because of my brand,” Alec said. “I’ve been straightjacketed by the ideals of my youth and they’re just not working for me any longer.”

The host lifted an eyebrow. “You’re changing directions?”

“I am.” Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. The camera panned in for a closeup and Alec thumbed open the lid to reveal a dazzling two-carat, marquee cut diamond ring.

Eden gasped and put a hand to her heart. What was going on?

The camera panned away from the ring to capture Alec getting down on one knee. She shook her head, confused, stunned, staggered.

What in the hell?

“I know I’m taking a risk,” Alec said to the live audience. “I know I’m going out of a limb. I know this could end my career, but I can’t hide my feelings any longer. I’m in love with the most wonderful woman and she’s changed the way I see the world.”

Eden moved her palm from her heart to her mouth.

Alec peered squarely into the camera. “Eden Montgomery, if you’re watching this and I pray you are otherwise I’m gonna look like a dufus. Will you marry me?”

* * *

Alec paced his office.

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