The Game (Wagered Hearts Series, #3)(61)

"I'm sorry for embarrassing you," I said.

"Do you really mean it? Everything you said out there?" she asked, waving off my apology.

"Yes. One hundred percent," I said. "I love you Emilia. I just wish I'd been brave enough to admit it before I screwed everything up. I promise if you give me another chance, you'll never have to doubt it again."

I reached in my pocket and felt for the square velvet box. I hadn't intended on doing this tonight. I'd only brought it for good luck, but seeing her again like this made me realize how much I really loved her, and how I never wanted anything or anyone to separate us again. I got down on my knee holding the box out in front of her.

"I know we started out playing a game--pretending to be in love, but over the past few months, I've grown to love you more than I thought I could love anyone. Ever since I saw this ring on your finger, I knew that was where it belonged. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife...for real?"

Emilia looked stunned, like she couldn't believe I was doing this right now. I was afraid I'd moved too fast again and pushed her too far. I was about to get up and apologize, when she nodded her head slowly.

"Yes? Is that a yes?" I asked, hardly daring to breathe.

"Yes!" she said, before breaking out into a wide smile.

I slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her close for tight embrace. "You've made me the happiest man in the world," I said, kissing the top of her hair.

She leaned her head back to look up at me. I wiped the moisture from the corner of her eye, and brought my lips down for a kiss. God, I'd missed this. Her lips opened for me and that was all it took. I was lost in her again.

When we finally came up for air, we were met by a round of applause. I looked around and saw small crowd had gathered, and several cameras were trained on us.

"I guess the secret's out," she said, laughingly.

"Good. I want everyone to know how much I love you, Emilia Holliday."





Epilogue



Finally, I'd been given the recognition and credit I deserved. When the SAG and Academy nominations came out, I didn't even bother watching. I'd been too blissfully happy and truthfully, it didn't matter to me as much.

Imagine my surprise when I got a frantic phone call from Charlotte. She could barely speak, she was so beside herself.

"You've done it! You've been nominated!" she screeched over the phone.

I sat there in stunned silence for several minutes. Then I burst into tears, just crying in joy. That's how Rob found me later. He'd been concerned, thinking the worst, but it couldn't have been better. I guess I wanted it more than I thought.

Now here we were, on our way to the red carpet. Not only was it my first nomination, but it would be the first time Rob and I would be officially together after the scene at the Globes. People were still buzzing about it and how romantic it was. It seemed that overnight, I was back in everyone's good graces.

The funny thing was, I didn't really care anymore. Sure, it was nice to be liked and recognized, but I knew how fickle it all could be, so instead of turning my life upside down trying to be perfect, I said to hell with it, and just lived my life. It seemed that people respected that.

"You all right?" Rob asked as he grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips.

I smiled. "Better than ever," I said.

We got out of the limo and made our way down the red carpet. It was packed with people, and all I could hear was a loud roar from the crowd as they spotted us. All eyes turned in our direction. I took a deep breath and marched along, stopping for interviews and autographs and pictures along the way. It was a far cry from the night at the Globes when I was still just licking my wounds.

Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. The furor over the prostitution ring had lessened some of the backlash I would have gotten. After all, a fake engagement was pretty tame in comparison to cheating on your wife of nearly 10 years and knocking up a 21-year-old prostitute, who you later paid to have an abortion. That director had been promptly eviscerated in the press when his name and deeds came out. Last I heard, he was moving to France.

Speaking of prostitution ring, that director wasn't the only one who had secrets to hide. His wife, a well-known actress was also caught up in her own scandal. Kelsey Keller, it turned out, had been a call girl for that same madam years ago. It was actually how she met her husband, Harry Barnes.

Even though I was trying to be a better person, I couldn't help the shadenfreude I felt at her comeuppance. The hypocrisy of calling me a whore and sleeping for roles, when she had been the one sleeping around for her big break. Sadly for her, it never came. Her career just never took off. I tried to feel a bit sympathetic to her situation, but after the way she tried to destroy my career, and kept trying to drag my name through the mud, I couldn't really muster too much of it. Karma was a bitch.

Since Rob and I got back together, I couldn't tell you how many people were lined up to kiss my ass again. I had to laugh as these same people were the first ones to shun and turn their backs on me when the scandal first broke. Now I knew better and didn't give them the time of day. Rob's romantic gesture had brought on a swell of good press for me and I was still riding the high of good will. Not that that mattered to me anymore. Another lesson learned.

We'd come to an agreement that our relationship was strictly between us, and we'd never discuss it with the press. That was fine with me, even though I got the stink eye from several reporters when I'd refused to answer their questions about my private life. I'd learned to have boundaries.