She opens the door and flashes a huge smile then jumps into his arms.
“Hey, little sis.”
“Hey, big pain in the ass.”
“I see you haven’t changed.”
“I can still beat you up.”
“You so wish you could.”
Then she turns to me, and she’s gorgeous, with beautiful blond hair pinned up on her head, and heavy stage makeup that accentuates strong cheekbones and dark eyes. She’s wearing a white tee-shirt splotched with paint stains, and a pair of loose jeans. I’m not sure if they’re her costume, or just casual backstage clothes.
“I can’t believe I’m finally meeting you. You’re even hotter in person.”
I blush. “Stop that.”
“No, seriously. I can’t believe my brother snagged a total babe. How did you trick her, Chris?” she says to her brother, and I love the back-and-forth banter. Then she turns to me, and wraps me in a hug. She lowers her voice and whispers just to me. “I’m so glad he found you. He’s mad about you.”
“The feeling is completely mutual.”
“So I’m sure you guys want to see the stage before the show starts,” Jill says, then guides us out of the dressing room, down the hallway, past other actors and stagehands who she says hello to. Then to the wings, and onto the stage.
The set is breathtaking in its minimalist glory, and I gasp. “It’s amazing,” I say, then we turn around and take in all the empty seats in the theater, seats that will soon be filled up with patrons here on opening night of Crash the Moon.
Jill smacks her forehead. “I forgot something in my dressing room. I’ll be right back.”
Then it’s just Chris and me on an empty stage in a Broadway theater.
I turn to him and am shocked to see him down on one knee.
“I’m pretty sure they want to get their stage back soon, so I’m seizing this moment.”
He looks so earnest, so full of hope, as he reaches into his pocket and takes out a dark velvet box. His nervous fingers fumble at the opening, and his light brown hair falls across his forehead. I can already feel my throat hitching and tears welling, as he takes out a stunning diamond in a vintage style cut that couldn’t be more perfect for me.
“When we first met, I thought you were a babe. Then I got to know you and I thought you were the coolest chick ever. And it all started with you wanting me to pretend to be trying out to be your Trophy Husband. So what I really want now is not to be your Trophy Husband, but just to be your husband.”
“Yes,” I say, and my voice breaks, and the tears come, and I’m shaking as he slides a ring onto my finger because I am overjoyed.
“Okay, let’s clear the stage now.”
* * *
I can’t stop looking at my ring. I don’t think I will ever stop looking at it. The theater fills, and soon the overture begins, and I spread open the Playbill and point to his sister’s name.
“Look. There’s your sister. Look at the role she’s playing.”
“I know. It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
“Totally,” I say. “Hey, do I have to take your name? Because McKenna McCormick would be pretty silly.”
“Take my name or don’t take my name. All I care about is that you’re mine forever. For always.”
“I am.”
Then the music swells, and the sound of the orchestra fills the theater, and I hold hands with my favorite person in the world as the musical begins.