“Actually, yes,” I said, smiling.
Jeremy eyed me with undiluted skepticism. “And he proposed?”
“Uh-huh.” I could not stop nodding like a fool.
“And he’s a big important history professor and knows what words like ‘reticule’ mean?”
“So what?” I searched his face, loving every line, every pore.
Jeremy swept off his hat, rubbed a frustrated hand through his gorgeous hair and put the hat back on. “You belong with a guy like that, Meg. Maybe not Harrison himself, because he’s a dick, but someone like him.”
“No, Jeremy, I don’t. I belong with a guy who remembers I get car sick, who sticks up for me when someone else is being mean to me, and who encourages me to follow my dreams. I belong with you.”
His eyes widened. His Adam’s apple worked as he swallowed. “Did you tell Professor Plum that?”
“Professor Plum?”
“I overheard Mitchell’s nickname for him.” Jeremy grinned.
“Yes, I told Professor Plum all of that right before I broke up with him.”
“You broke up with him?” Jeremy’s face went blank.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He was so serious, so solemn. I knew the next words out of my mouth were going to be some of the most important words of my entire life.
“Because I’m in love with you,” I cried, swiping the hair and rain out of my eyes. “I might have been in love with you since I found out you were five minutes late to our first meeting because you rescued a dog, but I definitely was falling for you when you drove so carefully to the restaurant to make sure I didn’t get sick, and tonight I knew I loved you, because you would never tell me to quit when I was about to win. You’re way nicer than I am, and way cuter than I am, and way less of a tight-ass than I am, and I’m sure I don’t deserve you, but I love you, Jeremy, and I want the chance to prove to you that I can be worthy of you. I know I’ve been a snobby ass, but I swear I’ll make it up to you.”
“What about this thing?” Jeremy said, tapping a finger against the wet planner I was still clutching. “What about all your plans?”
I glanced around. Spotting a trash bin across the street, I grabbed up my skirts, ran over to it and tossed the planner inside. “There,” I hollered to him. “That thing’s gone. Plans are made to be broken, after all. I think I heard that somewhere once.” I crossed back over to him and stared him in the eye.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Jeremy said, a semi-horrified look on his face.
“Yeah, well, I did.” I was breathing heavily from my exertion, but I’d never felt more exhilarated...and free. Truly free. “Now, this is the part where I’m hoping you say you love me too.”
Jeremy grinned and pulled me close. He pressed his forehead against mine. “I love you, Meg. I’ve loved you since high school when you were so confident and kinda mean, but nice to people like scrawny kids who couldn’t make a basket in gym class.”
“That’s why you remembered everything about me, isn’t it?” Tears pooled in my eyes and mixed with the rainwater as they ran down my cheeks.
“Uh-huh.” Jeremy lifted me in his arms and kissed me, and even though my hair was melting and my gown was ruined, and I was pretty sure my nose was about to start running, I kissed him back with everything I was worth.
Minutes later, when we pulled our lips apart and he tenderly set my feet back on the pavement, I sighed. “I guess we’re done with the competition?” I stared down at my ruined gown and ruined slippers.
“You’d actually give up? You’d quit the competition for me?” he asked.
My hair in my eyes, I nodded. “I’ve recently come to realize that winning isn’t everything.”
“Who says we’re out of it?” Jeremy asked.
“We’re soaked and two points behind,” I offered.
He grasped my hand and tugged me back toward the ball. “Where’s your fighting spirit, Doc? Let’s go beat Professor Plum!”
Chapter 27
Despite our dripping clothing, we raced back to the ballroom just as they were announcing our names for the third time (I found out later from Patsy) over the loudspeaker. “Dr. Knightley and Mr. Remington, if you do not present yourselves in the next five minutes, you will be disqualified,” Mrs. Cranberry’s pedantic nasally tone boomed across the ballroom.
“We’re here,” I yelled as soon as we made it through the door.
There was a collective gasp as those near us saw that we were dripping wet. Well, to be clear, they were gasping at me, not Jeremy. My hair felt like a melted wax candle clinging to the side of my head. Jeremy, of course, still looked perfect, only slicked with rain. He’d run his fingers through his hair and looked completely unaffected and better than ever. Mr. Darcy always looked hot when wet, didn’t he?
“Did Harrison and Lacey end up dancing?” I asked Patsy, who stood near the dance floor, her drink still in her hand.
“Yes,” she replied. “But they got into a big fight after and she stomped off.”
“What was their score?” I demanded.
“Harrison missed a step. They got a nine.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that news as Jeremy and I hurried across the floor to take our position in the center. We had one point to make up just to tie and my clothing was ruined. Oh well, I’d always liked a good challenge.
“We apologize for being late,” I said in the loudest voice I could muster. “We were just in the rain declaring our love for each other. In real life.”
“What?” came Mr. Periwinkle’s shocked voice over the loudspeaker.
“You heard me,” I said, winking toward the judges’ table.
Jeremy tried to fight his grin. His eyes sparkled like emeralds beneath his long, wet eyelashes. I wanted to kiss him again so badly.
“Miss Knightley,” he said, loud enough for those around us to hear. “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
“No, Mr. Remington, it is I whom you must allow to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
A collective, swoony sigh went up around the room. “That’s just how the whole thing should have happened in the first place,” I heard Lady Waverly-Jones say. She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes.
“Agreed,” said several people in her group in unison.
The waltz began and Jeremy led the way. It was perfect and neither of us missed a step. We stared into each other’s eyes the entire time. It was just like a dream...or the ending to a romance novel.
“If only I’d known how perfect you were in high school,” I whispered, gazing up into his handsome face.
“I wasn’t perfect in high school.”
“Neither was I.”
“Yes, you were. You were perfect for me. It only took me thirteen years to have the chance to convince you.”
I grinned at him. “I’m so glad I hired you, Mr. Darcy.”
“Likewise,” he replied.
Minutes later, when the waltz came to an end, he lifted me into his arms and kissed me. The entire crowd roared a cheer, and applause thundered across the ballroom.