Page 140 of Rule 2: Never Join a Christmas Dating Show

LUKE

This is fine. Absolutely fine. I am on TV in front of millions of people about to declare my love for someone who is not the person I love.

My nerves zing.

I have a plan, but it is crazy.

It is not agent approved.

It is not team management approved.

It is certainly notSeeking Mr. Rightapproved.

I inhale and square my shoulders.

“To whom do you present your final floral crown?” Sebastian asks.

The women in the audience lean forward. The production staff sit behind the cameras, their faces smug. Flora’s and Willow’s eyes dance.

“I fell in love duringSeeking Mr. Right,”I say, “and I present the crown to the person I love.”

Sebastian’s face stiffens.

“I present the crown to you,” I say, my voice soft, but still confident we are being viewed by millions of people and that my mic is picking up my words.

Confusion ripples over Sebastian’s handsome face, but then I place the floral crown on his head. The red poinsettias gleam over his blond locks. He looks like a medieval prince.

“Luke...” Sebastian’s voice is soft.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Clark get up and march toward the cameras. Does he want to turn them off? Does he want to pretend this never happened?

Flora and Willow get up and wrestle with him.

The cameras are still recording.

“I love you, Sebastian Archer.”

“I love you, Luke Hawthorne,” he says, and each word squeezes my heart.

“Please take this final floral crown as a symbol of my love, and my hope that this will be the first of many, many Christmases together.”

“Luke...” His lips part, and I can’t wait any longer.

I I bend him down into a Hollywood-style kiss, because if we’re being recorded live, I’m going to make it good. I hold onto the crown with my hand, and my fingers touch the Christmas flowers and Sebastian’s glossy locks.

And we kiss.

And kiss.

And kiss.

Finally, applause thunders around us, and I raise Sebastian up. His cheeks are red, his eyes bright and happy.

I link hands with him and turn to the women. Some of them look astonished, most of them are smiling wide. There probably was a reason #SELUKE was a trending hashtag, after all. Cheers sound around us.

“Well,” Sebastian says to the camera. “I hope you enjoyed thisSeeking Mr. Right: Christmas Edition. We wish you a happy Christmas Eve.”

The camera clicks off.