Page 163 of The Elusive Billionaire

“Oh, God. What if Riley wins?”

Grey’s face is ferocious. “That will never happen.”

“Right. Right, of course.”Get your shit together, girl.

“Greyson Reyes and Savvy Sweetheart.” Moose calls out our names, and Grey uses his grasp on my hand to help me rise.

I feel a little like royalty as our friends and neighbors clap, cheer, and whistle. It’s easy to fall back into the safety of home-field advantage.

Grey squeezes my hand, then lifts our joined palms to the air.

“They love you,” I say when the cheers get louder.

“Nah, I’m just arm candy. You’re the sweetheart they’re rooting for.”

“Are we ready to crown this year’s sweetheart?” Moose asks the crowd.

Madi, Clover, and Elle account for at least thirty percent of the noise as they begin chanting my name.

Not going to lie, it’s kind of good for the old ego.

Moose hands Grey the microphone.

Shit. How did I forget this part?

“I’ve been told it’s my duty and my honor to introduce this year’s sweetheart, Savannah Monroe.”

Bricks start stacking in my throat.

“A few months ago, I bet none of you would have thought I’d be the one delivering this speech. But a few months ago, I was an idiot.”

The crowd laughs, and a brick is dislodged. This is his superpower. This is how he’ll win…he simply won’t give them any option but to fall in love with him.

“Have you ever met someone who was your equal and from the very first words out of their mouth, you knew you were eithergoing to kill them or marry them?” Geez, he really does play well to a crowd. “Well, that was me, except I was too stubborn to admit the truth. The moment I met Savvy, I thought for sure we were going to ruin each other.”

He turns back to me, and his face softens.

“And we did.” He’s talking to the crowd, but it feels like his words are meant just for me. “In the best way possible, we tore down walls and childhood trauma. We shoved, kicked, and pushed each other through uncomfortable situations, and we came out on the other side, stronger, healthier, and…in love.”

Come on, Grey. Now it’s time for you to get your shit together. This isn’t how the introductions are supposed to go.

“I can honestly say there’s only one woman strong enough, kind enough, smart enough, and stubborn enough to carry the baggage I came to Happiness with.” His voice is as smooth as melted chocolate. “But she held it over her head as though it weighed nothing, then tossed it onto the highway where she ran over it a few hundred times until the load was something I could bear.

“That’s why she’s your sweetheart. Because she has a capacity to love that is so pure, so true, so…perfect.” He smiles a smile he reserves just for me, and my knees wobble. “She’s perfect. And she’s the perfect representation of everything good here in Happiness. To our sweetheart, Savvy Monroe!”

He holds out the microphone to Moose, then pulls it back at the last second. “Oh, any prizes I win, I’ll be raffling off over at the Discreet Daily Deeds booth—except time with Savvy, that’s all mine. All you have to do to enter is drop a wish in our treasure chest.”

A chorus of oohs and aahs fills the air as he finally hands over the microphone to Moose, then uses his thumbs to swipe under my eyes.

“What the hell, Drill Bit? That’s not how this was supposed to go.”

“I improvised.”

Moose hands him a crown I’ve never seen before.

Grey lowers it so I can see.

My stomach drops into my toes.