Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

LETTIE

C elebrating with some karaoke, a few drinks, and bar food. Dane picks out a duet and asks, "How about this one?" He gives me an ear-splitting grin.

"It's perfect." We put in the request and in a few minutes, we're singing the song we wanted to sing in the fourth-grade talent show. He remembers it too.

We take the stage and sing our hearts out. We even do our version of the dance that they did in Grease. I wonder if we look awkward because Dane's so tall. I've only had one margarita, but I know he's the one I want, forever.

The bargoers scream for us to do another. While someone else sings, we pick out one of our all-time favorite Luke Bryan songs, " I Don't Want This Night to End."

I can't help but feel on top of the world, as the three hundred people in this bar are jumping with their hands in the air celebrating the show jumping performance of my life. Dane pulls me into his chest and kisses me like we're the only ones in the room. I don't know whether the room falls silent, or I've fallen so deeply in love that I can't hear them. When he releases me from his perfect lips, beaming with pride, he says, "Give it up for my girlfriend, Lettie Scott."

Everyone cheers, and I blow them kisses like I'm Taylor Swift. Dane picks me up honeymoon style as we exit the stage, and I wish I could stop time. In this moment, nothing else matters except for our love and happiness.

He grabs us one more drink, and we can't quit smiling. My best friend is still here. That part hasn't changed. In fact, it's better. Dane as a boyfriend is everything I always knew he would be. If there were no basketball and NBA, or equestrian events, and it was just us, life would be simple. But that's not our life. I know his ass is on the line when he goes back to campus tomorrow.

Two men in suits approach our table. "That was quite a performance." Dane smiles and takes a pull of his beer, and I just stare, lost in my boyfriend.

"Oh, thank you. We were just fooling around," I say.

"Do you mind if we sit?" Dane glances at me for my approval, and I shrug. "We're from GFI Records. We're interested in representing you."

Dane chokes on his beer and covers his mouth quickly. "I have an agent."

"Oh, who are you with?"

"Michaels -Rawls Sports Agency." These guys have no clue that Dane is projected to go high in the first round of the NBA draft. "I play for the Stallions."

Unaffected, the man with the salt and pepper, slicked-back hair flips a card onto the table and then pushes it toward us. When I pick it up and read it, my jaw drops. They're not lying unless they're trying to pick us both up.

"Could you do one more song for us? We're looking for a duo who can perform and sing the upbeat songs, which you obviously can, but we'd like for you to sing this heartbreaker. See if you can pull it off."

Well, Dane Greathouse never backs down from a challenge. "Sure. Lettie and I can do anything as long as we're together."

My head is spinning, after slamming that last margarita. What? We're singing for music executives. Dane gives me a wet smooch, grabs my hand, and we wait for the guy in front of us to finish, who receives a nice round of claps.

We take the stage once again and sing a song that rips you in half. I don't like the way it makes me feel. I never want to feel the pain of breaking up and trying to move on. The emotion in Dane's eyes signals he feels the same way. We come chest to chest with our microphones in hand and belt out the last heart-crushing line.

His thumbs wipe away my tears as he whispers, "It's just a song."

"I know." But the thought of living without Dane Greathouse is terrifying.

"I love y ou." He pecks my lips to a standing ovation.

The men meet us as we exit the stage. "That was phenomenal." He takes our numbers and says, "We'll be in touch."

Dane shakes their hands, and I nod with a tight pull of my lips. "Are you ready to celebrate at the hotel?" Dane asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Are we celebrating a record deal or my event performance?" I ask, sobered by the hit sad song, knowing I wouldn't survive a breakup with Dane. The thought sours my stomach on a night that should be the best of my life.

As we exit, I notice the camera crew that Dane brought with him, filming. And all of my insecurities creep up my throat. With every story, there will be more scrutiny, and the last thing I want people to know is about my drug-addicted parents or that Dane and I are on opposite sides of the socioeconomic class.

Once we're back at the hotel, I say, "That was fun."

"Do you mean until the last song?"

Yeah, he knows me too well.