CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

S ebastian

Everything is set up for the Christmas Eve Special. The worst has happened, and Luke loves me.

I float around the drawing room, making sure the lights and sound are just right, but of course they are. This is my last Seeking Mr. Righ t episode. This is the last time I’ll be doing any of this.

“I’m going to fetch Luke at his apartment,” I tell Ella.

“That’s not necessary,” she says. “The limo driver will pick him up. Wait here with the women. We don’t want your suit to get wet.”

I swallow hard. I hadn’t realized how much I was looking forward to picking him up, to be in his apartment again, to see all his sweetness directed at me. I don’t know when I’ll see him alone again. He promised to wait for me, but I’m not sure what that means.

“He might need help getting ready.”

“I’ll have someone from makeup greet him,” Ella says.

Her demeanor has definitely changed. I’ve gone from someone she wants to hang out with and is proud of hanging out with, to someone whom she frowns at when I am too near.

Ella doesn’t associate with unglossy, unglamorous things.

It’s not her style.

She doesn’t want to have Clark see us hanging out. I’m probably bad for her brand or something.

It’s okay.

I’m completely fine with that.

I have Luke. And he’s going to wait for me.

And even if he changes his mind... We still will have had whatever it is we had. The only thing I feel is calm.

I just... God, I wished we could have had more time together.

Luke told Ella he’s going to give the floral crown to Flora, and Aisha has already written copy about the athlete and cheerleader-turned-dentist getting together to start their first Christmas together.

It’s sweet.

I’m pretty sure Flora knows about us. I’m pretty sure Willow does too. I guess Luke and Flora will give loads of fake interviews together, until sufficient time has passed that they feel they can breakup.

The women file into the drawing room. They’re in cozy Christmas pajamas with reindeer and Santas on them. Only Flora and Willow will be in evening gowns. I interview them together asking them if they think Luke will choose Willow or Flora. It’s an interview I’ve done multiple times before, for every last episode.

It’s...

Well, it’s strange.

But fine. Totally fine.

I’ve already done my interviews with Willow and Flora, where they obediently said they were nervous about today and that Luke is totally amazing.

Ella and Clark and Aisha and Matteo don’t meet my eyes. They don’t expect to see me after tonight.

Perhaps I should be sadder than I am, but instead, all I feel is relief. Luke knows me and is okay with me. If other people know me and aren’t okay with me, well, that’s on them.

Finally, Ella gives me the signal to announce Luke has arrived.

“Good evening, everyone,” I say in collected host mode. “Welcome to this Christmas Eve finale of Seeking Mr. Right: Christmas Edition . Over the past five weeks, you’ve seen Luke search for his true love. He has now narrowed down his options to two gorgeous, intelligent, and kind women: Flora and Willow. Let’s give them a round of applause.”

Flora and Willow sashay into the living room wearing formal gowns, Flora in red, Willow in green.

I take Flora and Willow back over their respective love stories with Luke. I show them clips Aisha cut that detail Luke falling in love with both of them.

Because I know it will get worse. I know that when I next see Luke, he will be handing his final floral crown to one of them. I know Luke will be ushered in front of the Christmas tree for photographs, and I will see him being Flora’s dutiful boyfriend.

I’m pretty sure he explained everything to Flora. Aisha told me he’d managed to speak to Flora and Willow and private, and though I don’t know what was said... I can hope.

Finally, the lights dim, trumpets sound, and Luke enters the drawing room.

The man is handsome.

My stomach drops, and for a moment I wonder if everything that happened between us is simply a concoction of my imagination.

But his eyes meet mine, and warmth swirls through me, hotter than anything the flames from the fireplace could produce.

I love him. I love him. I love him.

“ Have you decided who you will give your final floral crown to?” I ask.

Part of me hopes he will say that he quits. That he doesn’t want any part of this, contract or no contract.

He opens his mouth. “I have.”

I swallow hard. Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from him. Luke will do the honorable thing because he is honorable. Even though he didn’t want to join Seeking Mr. Right , he will do his duty. He has a contract. He needs to pick someone.

I hand him his floral crown, gazing at the red poinsettias packed tightly together. His index finger grazes one of my fingers, and his eyes flare, as he takes it.

I give him a wobbly smile and wait for him to announce that he has fallen in love with Flora.

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 not Seeking Mr. Right approved.

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 during Seeking 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 this Seeking Mr. Right: Christmas Edition . We wish you a happy Christmas Eve.”

The camera clicks off.

“You’re fired, Sebastian!” Clark shouts, his face red.

Flora and Willow roll their eyes, then they give us their congratulations. Soon, all the women swarm us. My heart feels light as Sebastian and I leave the Back Bay brownstone to my own apartment for our very first Christmas together.