It Started at Christmas...

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Any moment McKenzie expected her heels to give way and she would fall flat on her face. Definitely she was more comfortable in her running shoes than the three-inch heels she’d chosen to wear because Cecilia had told her they made her legs look phenomenal.

Who cared how good her legs looked if she was flat on her butt from her feet going out from under her?

Or maybe it was because her knees were shaking that she feared falling.

Her knees were shaking, knocking together like clackers.

Why was she doing this? Wouldn’t a simple phone call or text message have sufficed? No, she’d had to go along with Cecilia’s idea that she had to do something big, something totally out of character to convince Lance she was playing for keeps.

Cecilia had arranged a voice coach who’d worked with McKenzie every night that week. Cecilia had called a client who happened to be one of the female singers in the show and arranged for McKenzie’s surprise performance. Lanette had been thrilled to help because she’d seen McKenzie and Lance save the mayor’s life and had thought them a perfect couple even back then.

Now it was all up to McKenzie.

She hated people looking at her and the entire room’s eyes were all trained on her, waiting to see what she was going to do. To see if she was going to cry or scream out like her parents.

No, that’s not why they were here. That’s not why they were looking at her. They were here for entertainment. Entertainment she was about to add to, and perhaps not in a good way.

She couldn’t sing.

A week with a voice coach wasn’t going to fix that. A year with a voice coach couldn’t.

But she’d learned what her voice’s strengths were and what her weaknesses were. Her performance wasn’t going to have any agents lining up to sign her, but hopefully her putting herself out there for him would impress a certain man enough for him to rethink two months, for him to open up his heart and let her inside, to at least give her, give them, a chance.

The music started up as she made her way up the steps to the stage. One step. Two steps. Three steps. On the stage without falling. Yes, now, if she could just stay upright during her song, she totally had this.

She made her way over to Lance, smiled at him suggestively as she ran her finger along his shirt collar. His body heat lured her in, making her want to touch him for real, but common sense said she was on a stage, everyone was watching, the show must go on and this wasn’t that kind of show.

Taking a deep breath first that she hoped the microphone didn’t pick up, she broke into a song about going after what she wanted and making it hers.

If he walked away from her, she’d look a fool.

She’d feel a fool.

But, even more, he might not forgive her for interfering in his show.

Still, she agreed with Cecilia. She had to make a grand gesture to show Lance that she was serious about wanting him in her life, that she was willing to take risks where he was concerned, that she’d fight for him.

That she’d sing for him.

So she sang.

His eyes searched hers and she couldn’t quite read his expression.

Fine. She was going to do this, was going to put her heart into it, and whatever happened happened.

She played her eyes at him, did her best to be sultry and seductive without being trashy, and felt a huge weight lift off her when Lance grinned.

Thank God. At least he wasn’t going to have her look a fool on the stage.

To those in the audience he looked believable. To McKenzie he looked more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen.

She finished the song.

Shaking his head, he wrapped her into his arms, spun her around, and kissed her forehead.

“Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Dr. McKenzie Sanders.”