Dropping The Ball - A New Year’s Billionaire Romance - Weston Parker Page 0,98

to him, I went to find Rylee. I wanted in her sight at all times from now. Just because.

Chapter 34

RYLEE

Holy majestic crap on a cracker. The night was finally here. I’d been dreaming about it, and then dreading it, and then dreaming about it again for so long that it was difficult to believe it’d really arrived.

Turning one way then the other in front of the full-length mirror in my dressing room, I admired the handiwork of the costume designers again. After my fitting in Jules’s office, he’d returned the dress to them and they’d added subtle beads and sparkles.

My phone buzzed in my hand, and I laughed when I read Dustin’s message.

Dustin: Knock ‘em dead tonight, witchy. Just not dead, dead because we still need them to come to the show when we open. See ya later!

His text was followed shortly after by one from Maria, who would be playing Glinda.

Maria: We’re here! Few doors down from you. Big dudes outside your door have scared Dustin, his wife, and entourage away. Break a leg, honey. Getting ready for the press stuff later. See you out there.

A rush of warmth hit my heart at the thought that my closest co-stars were here and would be for the rest of the night. The performance would be all me, but they were lined up to give interviews afterward about the show and about their feelings on acting with me for my first time back.

“Oh, Ryles, look at you,” Mom gushed when she shoved open the door to the bathroom I’d changed in. “You look wonderful. That dress is perfect.”

I smoothed it down at my thighs, nodding as I swallowed down an entire herd of buffalo in my throat. Honestly, butterflies just aren’t big enough to describe what’s going on inside me right now. They’re also too pretty.

“Thanks, Mom.” I opened my arms and pulled her into a hug before slinging my arm around her waist so we could walk out together.

Dad and Billy sat on a couch, the television streaming images from Times Square filled to the brim outside. They both looked up when we walked in, and Dad gave me one of his proud, beaming smiles before getting to his feet.

He pretended to cower before sweeping me up in his arms. “Oh no, the wicked witch is here. Hold on to your hats everybody.”

I hugged my dad back. “Thank you guys so much for coming. It means everything to me that you’re here.”

“We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else tonight, baby,” he said before letting me go.

Billy shrugged his shoulders, but I saw the grin he was trying to hide as he looked me over. He scratched his chin and shrugged again. “Not bad, baby sis. Just make sure Carter keeps that dress intact when he wants to rip it off you later.”

I turned the color of an overripe tomato and punched his arm to cover my embarrassment. “Thank you for making that comment in front of the people who conceived us.”

Mom laughed. “It’s cute that you think we don’t remember how these things work. We did conceive two children, you know?”

“And I’m out,” Billy said, jumping up from the couch and making a beeline for the drinks station. I’d spoken to my parents about dating Carter, and they were overjoyed about it. They’d hugged him so tight his eyes had almost bulged out when he’d come to greet them earlier.

Dad slung his arm over Mom’s shoulders. I left the lovebirds to whisper to each other and followed my brother instead.

“How did your work emergency go?” I asked when I went to stand next to him.

A bottle of juice hung between his fingers for a beat before he shook his head. “Exactly like I expected. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m about to throw myself off a cliff without a parachute,” I replied honestly. “What was the emer—”

I got cut off by Jules clapping his hands when Tani entered the room. He held up a glass of champagne, and she snagged one from the tray next to the door to return the gesture.

“Now that someone else who can sing has arrived, let’s do some warming up,” he said.

Tani looked around the room, hugging my parents and Billy but seeming strangely disappointed that someone else wasn’t around. I smirked when she came to hug me. “Bart’s upstairs with Carter. They’re getting a last feel for the lay of the land.”

“Oh.” She waved her hand, pressing the corners of her mouth in. “I wasn’t