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IT HAPPENED ON VALENTINE’S

THE REAL PROPOSAL

Chelsea Calhoun

“Stop fussing.”Rex playfully slapped my hand away from putting more finishing touches on the posters. “Everything looks great.”

“I just want to send Colt off to the Navy with all the love we can show him.” He and Mom drove down to New York City, and later today, we’d drop him at the bus depot to report for duty. The bus would drive him to Great Lakes for boot camp. But first, the family was having brunch together some place fancy, and Rex insisted on treating us all.

“I know you’re worried about him, just like you always worry for Maisy. That’s what makes me think you’ll be an excellent mother. Someday.” He emphasized the last word, standing beside me and rubbing my back.

I stared at him, sort of shocked. We hadn’t talked aboutkids yet, not seriously. “Mother? Well, you know what else kids need? A good father.”

“According to Miriam, she seems to think I’d make a good father. Someday,” he winked, again with extra emphases on the last word.

I admired my handsome man, always surprising me around every turn. The alarm on my phone went off. “That’s my alarm to jump in to the shower and get ready for the brunch. But do you really think the posters are finished?” I dabbed my paint brush a little more here and there.

“Are you kidding? Yes. They are. And look, you just moved in with me and now you’ve got paint and glitter everywhere.” He eyed my project like a billionaire who doesn’t like a mess in his pristine home.

“Get used to it, buddy. You asked me to live with you, and I’m not as much of a neat freak as you are. Plus, didn’t you just mention being parents a minute ago? You realize kids can be very messy?” I bumped my ass against him.

“Oh, don’t even bump me with that fine ass or I’ll spank you for this mess, and whatever else I want to do to you.”

“Rex! Didn’t you get enough of me last night?”

“Never.” He kissed my forehead.

The insatiable appetite of this man…but I wasn’t complaining. Since Christmas, we’d been inseparable and things were going so well between us. This time around was night and day compared to before therooftop disaster, as I referred to it.

We still had incredible chemistry and connection, likealways, but our time in Holly Creek over Christmas and New Year’s did us a lot of good. We talked about everything, and discussed our goals and realized we align in so many ways. He’s a different Rex now, focused on his real estate business, and not having to worry about the family company now that it was in Pearl’s very capable hands.

I had excellent employees managing the deli now, so I could focus on my work full-time at the TV station. And, just like Stanley predicted, I’d been approached by a major publisher to write a recipe book featuring many of the comfort foods from my Morning City Show segments.

To top it all off, last week, Rex insisted I move in with him. But I had a little hesitation about how fast things were moving between us. We met in September, broke up early November, reunited on Christmas day, and now it was Valentine’s. After we talked it out, he helped me realize that there’s no right or wrong here, no manual to follow for how slow or fast a relationship should go.

We just needed to do what we felt was best for us. So I moved in, and, honestly, the timing felt absolutely right. Every day with him got better than the last.

“Oh look, this one doesn’t have glitter on the C of Colt’s name.” I reached for the glue and red, white, and blue glitter, but Rex put his arms around my waist.

“Back away from the glitter and paint. I think you’ve got enough on you now.” He howled. “You’re a mess.”

He picked me up by the waist and carried me all the way to the bathroom. “I’m going to dump you under the shower head.”

“No,” I giggled. “Don’t you dare. Put me down. Enough!” I warned him.

He stopped in front of the shower, holding me in his arms while slowly reaching for the handle to turn on the water.

“Rex, I mean it.”

“How about a deal? We’ll shower together. I’ll soap you up and check you for glitter everywhere…in every crevice.”

I caved in too easily because I couldn’t resist Rex Buchanan, my billionaire.

After undressing, we held each other under the water at first and he caressed my back. My heart had become so full from his love.

“I hope this time we’ll last and continue to grow together.” Turning my face up to him, I added the three words that came to mean so much between us. “I love you.”