Page 102 of Watch Me

“Sergeant Valor, who savedmylife, needsmyhelp?”

“Yes, you idiot.” I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see me. I loved the guy, but he was wacko. A wacko who would take a bullet for my sister, which made him all right in mybook.

“How can I be of service?”

I took a deep breath. “I need you to help me come up with the best proposal.”

Rhys gasped on the other end of the line. “I knew it. I knew it. I knew it!”

“Everyone knew this day would come.” I knew it the moment she fell asleep on my couch that first night wereconnected.

“Well, yeah.”

“Are you going to help me or not?”

“Of course I am!”

“Okay, so, do you have any ideas?”

“Yeah, man. I have several.”

We spent the next hour planning out the way I was going to ask my first and only true love to marry me. And I had to admit, I was fuckingexcited.

The house was decorated inside and out for Christmas. I had my woman, and all I needed were my two boys to make this the perfect Christmas. Of course, we needed Maddison here too, but she was in Denver and wasn’t flying in until the day afterChristmas.

I wanted to make Christmas special for my boys since I didn’t see them for two long weeks, but they wouldn’t care about going somewhere. I could buy them every toy they wanted, but that wasn’t the way to go about it either. But what a childwouldthink was the best thing in the world would be Santa showing up at their house. And I knew the perfect guy to play KrisKringle.

“Get your PJs on and get ready for bed,” I ordered the boys as we walked in from the garage. We’d had Christmas Eve dinner at my parents, and the boys were getting excited for Santa. Little did they know that once they were ready for bed, Mr. Claus was going to bring them an earlygift.

“I’m bursting at the seams,” Reagan stated, wrapping her arms around me as we stopped in thekitchen.

“Me too,” I admitted, and it was more than just because Rhys was coming to surprise the boys. The night wouldn’t endthere.

“When Maddie was maybe four or five, I took her to the mall to take a picture with Santa. It wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time she finally understood who the guy in the red suit was. She went nuts. I can’t even imagine Santa knocking at the door and coming in.”

“DoesSanta knock?” I questioned as the thought occurred to me. It wasn’t like Rhys was going to come down thechimney.

Reagan shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“I guess we’ll find out.” Ismiled.

“That we will.” She grinnedback.

“Want a glass of wine?” Iasked.

“You read my mind.”

There was a reason I was trying to keep her busy, and it wasn’t because Rhys was coming at any second. Reagan couldn’t go into the bedroom. There would be a chance she’d see my plan, and I couldn’t risk it. Rhys and Ashtyn had stopped by the house before arriving at my parents to carry out my plan. It was the only way to make it happen, given Reagan was home all day before we left to pick up the boys fordinner.

I poured us each a glass, and as I handed Reagan hers, Cohen and Tyson came running into the kitchen where wewere.

“We’re ready for bed,” Cohenannounced.

“Santa’s coming!” Tyson shoutedexcitedly.

“Did you brush your teeth?”

The boys shared a look, and I knew they hadn’t. I was going to tell them to do it, but then there was a knock on the front door. Apparently, Santa didknock.