Page 104 of You Chive Me Crazy

I chuckled as I spooned the casserole onto plates and set them down on the table next to the red roses. “As long as they are happy tears, I don’t have a problem with that.”

I opened the bottle of wine and poured two glasses, handing her one.

“To us,” I said.

Zoe nodded. “To us.”

We clinked glasses and sat down for dinner. Luckily, the tuna noodle casserole turned out just how Zoe remembered, bringing her back to so many wonderful memories. As we ate, we chatted about my TV show and the production schedule, her franchise deal, future vacation destinations, even Rolando and Savannah.

After I cleared the plates, I grabbed Zoe by the hand and led her back to the living room for one more surprise, another song, this time on my piano.

I sat on the bench seat and wiggled around, getting comfortable.

Then I played “Say You Love Me” by Fleetwood Mac.

Zoe’s eyes lit up. “I love this song! How did you know?”

I just shrugged, smiled, and kept playing as she sang along.

When I finished, I stood and pulled her in my arms.

“Was that a hint for me to say it?” Zoe asked, referring to the title of the song as she gave me a flirty smile.

I shook my head. “Not at all. I just wanted to—”

“I love you,” she blurted out.

“Okay then, you can say it,” I said, chuckling in amusement. “And nothing makes me happier than to hear those three words from you.” I caressed the side of her cheek and pulled her closer. “I love you, too. I want to be the man who always makes you happy. I want to be the guy who saves you from the big, bad, hairy spiders in your life.”

A tear traveled down her cheek. “Yes, please.”

“You mean the world to me. I hope you know that.”

Zoe nodded. “You’ve been proving that to me every single day. We make a good team.”

“And we have the perfect recipe for a happy life,” I said, kissing her on the lips until her knees buckled.

And with that, my rollercoaster of a life was back on track, now a locomotive, full steam ahead, barreling towards a bright and happy future.

THE END