11. Rosalie
11
ROSALIE
I sit behind the counter at Peak Sweets, fiddling miserably with a screwed up chocolate bar wrapper. Usually, chocolate makes everything better, but not today. I feel drained and empty, and I can’t bring myself to flip the sign on the door to open. I don’t think I can face anyone right now, especially not on Valentine’s Day. Watching happy customers buy chocolates for their loved ones is more than I can bear after the morning I’ve had.
And I only have myself to blame.
I feel like such an idiot for letting myself fall so fast. I’ve been single all my life, too interested in running the candy store to let anybody in. Then the one time I let my guard down and give my heart to somebody, it’s a man I’m fake dating—a grumpy lumberjack who doesn’t believe in love.
Why didn’t I listen to him?
I should have believed him, instead of secretly hoping I could change his mind. Now I’ve made a gigantic mess of everything. I’m still going to lose Peak Sweets and my apartment; Boone can’t claim his inheritance—we’re back to square one, in the same position as before we met. But this time, it’s worse. Now it’s not just my life that’s in tatters—it’s my heart. The pain in my chest is unbearable. It’s like my insides are being squeezed by an iron fist, making it hard to breathe.
Screw it, I’m not opening the store.
I grab a couple of chocolate bars, ready to head up to my apartment and spend Valentine’s Day wallowing in bed. But just as I’m about to turn off the lights and go upstairs, the door bursts open, and Boone strides inside, his blue eyes burning with urgency.
Oh, God.
Seeing him is like a punch to the gut. I feel like I’m back in his cabin, overhearing his phone call again.
Not real.
Just some girl.
I’ve been replaying those words non-stop in my mind, and as I meet Boone’s gaze, it feels like my heart will break all over again. Part of me knew he’d come. Even if our fake relationship meant nothing to him, he’s bound to be pissed off that I’ve jeopardized his chances of claiming the inheritance. And deep down, despite my wounded pride, I know I should see this through to the end. Leaving the ring and running away this morning was rash—I was thinking with my heart, not my head. We’re so close. Lloyd is almost convinced, and if I can bury my broken heart for a little while, just until Boone gets his money…well then, at least I’ll get to keep my candy store.
At least there can still be one good thing to come out of this.
“Rosalie—” he begins, staring down at me.
“I know what you’re going to say.”
He frowns, swallowing hard. “You do?”
I nod, turning around, keeping my back to him. I don’t want him to see the tears welling in my eyes. “You’re going to say I’m making a mistake, and you’re right. It was stupid to take off like that. I…I’ll show your grandpa the ring and then we can finally end this. If he thinks we’re engaged, then hopefully that will be enough. You’ll get your money and then we’ll call the engagement off, just like we planned.”
There’s silence for a moment.
“That’s not what I was going to say.”
I take a deep breath and, with a burst of courage, I turn around to face him, meeting his gaze. “What were you going to say, then?”
Boone takes a step toward me, closing the space between us. “Why did you leave, Rosalie? Why did you write that note?”
I feel my cheeks heat. I don’t want to admit that I eavesdropped on his phone call, but there’s no way around it.
“When I woke up, I went looking for you,” I tell him quietly. “You were on the phone and…well, I heard what you said.”
Boone’s frown deepens. “What did you hear?”
The thought of repeating it makes me flinch, but I take a deep breath and say, “You said this wasn’t real. That I was just some girl you met on the street.” My throat tightens, but I continue, “I know it’s the truth, but I guess I just assumed after last night, you might feel differently…but I was wrong. It was a dumb mistake.”
Boone’s expression clears, like he finally has the answer to an important question. “Is that all you heard?”
I nod. “I didn’t stick around to hear more after that. It was enough to remind me that this is all fake…”
Boone runs a hand over his face, groaning deeply. “I’m sorry you heard that, Rosalie. It’s not fake. It was never fake. Fuck, I wish you could have heard the rest of the conversation.”
My heart thumps at his words. “What do you mean?”
“I was talking to my sister,” he says. “Grandpa told her about our relationship and she called me for details. I told her how it started—a fake relationship with some girl I met by chance outside a candy store. But then I said everything changed. My feelings for you, Rosalie…they’re real. Hell, I think they were real from the minute I met you, when you were still just a stranger.” He reaches out to stroke my cheek, his thumb brushing my skin. “I love you, Rosalie. That’s what I told my sister. I told her I’m completely fucking in love with you.”
It feels like all the air has been sucked from the room. My head is spinning as I process Boone’s words, and I can see the truth in his eyes. They’re glistening with emotion.
“And even if you don’t feel the same way,” he continues, “I’ll still give you the money for your store. I care about you, sugar, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you get to keep this place.”
All I can do is gawk at him for a moment.
He loves me.
How could I have gotten it so wrong?
My heart leaps as reality finally sinks in, and I throw my arms around Boone’s neck, melting against his powerful chest.
“I love you too, Boone. I love you so much.”
He smells familiar—whiskey and pine—and I drink him in, squeezing him tight. The misery I’ve been feeling all morning dissolves in an instant as Boone holds me, brushing feathery kisses on my cheeks. Eventually, he lets out a shuddering breath and pulls back to look at me, grinning beneath his beard.
“Well, in that case, sugar…”
I watch in awe as he sinks down onto one knee, pulling out the ring I left behind.
“I want you to wear it for real this time.” He holds it out to me, his eyes fixed on mine. “I didn’t even believe love existed until I met you. But you made a believer out of me, just like you said you would. And now I know love is real, because I love you more than anything in the whole damn world. So, Rosalie…will you marry me?”
It feels like I might burst with happiness. Tears stream down my face, and I beam at him as I say, “Yes, Boone, I’ll marry you. I’d love that more than anything.”
He slides the engagement ring onto my finger, and the world seems to glow all around us as he straightens up and lifts me into his arms, twirling me around. I laugh with delight as he smothers me with kisses, feeling happier than I’ve ever felt in my life.
I’m going to be Boone’s wife.
The thought makes my belly erupt with butterflies. I never imagined our fake relationship would end like this—with a ring on my finger and my future-husband holding me tight. But I’m so happy it did. I can’t imagine life without my handsome lumberjack, and I can’t wait to spend forever with him.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Boone,” I say, beaming at him.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Rosalie.”
And as his sky-blue eyes pierce mine, overflowing with love, I wonder how I ever thought we were just pretending.