29. It Happened on Valentine’s
29
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 about kids 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 the rooftop disaster , as I referred to it.
We still had incredible chemistry and connection, like always, 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.”
“We will.” He melted his lips on mine. “And I love you, Chelsea.”
Rex Buchanan
As far as Chelsea knew, this brunch was in celebration of Colt heading off to boot camp. There was another reason entirely, and I had everyone in on it but her.
Since we got back together, surprising Chelsea became my favorite hobby. I was always leaving notes lying around in unexpected places for her to find. Bought tickets for us to attend concerts or plays together. I even jetted us off to a spa getaway one weekend.
I loved spending money on her, mostly because she didn’t take me or money for granted, often sometimes chastising me for spending too much on her. But it would never be enough. I’d spoil her, but I could never picture her turning spoiled or bratty.
Today would be my biggest surprise yet. We were to meet our families at Tetto, an Italian five-star restaurant in one of the high-rise buildings I own with incredible views of Manhattan. But I purposely made us late, hence our shower together after painting the posters for Colt.
When we arrived at Tetto, every table was empty, just like I’d requested, since I reserved the entire venue for the day.
“Oh no. Are you sure they’re open?” Chelsea asked given how quiet it was as we stepped off the elevator, except for some kitchen noise.
“Supposed to be.” I scratched the back of my head and really played it up. “I think I hear some sound over there. Let’s walk to the other end and see if maybe brunch is served down there.“
I had her walk in front of me, mostly so I could admire the way her tan suede thigh-high boots made her ass shimmy in a body-hugging cream-colored sweater dress.Buying her clothes was another new hobby of mine, and I’d picked this outfit for her, especially for this occasion.
The sound got louder as we reached a door on the opposite end of the restaurant, but we soon realized it was music. “I think we’re supposed to go in here.”
I opened the door and watched her face as she entered to the scene before her. Her eyes darted around and her face contorted. “Rex, what did you do?”
I took her by the hand and led her down a white aisle runner sprinkled with red rose petals, to a seven foot tall heart, covered completely in red roses—Except for two words spelled out in white roses across the middle: Marry Me.
Music softly played for us by a string quartet off to the side, and the walls of the room were decorated floor to ceiling with white linen curtains. The potent scent of roses wafted through the room and everything was just as I wanted it for her.
I got down on bended knee to deliver the most important speech of my life.
I took her hand, and a deep breath, and noticed she was already crying before I’d even begun.
“Boy, I really fucked this up last time. Didn’t I?”
She laughed so hard she snorted, bringing her hand to her nose. “Yes, you did.”
“So I’m pretty sure whatever I do this time is going to top that. But you know what? I just wanted to keep it simple. Last time I had all these plans and elaborate schemes and promises of money and buying you things, all to convince you to marry me and give me what I want. What a mess that was, right?”
“Yes.” She reached her hand out and fingered my hair off my forehead. I was kind of sweating it, even though I had confidence in what her answer would be.
“This time, there’s only one thing I’m offering. My heart.”
“Oh, Rex.”
“And this time, there’s only one thing I want. Your heart.”
She cried, and could no longer move her hands fast enough to stop the tears from rolling down. I reached a hand up to help.
“I know, it’s been a sort of whirlwind relationship, so fast, bumpy yet easy at the same time. Everything between us feels right. It did from the beginning, but we just didn’t have our acts together. Well, I didn’t. Thankfully, you gave me a second chance and now? Every day with you is one I don’t take for granted.”
One of the violinists broke away and brought Chelsea a handful of tissues, and we laughed and thanked them.
“So I don’t see why I should have to wait another year before I ask to spend the rest of our lives together when I already know that’s what I want to do. Chelsea Ruth Calhoun, would you do me the absolute honor of marrying me and being my wife?”
I held out the emerald ring Mom had given me. My parents had a pretty good marriage filled with love for each other, so hopefully this ring brought good luck. I pushed it onto her ring finger, and it fit perfectly.
“It’s so beautiful! Yes, Rex, I’ll marry you.”
I stood, and she launched into my arms, and I swung her around. “Thank you, sweetness. You’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been.”
After a few more kisses, I called out. “Okay everyone, you can come in now.”
Through the curtains, our families emerged upon us, hugging and congratulating.
My mother, who adored Chelsea, was the first to come up to us. “Oh, Rex, that was so beautiful.” What a touching moment of Mom gazing upon me lovingly. But it only lasted a second. “Now, Chelsea, next week, I have an appointment set up for lunch with the city’s top wedding planner. The ceremony will be at the Fifth Avenue Church, of course. And I’ve already checked on dates at the Plaza Hotel for the reception. How do you feel about a Christmas wedding? I know it only gives us about ten months to plan but?—”
“Mom,” I warned. Chelsea had the deer in the headlights look, so I interrupted. “Do you think you can let my future bride and I just enjoy the day today? Save the planning fest for next week.”
“Oh, you’re right. I’m just so excited. We’re finally going to have a Buchanan wedding. And it’s going to be perfect, mark my words.” Miriam hugged us and moved on to talk to the rest of the family.
“Um. What did you just get me into?” Chelsea buried her face in my lapel.
“Don’t worry, sweetness. We’ll get through this together. You’ll see. I love you, you love me, and that’s all that’ll ever matter.”