Chapter 11 Rosie
“And I would like everyone to give a special welcome to Houston Lonestar!
“ The crowd went wild before they even said the hockey player’s name.
The guy looked in my direction and winked.
He really thought very highly of himself.
I half clapped as I looked around the fully sold-out venue, trying to catch a glimpse of the most perfect baby-blue eyes but came up short.
That small bubble of hope that had come to life after talking to Abby was slowly deflating.
“And now, give a warm welcome to Moonlit Pines’ very own supermodel, Rose Walker!” the MC called. I stood and waved out to the crowd, a fake smile pasted on my face, before sitting back down.
The MC went on to explain the rules of the evening and just how speed dating would work. Names had been randomly shuffled, for the most part. I had a feeling Abby was trying her hand at playing matchmaker with a couple of people. I could only imagine who she’d set me up with.
There would be ten lightning rounds.
Five minutes each with questions in hand to help the conversations get going.
That would take a little over an hour and a half with a small ten-minute break.
From those ten people, you would put the top three people you would like to keep getting to know into the app for the event.
If your names matched up, you were sent to one ballroom, and the rest were sent to the other before the wall that separated the two spaces would be pulled back after an hour so that everyone could party and dance the night away.
It had sounded kind of fun before last night. now sounded worse than going in for a root canal.
“Okay, now, ladies! Go take your seats!” the MC called out.
I stood begrudgingly. Everything inside of me was yelling at me to go back to my place and call him. To check in and see how his daughter was doing and apologize for running away like a scaredy cat.
My eyes caught Abby’s, and she winked.
I couldn’t disappear.
Not when I’d promised Abby.
I watched as she looked at her phone, then me.
Something about it made my feet freeze just before I stepped off the stage.
She turned to the main door, where I noticed three very big, muscled security guards dressed in black suits stood.
But even as tall and muscular as they were, there was no missing the man on the other side facing off with them.
Caleb. Daddy.
He was talking to one of the security guards.
Caleb was back. He’d come back for me? Or for the event?
You know the answer to that! a voice inside my head said.
I blinked away tears. I glanced back at Abby, but she was already on her way to the doors.
She said something to the guard, and the three of them stepped aside, giving me a better view of Caleb wearing a light blue dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, paired with black slacks.
He was holding a pink donut box and a bag with what looked like a takeout container in it.
“Ohmygod,” I whispered under my breath as my lips started to quirk upward.
He’d gone to Pinehaven to check on his daughter and come back for me!
Not only that, but if I was right, those were what he owed me for being right about the rain last night!
Abby moved to stand in front of him. She was so short compared to him, but there was no denying she was probably warning him from hurting me.
Holy crap! Caleb is back!
I hadn’t lost my chance with him if he’d driven back, right?
I didn’t get much time to think because before I knew it, the crowd of people moved to the side, giving him a clear path as he rushed right over to the bottom of the stage.
Then he was right there. Staring up at me. I couldn’t see anything but him.
Mine, my heart said, and my brain agreed. I didn’t even pay attention to the cameras that started to pop up and probably were filming whatever the hell was going to unfold.
“Caleb.” I tried to think of something to say, but thankfully, he already had the words.
“Rosie,” he said my name, and just like that, my heart started to relax. “You were right.”
“I was?”
“About the rain. A bet’s a bet.”
“Oh.” I looked at the box of maple bars and bag that held the teriyaki bowl. “Is that why you came back?”
“Not even close.” He took a step up and then another, not stopping until he was in front of me, setting the things in his hands on the ground. Then he took my hands in his. “I love you, Rosie,” he blurted, and this time, it didn’t surprise me.
Those three words felt right. Perfect.
“Last night, bumping into you, going for a walk, dancing in the rain, you stole my heart in a matter of an hour. But when lightning struck and you looked at me, I knew it was love at first spark. It might sound cheesy and fast and too much, but… I’ve waited forty-five years to meet my other half.
Please tell me I didn’t mess things up this morning.
” The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop as everyone in the crowd held their breath.
“I love you, too,” I said. “You didn’t mess anything up.
” The whole room filled with cheers and gasps.
Not that I was able to pay them any attention, not when Caleb pulled me into his arms and picked me up like a groom carrying his bride.
I cupped his handsome face. He was really here!
He’d said all that in front of everyone! Talk about a grand gesture!
“What are you doing?” I laughed as I held on. His long legs didn’t stutter as he took two steps down at a time until he was on the ground and carried me out of the venue like I weighed nothing more than a sack of flour.
“Getting us the hell out of here to show you just how much I love you and how fucking serious I am about you.”
“You’re crazy.”
“About you.”
“What am I going to do with you?” I grinned, nuzzling his nose.
“Anything you want, baby girl. I’m yours.”
“And I’m yours,” I whispered back a millisecond before those promises were sealed with a kiss.