by Vi Keeland
He stood behind me and squeezed my shoulders. “Mrs. Parker is sentimental, so I took her to the place we first met for dinner. I had been planning to propose to her for a while, but she was busy with her new company, so the right time never presented itself. We’d just found out that she was pregnant, and I decided right time or not, I was going to pop the question.”
My mouth hung open. Not because he was weaving yet another crazy tall tale, but because he couldn’t possibly know the irony of the story he was telling. The afternoon before I’d left for California, I had found out I was pregnant. I just hadn’t had a chance to tell him yet, and here he was making it up as part of his crazy story. I decided I had to add to his tale. It would be fun later when he found out that my addition to his story wasn’t fiction like his. Taking his hand, I brought it to my stomach. “We’re actually expecting another child now.”
Chase smiled, pleased I was playing along, and rubbed my tummy as he continued. “Anyway. When we first got together, she made us keep it a secret because I was her boss. I’m a little territorial when it comes to the Mrs., and that never sat right with me. But then she went and quit on me—that’s a whole other story—and started her own successful company, so I figured it was okay to make a public statement. While she wasn’t paying attention, I had all of our friends and family slip into the restaurant. You see, back then, before the first two kids came, she was still googly-eyed over me. People could come and go, and she didn’t notice most of the time when we were together.”
Opal smiled. “I don’t think that’s changed. I see the way she’s looking at you right now. Your wife is still pretty smitten.”
Chase looked at me. “I’m one hell of a lucky guy.”
“So you proposed in front of all your friends and family in the restaurant where you had your first date? That’s beautiful.” Opal said. “Henry wasn’t quite as romantic. He was about to get on the bus to go for his second tour in the army, and he asked me if I wanted to get hitched. Didn’t even have a ring.”
“Considering it’s been forty years, I’m thinking it all worked out pretty well anyway.” I looked up at Chase. “It’s not the proposal that’s important. It’s the man you spend the next forty years with. I would’ve been happy with any proposal from this crazy man.”
Chase grumbled, “Now you tell me.”
The hostess came to tell Opal and Henry their table was ready and said ours would be just a few more minutes.
“It was nice meeting you, Opal, Henry,” I told them. “I hope you have a great anniversary.”
“You too, dear.”
After they disappeared, Chase kissed me again.
“I missed you,” he groaned into my mouth.
“I missed you, too.”
“You should come back and work for me. I like having you in the office every day.”
“You like having me on your desk, you mean.”
“That, too. But the place isn’t the same without you.”
“I saw your new billboard on my way over. It came out great.”
A week after we got back together, Chase had painted over the existing Parker Industries ad that had been on the building across the street from his office for years. We’d never spoken about him changing it, but I knew it was monumental that he’d gotten rid of an ad featuring Peyton. This week, while I was away, an image from his new ad campaign had finally been put up over it.
Although I wasn’t the one who’d created the final ad, I’d been part of the ground-floor brainstorming on that campaign, and it warmed me to know a piece of me was up there now where he could see it from his office. He was truly moving on.
That’s why when we were cleaning out his place to make room for some of my stuff, and I noticed Peyton’s guitar had been packed away, I’d insisted he keep it out. She was part of his life, part of the man he was today. I didn’t want to replace those memories. I wanted to make new ones with him, be part of the dreams that freed him from the nightmares.
Eventually, the hostess came and told us our table was ready, and we followed her back to the dining room.
“Is this the right table?” she asked as we arrived at the same spot where we’d been seated a year ago tonight.
Chase looked to me. “It is. Right, Buttercup?”
I was touched he actually remembered. “You know it was exactly a year ago we sat here, right?”
“I do.”
He pulled out my chair before taking his seat. We both sat exactly where we had on that first night.
“Do you remember which table I was sitting at before I moved to yours?” Chase asked.
“I do.” My eyes searched across the restaurant, and I pointed, remembering that night. “You and your date were sitting right over…” I squinted, sure my eyes were playing tricks on me. “Right over—wait…is that? Oh my God. Is that, is that Owen?”
My brother smiled, held up a champagne glass, and tilted it in my direction with a nod.
Chase didn’t turn around. “It is.”
There was no surprise at all in his voice. I looked to him, confused.
He smiled mischievously. “See anyone else you know?”
For the first time, I looked around the room, and it was as if all the faces suddenly came into focus. There were my parents to the left. Chase’s sister, Anna, and her family to the right. In fact, the entire restaurant was filled with our family and friends.
My old boss, Josh, and his new wife, Elizabeth.
My best friend and business partner, Jules, and her boyfriend, Christian.
Travis, Lindsey, the entire Parker Industries marketing department.
Chase leaned in and whispered, “It really is my Aunt Opal and Uncle Henry’s anniversary. That part was just a coincidence.”
I was confused as hell.
Why was everyone here?
And why was everyone smiling and staring at me?
My mind was a muddled mess. I couldn’t even add two plus two and see that everyone was there four me.
Until…
Chase stood.
The restaurant, which had been a loud rumble, suddenly quieted.
Everything after that happened in slow motion. All of our family and friends faded away as the man I love got down on one knee. I heard and saw nothing but him.
“I had this whole thing to say planned out in my head, but the minute I saw your face, I completely forgot every word. So I’m just going to wing it here. Reese Elizabeth Annesley, since the first time I laid eyes on you on that bus in middle school, I’ve been crazy about you.”
I smiled and shook my head. “You got the crazy part right.”
Chase took my hand, and it was then I noticed his was shaking. My cocky, always-confident bossman was nervous. If it was possible, I fell a little more in love with him in that moment. I squeezed his hand, offering reassurance, and he steadied. That’s what we did for each other. I was the balance to his unsteadiness. He was the courage to my fear.
He continued. “Maybe it wasn’t a school bus or middle school, but I fell hard for you in the hall, that much I’m sure of. From the moment I saw your beautiful face light up that dark hallway a year ago, I was done. I didn’t even care that we were both on dates with other people, I just needed to be closer to you any way I could. Since then, you’ve distracted me every day whether you’re near me or not. You brought me back to life, and there’s nothing I want to do more than build that life with you. I want to be the man to look under your bed every night and wake up next to you in it every morning. You’ve changed me. When I’m with you, I’m myself, only a better version, because you make me want to be a better man. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want it to start yesterday. So, please tell me you’ll be my wife because I’ve already been waiting for you my entire life, and I don’t want to wait any more.”
I pressed my forehead to his as tears streamed down my face. “You know I’m going to be even crazier once we live together, and probably even worse when we ha
ve our own family. Three locks might turn to seven, and doing my check in that big house of yours is going to take a long time. It might get old and tiring. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to change any of that.”
Chase reached behind me and bunched my hair into his hand, cupping it along with the nape of my neck.
“I don’t want you to change. Not any of it. I love everything about you. There’s not a single thing I’d change if I could. Well, except your last name.”
Dear Readers,
Want an exclusive sneak peek at my next release, co-written with the amazing Penelope Ward? Just click to sign up for our mailing list, and you’ll receive back an EXCLUSIVE look at Playboy Pilot.
Read Chapter 1 of Playboy Pilot right now!
Acknowledgements
The true list of people I should thank for helping to release this book might actually be longer than the book itself! First and foremost, thank you to the readers—your continued support and excitement for my books never ceases to amaze me. As an avid reader myself, I recognize there are many, many choices, and I’m flattered that you chose me amongst the sea of wonderful authors.
To Penelope – Even though we spend half of every day chatting away, I don’t say thank you nearly enough. Thank you for…well…everything! You’re my sounding board, advice columnist, grammar queen, human diary, business partner, and beautiful friend. Thank you a million times — I’m sure I owe you that many by now.
To Julie – Thank you for your friendship and support. Who else would I run crazy business ideas by?
To Luna – For keeping Vi’s Violets active with your beautiful teasers and excitement. Your enthusiasm is contagious, and your friendship and loyalty are a gift.
To Sommer – You’ve absolutely outdone yourself with the Bossman cover. I love it and all the stunning teasers. I don’t know how we will ever top this one!
To my agent, Kimberly Brower – For always thinking outside the box. You create new ways to help an author grow and are never afraid to challenge tradition and forge your own way.
To Lisa – For organizing the release tour and all of your support.
To Elaine and Jessica – For making my New York laden grammar appropriate for publishing.
To all of the incredible bloggers that help me every day – Thank you for taking time to read my books, write reviews, share teasers, and help spread your love of reading! I am humbled by all of your support. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Much love
Vi
Other Books by Vi Keeland
Standalone novels
The Baller
Stuck-Up Suit (Co-written with Penelope Ward)
Cocky Bastard (Co-written with Penelope Ward)
Left Behind (A Young Adult Novel)
First Thing I See
Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)
Beat
Throb
MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)
Worth the Fight
Worth the Chance
Worth Forgiving
The Cole Series (2 book serial)
Belong to You
Made for You