Page 74 of The Kitchen Contract

“I do.” He nods firmly, gently squeezing my shoulders. “I love you more than anything and anyone—no offense guys.” He glances around at the crowd of family members.

“None taken,” Maddy says with a sniff that says she’s tearing up like me at the intensely romantic scene unfolding before her.

“So when I say that I’m willing to do what it takes to be with you and make this happen for you, I mean it. It would be my privilege to follow you to California and make a bizarre career pivot from HR manager to cooking show host.”

A laugh slips out of me.

“Please let me do this, Rose.”

I launch myself into his arms, plopping into his lap and burying my face in his neck.

“Is that a yes?” he asks with a chuckle.

I pull back and look into his eyes. “Yes,” I whisper. “And I love you too.”

He hooks a hand behind my neck and pulls me forward to plant a sweet kiss on my forehead.

His grin when he leans back to look at me is enchanting. “We’re going to California.”

EPILOGUE

ALEX

Today is a big day – and that’s saying something when I think about how many “big things” have happened in the last year, from new babies to job changes.

It turns out that nobody had to move to California. Not thirty seconds after Nora and I declared our love for each other in Maddy’s kitchen, Chris said, “I think you’re asking the wrong question.” Chris is pretty quiet, so when he speaks, the family usually listens.

He proceeded to tell us that contract negotiation is a normal part of any business and outlined a revised filming schedule just off the top of his head that would make it possible for us to live in Nashville and make several trips to California to shoot episodes in batches. I guess he deals with negotiations at work a lot.

After I got over feeling like a complete idiot for not thinking of that myself, we got to work drafting a response that included those changes. After several days of back and forth, the network agreed. So now, Nora and I fly west for a few days a month, and I work remotely during that time around the filming schedule. Season one of From Couch to Potatoes was such a hit that we’ve already started filming season two.

Nora was able to quit her job at the restaurant and now spends her days developing new recipes and forwarding sponsorship and collaboration requests to the network. She also re-enrolled in culinary school after learning that the administration went through a major overhaul not long after she was expelled. She’s acing her classes and comes over every weekend with new cooking techniques to try out in my kitchen.

I’ve learned a lot over the course of all those cooking lessons myself, and tonight I’m putting my skills to good use.

I bend down to look inside the oven and check the progress of my gruyere-topped artisan toast. The cheese is bubbly so I pull it out and set it aside. I’ve already ladled two bowls of French onion soup and drizzled two plates of spring greens with the vinaigrette I mixed a few minutes ago.

I look at my watch again and bounce on my toes. Nora should be here any minute, so I slide the toast into the soup and carry the bowls to the dining room table, which is set with cloth napkins I borrowed from Maddy, two vanilla-coffee-scented candles, and a small bouquet of lavender stems in a glass vase.

I set the bowls down and nearly hit the ceiling when I turn around to find Nora standing right behind me.

“You’re silent as death,” I say, with a hand over my pumping heart. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Sorry,” she giggles, leaning in for a kiss. “What’s all this?”

I open my mouth to say something glib, like “Can’t a guy make his girlfriend a fancy dinner?” but I swallow that comment. I’d planned to do this after we’d enjoyed a romantic dinner together, but now that she’s here in front of me, I can’t wait.

I take her left hand in both of mine and slowly lower to one knee. Her free hand jumps up to cover her gasp as she stares at me with wide eyes.

“Rose, I think you know this by now, but I would follow you across the country—across the world. You have brought so much joy into my life and chased away the loneliness. You’ve taught me and challenged me and accepted me. And most of all, you’ve loved me. We spend a ton of time together, and yet somehow, it’s never enough. You’re my best friend, and I’m desperately hoping you might agree to become my wife so that I can spend even more time with you. Will you marry me, Rose?”

She leans down to press her lips to mine in a tender kiss that makes my heart swell until it feels like my chest might explode.

“Yes,” she whispers against my mouth. “I will marry you, Xander.”

I stand and bring my mouth down on hers, deepening the kiss and reveling in her response. After a moment, I pull back, getting ahold of myself.

“I haven’t even given you your ring yet,” I tell her, admiring the way her pink lips are swollen from my kiss. I tuck my hand into my pocket and pull out a velvet box.

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