Page 12 of A Not So Casual Christmas

“He got in a lucky shot. I couldn’t let him raise the pistol up. It might have hit you. It got me in the thigh instead. Like I said, just a flesh wound. I’ve been shot before.”

Tessa took in a swift breath. “I know. I’ve seen the scars, but you wouldn’t talk about them.”

“I’ll talk about them now.”

“Not tonight. Tonight is just for us. We probably should forget about the hotel and go back to my parents’ house. The snow is getting heavy.”

Ben winked at her and turned the car around, heading for her parents’ home. “I seem to remember crashing on your parents’ couch in the basement a few times. Care to join me?”

“And give up my comfortable bed that I’m sharing with Becca who isn’t speaking with me at the moment? Hmm, let me think.”

“What’s Becca’s deal?”

“I can’t even, right now.” She shook her head. “She’s married to some English guy.”

“What the fuck?”

“That’s exactly what I said, but she’s refusing to talk about it and no one else knows.” She told him the story of the tiara and the cherry red Mustang.

“I could look into it, if you want.”

“Nah, Becca can’t keep a secret. It’ll come out eventually.”

He parked in her parents’ driveway and came around to help her out of the car. It was slippery out there.

“Ben!” her father said as they came through the door. He slapped him on the back and welcomed him like he was part of the family, which he was. He’d always had been. It was assumed that Ben would be joining them for dinner and even Becca perked up at seeing him.

Over dessert, he tapped on his wine glass and stood up. “I wanted to have a toast.”

Tessa smiled up at him. Everyone raised their glasses.

“To being together again.”

“Here, here.”

They clinked their glasses around the table. She was draining her glass when she heard her mother gasp. Ben had sunk down on one knee.

“I think I lost my contact,” he joked.

Tessa punched him hard in the chest.

“Oh, shit. That hurt. Here.” He handed her a ring box.

She shoved it back at him. “Do it right, asshole. I’ve been waiting my whole life for this.”

He sighed. “Fine. Tessa Kennedy, I’ve loved you from the moment you hit me in the face with a line drive.”

“If you were better with your glove it would have been an out,” she reminded him.

“There has been no one else I’ve wanted to be my wife. I want to grow old with you by my side. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Tessa nodded, suddenly too choked up to speak.

“Was that good enough or do you want me to do it again?”

“Do it again,” she whispered.

“I’m getting a cramp in my back.”

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