Page 26 of Saved By the Sergeant

I can’t stop smiling as I watch him walk into the dining room. He stops in the doorway, turns, and shoots me a wink. “You’re mine tonight, sweetheart. All mine.”

Shivers race down my spine. It’s been a little over a year since he came into my life, and I can’t imagine a day without him. I’ve never felt so loved, so alive. Archie is my everything.

“Hey there, honey. Are you ready?” Ada peeks her head into the kitchen.

“I’m so excited, I can’t stand it.” I open the oven to show her the bubbling trays of macaroni and cheese. “This was our first meal. Along with this.” I race over to the refrigerator to show her the dishes of peach cobbler.

“Honey, you could make that man dirt sandwiches and he would gobble them up and then tell you how delicious they were. He adores you.”

“I adore him right back,” I blush.

“I know.” She scurries in to give me a hug. “I can’t wait to see his face when you tell him.”

“What if he doesn’t like it?” I chew the inside of my cheek. “Aw, what am I talking about? It’s too late now. In a minute, we’ll know what he thinks. Do you think I should feed him first?”

“Just tell him, honey. I think he’s going to surprise you.”

I turn off the oven, hang up my apron, and head for the pantry. I take out the posterboard, cross my fingers, and head to the dining room.

“What’s for dinner, Gennie?” Jude picks up his fork. “I brought my appetite.”

“We did, too.” Brock and Mitch declare.

“I’ll feed you in a few minutes. First, I need to do something.” I take a deep breath, then turn to Archie. “Remember what you told me the first time I cooked for you?”

“I think I used the word spectacular, sweetheart.”

“You did,” I smile. “And then you told me I should open my own restaurant.”

“I did.” He grins. “Are you opening your restaurant in Whiskey Creek, baby?”

“If I can get a partner.” I pick up the posterboard and turn it around. “What do you say, honey? Will you be my partner?”

He stares at the drawing of the restaurant I want to build next to Clyde’s General Store. “You sure you want to work that close to Clyde, honey? He’ll be coming over for a lot of free meals.”

“Hey, I’m not a freeloader. I pay my way.” Clyde snaps his suspenders against his chest.

“Just kidding,” Archie laughs. “You want to name our place, Happy’s?”

“I do.” My heart races to hear him say our place. “It was Happy that brought us together, honey.”

Archie gets out of his chair, tosses the posterboard to the floor, and snatches me off my feet. “I will be your partner in Happy’s and any way you’ll have me, sweetheart. You are my happy, baby.”

I grab his face in my hands. “I love you so much.”

“I love you right back.” He kisses me on the mouth. “But if we’re going to be partners in a restaurant, I say we should be partners in all things, and do it as Mr. and Mrs. Archer Bentley. What do you say?”

“I say yes.” I smile against his lips.

“Does this mean you’ll feed us now?” Jude holds up his empty plate.

“Yes,” I giggle. “As soon as Archie puts me down.”

“What if I told you I am never putting you down? I will carry you everywhere you go for the rest of my days on earth.”

“Then I would say I’m the luckiest girl in the world, honey.” As I stare into his chocolate brown eyes, I see every dream I didn’t know I had coming true. “Thank you for finding me, Archie. Thank you for loving me.” I brush my hand across his strong brow. “Thank you for being my happy.”

“Sweetheart, thank you for being mine.” He sets me down and whispers in my ear, “Tonight, let’s start making babies.”

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