Page 110 of Worth the Chase

“Stay,” I directed.

Bells stopped getting out. Walking over to her side, I opened the door and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her up easily.

“I’m perfectly capable of getting out of this monstrosity on my own,” she snarled.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said because I wasn’t going to start arguing with her already. I needed to save all my energy in case she shot me down in front of everyone.

When we walked through the doors of the resort, her eyes bugged out of her head. “The new theme!”

That was the reaction we always got whenever the season changed or someone new came inside. The resort theme was magical and eye-catching. I spotted the photographer taking pictures of the theme, trying to blend in so Bells wouldn’t notice her.

“Can we see it?” she asked.

“After we eat,” I said, and she looked only a little disappointed. “I want to show you something first.”

I started weaving her through the theme, bypassing most of it to get to the exit quicker.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Outside really quick,” I said, my heart feeling like it was about to pound right out of my chest.

I pushed through the glass doors and into a section of the resort that I’d been working on with the design team for weeks. Bells and I were surrounded by what looked like a flower bedroom. It was an exact replica of her old room at her parents’ house. There was a flower Bells sitting at a desk, writingI HEART MATTHEWon a piece of paper, and a flower Leo standing behind her, frowning with his arms crossed.

“What is this?” She looked around before looking at me. “Is this my bedroom?”

“Come on.” I reached for her once more and led her to the next part.

There was a makeshift ice rink with hockey players on it. The one that looked like me was looking right at Bella in the stands instead of at the puck at his feet. It seemed fitting.

“What is going on?” She was still so confused. It was adorable.

“One more,” I said before leading her to the next design.

A flower-filled bar with tables and chairs. Bells was shaking up a drink, and I was sitting in a stool, staring at her with hearts in my eyes. Literally.

She laughed. “This is us.”

“It is,” I said.

I spotted all of our family sitting on the chairs before she did. I thought she thought they were made of flowers too. But when Jasper started wagging his tail, everything hit Bells all at once. I could literally see the pieces falling into place as she looked at our family before finally focusing on me.

She looked straight ahead, but I was no longer there. I’d dropped to one knee while she was distracted. When her eyes looked down, her mouth popped open, and she quickly covered it with both hands.

Holding a three-carat pear-shaped diamond between my fingers, I started my speech and hoped like hell I wouldn’t mess it up. “Bells, you might have been chasing me since you were a teenager, but I’ve been chasing you since the day I came back home. You’re the absolute best thing that’s ever happened to me. The only girl I’ve ever trusted. The only one I spilled my heart out to, even all those years ago, when we were just kids. You’ve been there for me through the worst times in my life, and I want you to be there with me through the best. I always thought that your brother was my best friend, but I was wrong.”

I stopped to glance at Leo. “Sorry, bro.”

A few laughs filled the air, and I looked back up at my girl.

“The truth is that you’re my best friend. You’re my home. I would do absolutely anything for you. Say you’ll do this one thing for me and marry me?”

I tried to swallow, but my throat felt like it had closed up. I could barely hear anything over the pounding of my heart in my ears. I was so damn nervous. The tears spilled down her cheeks as she nodded her head and said yes.

Shoving up from my bad knee, I stood and placed the ring on her finger. It was fucking huge on her hand. I loved it. She’d get used to it.

“Yes?” I asked again.

“Yes!” she answered again.

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