Page 51 of Pursued By My Grumpy Fiancé
“Hailey, I had the perfect day with you yesterday. I came home from work to all the effort you put in for our movie night. I cuddled on the couch with you and ate cold popcorn while we watched your favorite movie.”
“Hey! The popcorn wouldn’t have been cold if you didn’t take so long getting home.” Her bottom lip juts out in a pout.
I chuckle at her expression, and eventually she joins me.
“Not the point. Cuddling with you on that couch was the perfect way to end the day for me, especially after the crappy meeting I had. Then, you showed me thrifting, which I’ll be honest, isn’t for me. But, it helped me understand you, to see the kind of things you do and the types of places you buy from. I loved seeing that side of you—I even liked picking out a silly outfit for you to wear, which didn’t even look silly because you somehow manage to make everything you wear look completely incredible.”She smiles softly and looks at the floor, embarrassed. Her freckled cheeks turn a rosy pink color.
“And that was the best crab I’ve ever eaten.”
“I knew you’d like it.” She grins.
“And the row boat,” I whisper softly. “The row boating was the best part. I feel like we connected deeply, in a way that I’ve never connected with anyone before.”
“I feel the same way,” she whispers as she examines my face.
“But why is all of this important? What’s it have to do with us?”
“Hailey, I want to be with you. I want to be in a real relationship with you.” I say nothing else, leaving that hanging in the air for her to absorb.
She’s quiet, staring at me with those beautiful green eyes.
“You want to be with me?” She takes in a deep breath as her eyes start to fill with moisture.
“Yes, of course—why are you upset?”
She bursts into a smile and wipes away her tears.
“No, I’m not upset! I’m just—these are tears of joy!” I get up and swoop her into a hug. She throws her arms around me, squeezing me close to her.
I put her down and she looks up at me.
“So, we are in a real relationship,” she states, and a huge smile spreads over her face.
“We are in a real relationship. No contracts, either.”
“Oh, yeah. Does this mean our contract is null and void?” she asks, picking up her mug of coffee.
“Hmmm.” I lean against the wall and think. “I suppose it does, but also, it doesn’t? I mean, we are in a real relationship, but we still aren’t technically engaged.”
“Yeah, and it’s much too soon for that,” she says, eyeing me like she’s waiting for a certain reaction.
“It might be. I mean, this is just the beginning of our actual relationship. Maybe we shouldn’t rush into an engagement right away.” I give her a goofy grin and she rolls her eyes.
She sways over to the couch, her hips moving seductively. I follow her lead and take a seat next to her amongst the soft cushions.
“Seriously, though. What does this mean? If we decide we want to be together for real, then what? You can’t propose to me in public. It would have to be a more private affair.” She thoughtfully takes a sip of her drink.
I sit back and clasp my hands in front of my stomach. That is true.
“Would you prefer a more public proposal?” I ask her after a moment.
She blushes as the idea bounces around in her head.
“Funny that you ask now,” she mutters, and I laugh.
Even in her embarrassment, she’s quick as a whip. Her wit is one of the things I really admire about her.
“In all honesty, I hadn’t put a lot of thought into it. There’s something really sweet and sentimental about a private proposal. It can be tailored to perfectly fit the person you’re proposing to. On the other hand, though, I love public proposals. I think the idea of getting up in front of a ton of people, and publicly declaring ‘I love this person, and I want to spend the rest of my life with them’ is truly the most romantic gesture that can be made.”
