Page 67 of The Proposal
“I don’t know,” I say, teasing her. “I’m afraid of what you might say.”
She scoffs. “Renn Patrick, you underestimate me if you think there’s no chance of me having Jason fly me to Australia to meet your wife.”
I laugh, my eyes trained on Blakely. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
“My mom wants to say hello,” I say, tilting my mouth away from the phone. “You don’t have to humor her.”
“Renn…” she warns from the other side of the world.
Blakely holds a hand with sheer pink nails. “Gimme.”
I give her the phone. “Is the phone all you want? Because you, my lady, are smoking hot.”
“Behave. Your mother can hear you.” She blushes and lifts the device to her ear. “Hi, Mrs. Brewer.”
I can’t hear what my mother says. I only know it makes Blakely laugh.
She moseys around the room, totally at ease. She chats with my mom about our wedding, filling in details, which I’m pretty sure she fabricates, and what led to our decision.
“Oh, you know—tequila,” Blakely says, lifting her gaze to mine. A playful smile kisses her lips as she laughs at my mom’s reply. “That whole night is such a blur. But that’s how it’s supposed to be, right? When you’re in love and marrying the man of your dreams, you get lost in the bliss.”
I raise my brows approvingly. “The man of your dreams?” I whisper.
She rolls her eyes. “Yes, Mrs. Brewer, that sounds lovely. Let’s have lunch when we get back to Tennessee.” Blakely’s eyes widen. “Absolutely. Here’s Renn.”
I take the phone from a flustered Blakely.
“Okay, Mom,” I say, my heart beating fast. “I need to go take care of my wife.”
“I love this for you, Renn. I really do. She sounds like a delight.”
“I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
“Renn?” Mom asks.
“Yeah?”
“Coffee, dogs, and she’s absolutely stunning.”
Will she want coffee or tea? Does she like dogs, or should I put Willard and Winifred in the kennel when she comes to visit? And it helps to know what she looks like …”
I grin.
“Are you happy?”I ponder the question for a few moments, taking stock of how I feel.Am I happy?
I shouldn’t be. I should be afraid of losing my contract, fucking up Dad’s deal, and dealing with my father when we return to the States.Of being married. But the longer I think about it, the more evident it becomes that the only thing that makes me unhappy is the idea of going back home.
Is it the excitement of something new that’s giving me a shot of adrenaline? Maybe.Is it being back in Australia, a place that feels a lot like home? Could be.Or am I truly enjoying being around a woman who has fascinated me from the moment I met her but has been off-limits from day one?
My stomach knots. “Mom?”
“Yes, son?”
I watch Blakely inspect her manicure and feel a deep sense of satisfaction from knowing I did something to make her feel good.
“I am,” I say. “I really think I might be.”
