Page 26 of Chef's Kiss

“How long have I been doing this particular show?”

I wait before replying. I want an answer, not a riddle, but I’ll play along…briefly. He better get to explaining fast. “Probably about eight or ten years now. Maybe twelve.”

“You say you’re a fan, so you should know right?”

“Now you’re questioning my loyalty?”

“I’m trying to prove a point. To show you I’m not lying, as apparently you’re having a hard time trusting me today for some reason.”

I think back. “Ten years. I think I can remember the first episode.”

“Great, and when was that episode on?”

Dammit! Just tell me already. “About this time of year.”

“No, it was this time of year.” He pauses. “Charlotte, today we were supposed to film the tenth anniversary episode, but without you there I convinced the producers to just film a regular episode.”

I swallow hard, feeling terrible, but still not one hundred percent convinced…but I’m getting there.

“I never wanted to do anything to hurt you, or hide you, or anything that wasn’t related to telling the whole world you were mine. My reality is that I saw guys who I know work for TMZ and quote unquote news outlets like that out front yesterday. They see one thing and it’s online in minutes. I was protecting you from them, not hiding you. You know how those guys can be.”

“Protecting me from what? That doesn’t make sense. You think they were going to say we were a big mismatch and make fun of us. I know that’s what it is.”

“That was a small part of it, yes. You’re young and gorgeous and I’m not. You’re happy and playful and I’ve become the old grouch that’s just grinding out another show for the sake of grinding out another show.” Suddenly I realize I totally misread this situation. The same fear I had was somewhat the same fear he had, just based on his insecurities, and not mine. “I didn’t want them to make fun of you for being with me when you could have anyone in the world. And not only that, you told me you don’t like being around too many people. There were literally dozens of cameras out front this morning, maybe a hundred or more as you probably saw on your way out. And they all have multiple ways to photograph and film us and like I mentioned, have it online in minutes. And once it’s there it’s there forever. Heck, I think some of them even livestream stuff these days, but that’s beyond the point. The point is, you’re perfect in all ways, and I’m some giant who’s addicted to making food on TV and going home to an empty house…a house you showed me could be a home, but only if you’re there by my side.”

I feel a tear forming in the corner of my eye and I feel absolutely terrible for misreading the situation. I bring my hands out of my lap and place them on the table. “Good, you just made this easier by giving me your hands.”

“What easier?”

“That’s another reason I didn’t want you stepping outside this morning.”

“What reason?”

“Have you been online today?”

“No. I didn’t want to see or hear anything.”

“Thank god,” he says, looking up to the ceiling. “I hate it when surprises get ruined.”

“What surprise?”

Without missing a beat, and faster than greased lightning, he slides out of his chair, around the table, and takes a knee next to me before he twists his wrist and I see a small, black, velvet box appear like magic.

“Now that I’ve got your hands I’m going to do what I was going to do on the anniversary show, but I’m not waiting until tomorrow. I’m claiming you now so the whole world can see.”

“Oh my god? Is that who I think it is?” some people whisper and chairs scoot across the floor but it’s all background noise, and I don’t hear a thing.

“Charlotte Chapman, when a man knows he knows. And the first moment I laid eyes on you, this man knew the answers to everything. You. You’re my everything and I want you to be mine. Forever. Make me the luckiest man on the face of the earth. Be me wife. Will you marry me?”

I look down at him and realize my crazy imagination got the best of me. Am I going to still keep reading books at a rate that will probably cause me to get a lifetime’s supply to extra strength Visine one day? Absolutely. But in this moment there’s no need to imagine, this is real. And I’m ready to step away from behind my Kindle and step in front of him. To stop living voraciously and live in real life. I used to think I bought books because HEAs just didn’t exist…until now. Until him. I’m going to keep reading about them, no doubt. But I also have no doubts I’m about to live mine out for the rest of my life, and it’s not just my imagination. It’s forever.

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