Page 77 of Interning For A Billionaire

“I don’t want to lose you ever again,” I said.

“You won’t,” she said.

“I want to make sure of that,” I said, and pulled out the little box I had in my jacket pocket. I saw Belle’s eyes open wide.

“Belle Scuziak, will you do me the honor of marrying me and being in my life, with me, for the rest of our lives?”

I opened the box and let her see the ring, which had cost a bit of money.

“Yes!” She didn’t hesitate, not for a second. We kissed and hugged and laughed and the dog started barking and her father came down to hear what the ruckus was all about. Then a bottle of bubbly was found and opened, and we drank that and before I knew it, the neighbors were knocking on the door, asking if they’d heard a shot and what was going on? And then Aunt Kate appeared at the top of the stairs and asked why we were having a party and she heard the news and came down the stairs to give me a hug and welcome me to the family.

It turned out to be a wild and weird and wonderful night.

Later, when everyone went back home again, after all the alcohol was finished, Belle and I talked about the future.

“Did you propose to me just so we could get around the HR policy at work?” she asked me, teasingly.

“That was a part of it, yeah,” I admitted. “But I’m planning on quitting anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think it’s time for a change,” I said. “I was thinking about it on the way here. I’ve had a one-track mind for years. Money and success. But I want that to change.”

“You have money now,” Belle reminded me.

“Yes, I do. Now I want to work on projects that I like and want to work on. Like the educational games. I’ve got an idea for an even better version, and I want to start a new company with Seth to work on it. Then we won’t be in the same company anyway.”

“It sounds exciting!” she said.

“Not as exciting as this,” I said, drawing her close. “I had to almost die to figure out what I really wanted in life.”

“A lifelong invitation to Christmas in Kansas?”

I had to laugh. “Yes! With turkey and roast potatoes and cranberry sauce!”

She went to fetch a blanket and some pillows, and we made a bed on the sofa.

“Your dad isn’t going to come down and shoot me when he finds us sleeping together, is he?” I asked.

“I think he’s pointed his gun at enough motherfuckers for today,” she said with a grin. We snuggled together on the couch and perhaps it was the whisky and the bubbly and traveling combined with the relief of finally having won Belle back that made me close my eyes contentedly.

As I drifted off to sleep, I felt her stroking my hair and whispering in my ear. The couch was lumpy and uncomfortable and not nearly big enough for the two of us. But I was happier being here with her than anywhere I had ever been before in my life, including my multimillion-dollar apartment with the Maxi DeLuxe 500 and all the latest and greatest of appliances and gadgets.

“Thank you for making me the happiest man on earth,” I muttered.

I felt her kissing my cheek.

“Thank you for coming down here, I know Kansas isn’t exactly on your list of travel destinations.

“Are you kidding? I love it here. All my favorite people are from Naln!”

Belle laughed. “You’ve even learned to say the name properly! We are obviously meant to be together!”

“Yes, my darling Belle,” I said, leaning in to kiss her, “We are.”

Epilogue

One year later….

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