Page 123 of My Best Bet

Colt sighed and hitched a thumb my way. “She’s wondering if we talked about her living arrangements behind her back,” hetold Hans, then he turned to me. “We did. I told him I hated your place. It’s cold and it’s unsafe. He told me to keep you at mine.”

My eyes widened. “You two… You two…” I struggled to decide on a word. “Scoundrels! You’re in cahoots?!”

Colt sucked in his bottom lip to keep from laughing, but he couldn’t hide his amusement. “Honey,” he ran a hand down my thigh. “I think it’s time we get rid of your apartment.”

“Oh, do you?” I shot back dubiously, crossing my arms.

Hans held a hand in front of mouth to stifle his chuckle. He slowly rose from his seat and shuffled toward the door. “I’ll leave you two to chat.”

Colt lifted his hat to rake a hand over his messy hair. “Why do you even want that apartment?”

“Because it makes me feel independent.”

He shrugged his large shoulders. “Come be independent at my place.”

I didn’t know how to tell him that getting rid of my place was like getting rid of the safety net. If we didn’t work out, I’d have nowhere to go.

He arched an eyebrow at me. “Don’t think that way.”

“What way?” I demanded.

He blew on his concession stand hot chocolate. “You’re worried we’re not going to work out.”

My shoulders fell. I knew I was letting him down, but I couldn’t help but feel that way. “We haven’t even talked about where this is going, Colt.”

He frowned. “Do we really have to? We both know.”

“Do we?” I looked at him feeling helpless. “We’ve been back together for a few weeks–”

“Months. It’s almost December, sweetheart,” he said calmly.

I cocked my head to the side. “Saying ‘months’ is generous.”

He shrugged.

“Okay, so I’m going to move into my boyfriend-of-a-few months house?” I asked, hoping he’d hear how ridiculous that sounded.

He scoffed. “Yeah, that sounds bad.” He leaned his elbows on his knees and held his jaw in thought.

“See!” I popped out of my chair and paced the small room.

“Yeah, I'd rather be your husband.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. “What?” After a second of silence, I burst out laughing, but his face remained serious. “Colt, you can’t be serious?”

He shrugged and stood, towering over me. “When?” He gently pushed a strand of my hair back behind my ear, making a flurry of butterflies take off in my stomach– it was insane how he could still make me feel that way with such a little touch.

“What?” My eyes darted all over his face, trying to read him, trying to see if he was being for real.

He gave a slow grin. “When can I be your husband, Meredith Bennett?”

“You’re being crazy,” I said breathlessly.

He pulled me against him. “You’re already my wife in my mind. Let’s get rid of that apartment, yeah?”

I worried my bottom lip, thinking it over.

He could tell I was breaking down.

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