Page 36 of Keeping Happily Ever After

“Wait.” She blinked hard. “Fire chief? What? Did you get the job and you didn’t tell me?”

He was trying not to smile, but failing so miserably, Bella couldn’t help but think it was the most adorable thing she’d ever seen. “Jeremy!” She smacked his chest playfully. “Start talking, buddy. Because if you’re keeping secrets about—”

“It’s not a secret.” He caught her hand in his and held it. “Well, it is, I guess.” His face clouded in momentary confusion. “I mean…it’s freezing out here. Let’s get inside where it’s warm.”

She let him lead her back into the cabin, which was now thankfully not nearly as smokey as it had been earlier. The fire crackled in the hearth, warming the small space and making it feel very cozy and welcoming.

Jeremy had brought in what seemed like piles of blankets and pillows, some of which he’d set up on the floor in front of the fire. He led her there now. “Warm up. You’re freezing and I can’t have you catching pneumonia or risking your voice.”

Instinctively, Bella’s hand reached for her throat and gave it a gentle rub. “I’m fine.” She settled onto the blankets and crossed her legs before grabbing a pillow to hold in her lap. “But I won’t be if you don’t tell me what’s going on. Did you get the fire chief job?”

Annoyingly, he didn’t answer, but turned around and selected a bottle of red wine from the counter. He opened it and brought it, along with two glasses, to where she was sitting.

“Jeremy, I wouldn’t say that I’m an impatient person, but…”

He laughed and poured her a glass that he handed her. “I’m not trying to torture you.”

“Could have fooled me.” She shook her head. Bella knew in her heart that Jeremy was going to get the fire chief job. How could he not? There was no one more devoted to the fire department than Jeremy, and she wasn’t being biased, either. Everyone said so. The department had been Jeremy’s whole life since he was a little kid. There was nothing he’d wanted more, and it wasn’t just hiswantthat made him perfect for the job. He genuinely cared about people. He would be one hundred percent fair, and always have the best interests of Glacier Falls in mind. Of that, there was no doubt. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going a little bit crazy waiting for him to actually tell her the news.

“Okay,” he finally said. “I’ll tell you.”

“You got it.”

“It’s not official.”

That’s all Bella needed to hear. She squealed and almost dumped her full glass of wine on him as she launched herself forward to give him a hug. “Of course you got it! I’m so proud of you.”

“You know it’s not official, Bella. I wasn’t even supposed to say anything yet, but I couldn’t not tell you, because…” He dropped his eyes, his face turning serious. “Because…well…Bella, because I can’t imaginenottelling you these things. I think I’m…no. That’s wrong. I don’t think anything. Iknow.” Jeremy cleared his throat and took the glass of wine from her hand before she could take a sip.

Her stomach clenched in a tight ball and her breath came fast. They’d only been dating about a month, and half of that time, she hadn’t even been in town. But still, she knew what he was going to say. She sucked in a breath, ready to say the words in return.

He cupped her cheeks with both hands and looked her straight in the eye. “Bella, I know it’s fast, but I know how I feel, and I just think life is too short not to just…”

“I totally agree.”

“You do?”

She nodded, barely able to contain her own excitement. “I do.”

“Oh, thank God.” He took a deep breath and released it with a shake of his head.

She could hardly wait for him to say it. The words were on the tip of her tongue, too.

“Because, Bella, I’m totally in love with you.”

The words fell off his tongue and rushed through her. She closed her eyes and let herself revel in the moment. Bella was so completely consumed by what she was feeling for this man in front of her that it took her a second to come back to reality and realize he was still speaking and she’d totally missed what he was saying. But it didn’t matter.

“Yes!” she blustered out. “I love you, too. And—”

“Yes?”

“Of course.” Bella laughed. “It’s just always felt so right with you.”

Jeremy sat back on his heels. His eyes darkened with the seriousness of the moment. “So, you’ll marry me?”

He had no idea he was going to ask her to marry him. He hadn’t planned it. Not even a little. Hell, he hadn’t even thought about it himself. Not really. Not in any kind of serious way. But being there with her…declaring his love for her…it just felt right. And after hearing about the chief job and with Bella’s movie role…it was perfect. It was all perfect. Everything was lining up and it just felt right, so he said it.

And then she’d said yes.

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