Page 116 of He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

‘Is there anything you miss about Seattle? We can go, make a new memory to replace the old?’

I glance over at him, flashing him a thankful grin. ‘I’ve never been happier than where I am now. No need to dredge up old feelings while we’re here when we can make a brand-new memory.’

Dax lifts my hand to his lips, looking out his window at the city we’re driving into.

I literally can’t think of even one place I’d want to visit from my time here. All I want to do is put all this behind me to tell you the truth. The money included. If I never see it again, lesson learned. Don’t invest in the wrong life. In every way.

‘Any idea what we’ll do today? We didn’t really talk about it last night.’

‘We can’t seem to get any talking done at night,’ he says as if it’s a mystery. ‘I love it. But no. No ideas. Figured why stress about it when we have to give the couple what they want, and they aren’t telling us that until later this afternoon.’

I nod. ‘You’ve got this, that I’m sure of.’

‘I’vegot this?’ he asks. ‘We’re a team.We’vegot this. What are you worrying about, Hols? I know it’s something.’

A sigh leaves my lips. ‘This has been the best five weeks of my life and it’s almost over. I’ll have to find a job when we’re done with this competition. Where am I going to work? I don’t even have a car. I can’t put all this on you.’

‘What would you say if I asked you to keep working with me?’

‘Keep working with you?’

‘Yeah. If I win, I’ll have the shop to get ready, and I’ve been busier than ever since the show started. I could use some help, and I’ll pay you. Withactualmoney, not just favors in the bedroom.’ He winks, making me laugh.

‘You want to be my boyfriend and myboss?’ That doesn’t seem smart.

‘Your boyfriend?’ he repeats the word we haven’t really discussed.

‘I just – I feel like that’s where this is headed.’

‘I’ll never be your boss,’ he corrects me quickly. ‘I’d love to be your boyfriend and your business partner. Multiple people have said it. We work great together. We see each other’s visions, and when we don’t, what we compromise to turns out even better. I’ve been a one-man show for a long time, and the last month has been more fun than I’ve ever had doing this. That’s because you’ve been by my side. I don’t want it to end. Maybe we run this business together?’

‘Are you asking me to be your work wife?’

He laughs, nodding his head. ‘Be my work wifeandmy live-in girlfriend? I know it seems fast, but is it really?’

‘There’s that undeniable charm again.’

‘Undeniable, meaning your answer is yes?’

I nod. No wasn’t even an option, truthfully. ‘I truly can’t think of anything else I’d want to do.’

Our Uber driver, who sadly was not Iglesias like Dax had hoped, pulls up to the Edgewater Hotel, which sits on the water in downtown Seattle. I’ve never been here before but have admired it from afar. It has views to die for and I can see why they’d choose the place for the big finale. It’s beautiful.

McKenzie is waiting for us at the front desk. ‘Hi, you two.’ She grins, pointing at our hands, which are firmly gripped together. ‘I’ve got to say that this romance happening on our time has been a pleasure to watch. I can’t say I’m even a little surprised either. I was rooting for you the moment I met you.’

‘You could have told us,’ Dax says with a laugh.

‘The final two,’ she says as we check-in. ‘You nervous?’

‘Yes,’ I say. ‘We’re a little nervous.’

‘Understandable. Listen, I talked to Celeste; she spilled everything. We want to apologize for what happened back in Portland, via email, whatever. Tous, it seemed ballsy. Toher, she was playing a game, attempting to knock another team off theirs. To you two, it almost disrupted your real life. That’s not OK. To make it up to you, we’ve sent up a gift. It’s waiting in your room, and you can use it at any time. It’s the least we could do.’

That’s what Celeste said? She was just playing the game? I call bullshit on that. The way she looked at Dax never said ‘I want you eliminated’. It screamed, ‘I want you in my bed’.

‘What do you think they did?’ I ask Dax when the elevator doors close on us a few minutes later.

‘I know whatIdid, but I’ve got no idea whattheydid.’

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