Perfectly Ms. Matched(68)

The next evening, Jo curled against Chad’s side as they watched the late news in bed. The fire department had confirmed earlier that it was a faulty breaker that had started the fire in the café. Chad’s insurance agent had said not to worry. They’d cover the cost to rebuild so she’d have her café back better than new. Maybe six or eight months later, but now they could rebuild using the new location next door and make her café even better than she’d hoped. So all was well there. Maybe she and Chad would just have to have a long-distance relationship until he was done playing football. They’d make it work one way or another.

And it was Ryan’s first night back. He’d been so happy to see them that he’d called Chad Dad for the first time. It warmed her heart thinking about it, so she leaned down and kissed Ryan’s forehead as he snoozed beside her.

Having Ryan home made everything feel whole and complete again. She’d made him a welcome-home cake that morning before they picked him up, which sent him over the moon with joy. Chad had even let him have two pieces after dinner.

But they hadn’t been able to avoid the press camped outside Chad’s lawyer’s office after they’d picked up Ryan. The only good thing about the press was that the rumors they spread of Chad losing his job made Linda accept a million dollars less in child support in exchange for Chad getting full custody. Total win-win.

The reporters had been following them around like ants at a picnic, waiting to hear if her fire had been arson or some other horrific thing, and to see if Chad got his job back. It was getting old. But now they were safely ensconced in their condo and away from the prying eyes that camped outside in the cold.

When the subject on the news turned to the statement Chad had given outside his lawyer’s office a few hours earlier, she sat up to watch. Then the cameras panned her way, and she groaned. “Why didn’t you tell me I had flour on my forehead this morning from Ryan’s cake? I can’t believe I’m on the national news looking like that!”

Chad kissed her cheek. “Because ninety-five percent of the time, you have flour somewhere on your body. It’s cute.”

She huffed out a breath. “New rule. If there are TV cameras near, please wipe it off.”

“You don’t get to make up any new rules unless you marry me. Then you can make up as many as you like.”

She blinked up at him as his words sank in. “Was that a marriage proposal? Because if it was, it was pretty lame.” But still, her heart was doing backflips.

He laughed. “It was. And it’s just going to have to do for now, because my knee is killing me too much to get down on it and ask properly.”

His phone rang on his nightstand, and he picked it up.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Seriously, Chad? You’re in the middle of proposing to me.”

He checked the screen and then met her gaze and cringed. “So can you hurry and say yes? It’s Coach. He wouldn’t be calling to fire me again.”

Jo rolled her eyes for show, but she was determined to do her part to make their relationship work. “Fine, then, I guess I’ll marry you.”

“You guess? Don’t you want to marry me?” The phone rang again.

“Just answer the call, and we’ll talk about it later.” She muted the TV so he could hear.

He tossed the phone on the nightstand and crossed his arms. “I’m not going to marry someone with a bad attitude.” The phone fell quiet, and then he grinned. “Let’s try this one more time.” He threw the covers back and, dressed in only his boxers, got down on his good knee and took her hand. “Joann Westin, the love of my life, will you marry me?”

She felt a little silly dressed in one of his big T-shirts, kneeling on the bed while he was on the floor. She’d pictured something a little more romantic, but then she’d been waiting for him to do it all day, so she wasn’t complaining. Besides, her ring was still at home, so she’d probably make him do it all over again with the ring anyway. “It would make me the happiest woman on earth to get to spend the rest of my life with you, Chad. So yes, I’d love to marry you.”

Ryan said, “You guys make too much noise. I’m going to my bed.”

She called out, “Night, sweetheart.”

Chad slowly struggled to stand and then joined her in bed again. “Thank you. But is that going to be a new habit?” He threw his thumb in Ryan’s direction.

“Tonight was going to be an exception for his first night back.”

Chad moved closer to her and whispered, “Good. Because I don’t know how we’d ever be able to make a new little Jenks if we have company every night.”