Page 89 of Miss Belief

Epilogue

Teagan

My arms reachedacross the bed to find Reid’s spot cool to the touch. While I was not a morning person, it turned out my boyfriend—would I ever get tired of that word?—was an early riser. It was one of many things I’d learned about him over the last eight months. And because it was a Saturday morning, I could guess where he was. Gone to pick us up fresh bagels and coffee. It had become his traditional weekend ritual since we’d moved to Sydney together.

After he returned, we’d lounge around in bed or play video games, in between having sex, of course. Finally, we’d make our way to the local market, shop for the week, and make lunch together. It turned out Reid was a great cook. Our weekend nights consisted of date nights as well as at-home movie marathons. Funny, I’d come to love some of the black-and-white classics Reid had grown up with, and he tolerated binging with me on The Gilmore Girls and Supernatural.

I missed seeing him during the day at the office, but our daily separation was for a good reason. While Reid was enjoying his new promotion as the Regional Director of Commercial Accounts for Delmont Security, I was taking classes to get my certification to work as an esthetician in Australia. In between classes, I was working some hours at a spa to pick up practical working knowledge. I’d never been happier or more in my element.

It felt strange to have my weekends off when I’d had to take on a second job for most of my life, but I no longer had to worry about paying for my niece’s treatment. I couldn’t wait to see her and my sister, not to mention my other LA friends when Reid and I traveled there tomorrow for the holidays.

We loved Australia and planned on exploring all the country had to offer over the next three years. After that, well, we hadn’t made plans, but so long as we were together, I was game for any adventure life had to offer.

I sat up in bed when I heard the front door open and close again. When Reid walked into the bedroom of our rented apartment, I could swear my heart did a legitimate pitter-patter. What could I say? I was fucking crazy for this guy.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning to you. Bagel run?”

He walked toward the bed with a box that smelled decidedly better than bagels. “Cinnamon rolls. And here’s your coffee.”

“You spoil me.” It wasn’t an exaggeration. His thoughtfulness was only one of many reasons I loved him. I never took a single gesture of his for granted.

He sat on the bed to hand me my coffee, first giving me a kiss, morning breath be damned. “You make it easy to want to spoil you. You all packed?”

We both laughed at the absurdity of his question. Of course I wasn’t packed. Reid, on the other hand, had made a list in an Excel spreadsheet and had started packing over a week ago. We might differ in so many ways, and yet our relationship worked on so many levels.

“I don’t suppose you made one of those lists for me, so I’ll know what to pack?”

His grin was sheepish. “If I did, am I the hero or the nerd for doing so?”

I leaned toward him, placing my hand on his handsome face. “Both. I’ll have you know your dual character is one of the many reasons I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Gah. I’d never grow tired of those words. “I’ll pack as soon as I’m done eating.”

“Mm, how about after eating and after taking a shower together?”

“Deal.”

The next morning we boarded the flight, this time in our own private flight cabin. It was beyond luxurious. “You know I would’ve been more than content with business class.”

Reid grinned. “What if I said the mile-high club was one of my fantasies?”

“Oh, yeah?” Our cabin would give us plenty of privacy. “I’d say so long as they still bring me my ramekin of salted nutty perfection, I’ll gladly fulfill your fantasy, Mr. Maxwell.”

“I wouldn’t dream of denying you your nuts.”

I excused myself to the restroom, but upon returning was happy to see my nuts had arrived, along with a bottle of champagne and two flutes. Leave it to Reid to make the romantic gesture.

* * *

Reid

I felt an abundance of nerves, but mostly, I was full of excitement. There were plenty of ways to propose, but there was only one way I wanted to do it with Teagan. The last few months had been the best of my entire life. We’d laughed and loved like I hadn’t known was possible.

There was no doubt I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, and it was time to make it official.