“And she liked you…” Rhodes tells her. Lower he says, “And did you detect that flirting she was doing there, my man?”
Bowie scoffs. “She was not flirting.”
“Was she flirting, Elle?” Rhodes asks.
“She was definitely flirting.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
IDEAL
RHODES
Now
Well,our season is done. It's sad to think that we didn’t make it to the Super Bowl after we had that winning streak for so long, but honestly, I'm so happy to be spending my days with Elle and Levi that I'm not too broken up about it.
While Elle is writing each day, I teachBogey tricks. He’s so damn cute and he’s freaking smart too. When Levi’s home, he helps with Bogey and loves giving him treats. So far Bogey can sit, stay, roll over, shake, fetch…and there’s a new trick that I’m working on in secret.
Bogey’s reward is these beef chews that he would do anything for, and my reward is the way Elle laughs in delight when we’ve shown her the latest trick he can do. It’s the greatest motivation.
When she pops out of the office, her hair on top of her head and dragging toward me like she’s almost sleepwalking, I put my arms around her and lead her to the kitchen where I’ve made her a healthy dinner. The more bites she takes, the more energy returns and midway through dinner, she bounces back and gets chattier.
“What’s your ideal wedding scenario?” she asks.
“You, standing in front of me, saying ‘I do.’”
Her eyes turn melty. “Well, yes, but…I’m a given. What else?”
“Our family and friends there? Although I’d marry you if it were just the two of us in the middle of nowhere. What about you? What do you want?”
“I know what I don’t want…I don't want a long, drawn-out engagement or a big wedding. I don't care where we are. I’d like Levi and our parents and close friends to be there. Nothing else matters. I mean, except you.”
“Well, yeah,” I say. “I’m a given.”
We grin the same sappy grins at each other.
“Do you want to get married in your dad’s church?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I would love for my dad to marry us. I’d rather get married by the water or on a pretty mountain…or surrounded by both. Your yard is gorgeous…out by the little waterfall.”
“Your yard too,” I remind her.
She’s put her condo on the market and I love that she’s never going back there. And not just because of Brock. I love that she’s officially moved in with me for keeps.
“But it’s cold out there right now,” I remind her.
“True…which pushes us back a few months at least,” she says.
“I loved it when you said no long, drawn-out engagements.”
She giggles. “You did, huh?”
“I thought it was a brilliant statement and I wholeheartedly agreed with it.”
“Okay, well, we’ll either have to get lots of heaters and dress warm or look for a destination spot where everyone wouldn’t mind traveling.”
I snap and point at her. “I love the way you think.”
