Page 104 of Fake It Till You Make It

She lifted her head to regard him, her warm brown eyes hopeful, but a little less cautious. “You promise?”

“On my honor,” he whispered.

“And a soldier always keeps his word?”

“I will for you. You’re the woman I want.” He started to sway with her in his arms, sharing the music in his heart. “You don’t have to be beautiful, but you are. I love your body, but I want to make love to your mind, touch your soul like you do mine, build my home in your heart.” Of course, Amarie picked up the melody to Prince’s “Kiss” and started to hum in cadence with his declaration. When she turned her face up to look at him, those soft chocolate eyes liquefied the last vestiges of ice. “You don’t have to be rich to be my number one girl. You don’t have to be cool, but you’re pretty darn awesome to me, Amarie. I want all your extra time, for the rest of our lives, and a lifetime of your kisses.”

“Hmm.” She grinned, melting into him. “Did you just rewrite ‘Kiss’ for me?”

“Sure did. Straight from the hip, too. Come on, sweetheart,” he coaxed, intertwining their fingers. “No one else can love me like you do. Make this grumpy, rule-following, handwritten-policy-writing, TikTok sensation of a veterinarian a one-woman man.”

When she still hesitated, he added. “I’ll make you unlimited snack packs. Pack your lunch for work. And rub your feet, for starters.”

“Even after a twelve-hour shift?” she quizzed.

“Definitely.”

“If you don’t want him, Amarie. Caleb and I could use him at the Black Bear,” Gracie Lou said. “Been talking about adding a massage chair.”

“Okay, this had better be real, and not just to get me back, Eli Calvary.”

“Oh, it is.” He chuckled. “Show her, Kanaan.”

“Yep,” he said, holding up Eli’s phone. “Got the wholething live streaming on your TikTok page, more than one million likes and climbing.”

“Aw,” Amarie cooed. “You went live for me?”

“I’d do anything for you. Including placing twenty-five-thousand dollars under your name to win me.”

Amarie’s voice hitched, and Eli grinned. “What say you, sweetheart? You’re my one. So are you claiming your prize or do I need to climb back up on the auction block?”

“I wanna be your lover, friend, and partner, Eli.”

“Starting now?” he asked, holding his breath.

“Yes.”

“You ready to head back home?” he asked.

“Nope.” Amarie grinned. “We have to celebrate my winning the auction at the festival.”

“Now?” Eli exclaimed, thinking him professing his love would change her mind. He should’ve known his Amarie would surprise him.

“Since you came to your senses and realized I’m the best thing to happen to you ever. We have to share the good news before we leave for my job interview.”

“I’d prefer to take you home,” Eli whispered.

“No can do, grumpy pants. I’m driving us back. You got shotgun,” she said, stroking his cheek.

“No way. I want to test what Kanaan put under Prince’s hood.” He chuckled. “This is Service. My ankle would have to be broken, and I still might try to take the keys.”

“Well, you own the keys to my heart, Eli Calvary.” Amarie kissed him and they didn’t stop when the hoots and horns started.

Epilogue

14 months later

ELI LIFTED HERphone, reading the social media post. Thanks to Amarie, he’d not only preserved his father’s legacy, he’d expanded it to include the entire family and the town of Service. Mortgage payments, foreclosure notices, and empty appointment slots no longer plagued his dreams. Last year the house he never lived in had sold. The Calvary Family Trust owned the deed to their land and property. Before long, he would need another staff veterinarian. Now, Eli focused on the happier days ahead of him. He read the post again.