Page 118 of Bossman

I’d just returned from California this afternoon. Jules and I had expected to be in San Diego for two nights to pitch a new client. But after we signed that new account, the VP of marketing offered to get us an appointment with a sister company in Los Angeles, so our two-day trip wound up being a full five.

“I can’t help it if people want us.”

“People want you right here. The line forms behind me.”

The bartender came by to take our drink order just as an older couple walked up next to us.

“Are these seats taken?” the man asked.

There were two seats open next to me at the bar.

Chase answered, “All yours. I’m going to stand so I keep close to her anyway.”

The older woman gave him a smile that said he’d just melted her heart a little. I knew, because I wore the same one.

She took the seat to my left and her husband sat beside her. “I’m Opal, and this is my husband, Henry.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Reese. This is Chase.”

“Today is our fortieth wedding anniversary.”

“Wow. Congratulations. Forty years. That’s pretty amazing,” I said.

“How long have you two been married?”

“Oh, we’re not—”

Chase interrupted. “Married anywhere as long as you. But today is our anniversary as well. Five years of wedded bliss.”

I looked at him incredulously, although I’m not sure why I was surprised. I knew of his penchant for stories, and today was our anniversary of sorts. One year ago today we’d sat in this restaurant together. Only the last time, my date had been Martin Ward and Chase had been the date crasher. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Just as I’d done that fateful night, I propped my elbows, folded my hands, and rested my chin atop them.

“Yes. Five years ago today. You should tell them the story of how you proposed, sweetheart. It’s a really good one.” I smiled sweetly and batted my eyelashes.

Of course, Chase being Chase, he wasn’t at all freaked out that I’d just put him in the hot seat. Instead, he looked pleased that I was playing along.

He stood behind me and squeezed my shoulders. “Mrs. Parker is sentimental, so I took her to the place we first met for dinner. I had been planning to propose to her for a while, but she was busy with her new company, so the right time never presented itself. We’d just found out that she was pregnant, and I decided right time or not, I was going to pop the question.”

My mouth hung open. Not because he was weaving yet another crazy tall tale, but because he couldn’t possibly know the irony of the story he was telling. The afternoon before I’d left for California, I had found out I was pregnant. I just hadn’t had a chance to tell him yet, and here he was making it up as part of his crazy story. I decided I had to add to his tale. It would be fun later when he found out that my addition to his story wasn’t fiction like his. Taking his hand, I brought it to my stomach. “We’re actually expecting another child now.”

Chase smiled, pleased I was playing along, and rubbed my tummy as he continued. “Anyway. When we first got together, she made us keep it a secret because I was her boss. I’m a little territorial when it comes to the Mrs., and that never sat right with me. But then she went and quit on me—that’s a whole other story—and started her own successful company, so I figured it was okay to make a public statement. While she wasn’t paying attention, I had all of our friends and family slip into the restaurant. You see, back then, before the first two kids came, she was still googly-eyed over me. People could come and go, and she didn’t notice most of the time when we were together.”

Opal smiled. “I don’t think that’s changed. I see the way she’s looking at you right now. Your wife is still pretty smitten.”

Chase looked at me. “I’m one hell of a lucky guy.”

“So you proposed in front of all your friends and family in the restaurant where you had your first date? That’s beautiful.” Opal said. “Henry wasn’t quite as romantic. He was about to get on the bus to go for his second tour in the army, and he asked me if I wanted to get hitched. Didn’t even have a ring.”

“Considering it’s been forty years, I’m thinking it all worked out pretty well anyway.” I looked up at Chase. “It’s not the proposal that’s important. It’s the man you spend the next forty years with. I would’ve been happy with any proposal from this crazy man.”

Chase grumbled, “Now you tell me.”

The hostess came to tell Opal and Henry their table was ready and said ours would be just a few more minutes.

“It was nice meeting you, Opal, Henry,” I told them. “I hope you have a great anniversary.”

“You too, dear.”

After they disappeared, Chase kissed me again.