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The door swings open and Willow practically pushes Lexi into the room. My girlfriend’s eyes go big as saucers when she sees me.
“Come in, Josie,” I say in a deep voice trying to sound like the eccentric billionaire in the movie while motioning her towards the chair across from me.
Lexi pauses for a few beats as she squints at me. This fat suit, prosthetic nose, and oversized sunglasses must really hide who I am. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea?
She puts her hand over her mouth, a giggle floats out, then she snaps into character.
“Charlie, it’s good to see you. What’s the next mission?” Lexi says as she struts towards the chair and takes a seat. Her tight dress shows off all her curves and my tongue almost falls out of my mouth.
Recovering quickly, I say, “Where’s the rest of the angels?”
Just at that moment, the door flies open. Lauren and Zoe stride in, right on cue.
“We’re here, Charlie,” they say as they take their positions behind Lexi. The three actresses briefly break character as they hug and exclaim how much they’ve missed each other.
“Did you borrow those dresses from the production company?” Lexi asks, staring at Zoe and Lauren’s clothing.
“We did!” they reply in unison.
Clearing my throat to get this scene back on track, I improvise my next line. “Angels, you’d think you haven’t seen each other for months.”
The group hug breaks up while Zoe and Lauren resume their position behind Lexi.
Clumsily rolling out of my chair and to my feet, I struggle to get down on one knee, the bulky fat suit impeding my movements. It’s like I’m in one of those sumo wrestling costumes, and I suddenly understand why those are so difficult to move around in. My girth makes me almost topple into Lexi, but I manage to right myself at the last second. The sunglasses slip from my face and land on the floor, but after several futile attempts, I realize that I can’t bend down to reach them. Nevermind.
Lexi puts her hand over her mouth and her body shakes, trying to suppress laughter. A few tears leak out of her eyes as she stares at me in amusement.
When I attempt to get the ring out of my pocket, my hand won’t fit, blocked by the spongy suit that’s adding sixty pounds to my lanky frame. Adjusting the ponderous suit so my pot belly is now on my left side, I slip my hand into my right pocket and grab the ring. My prepared speech flies out of my brain, so I just hold out the ring and say, “Alexis Taylor, will you marry me?”
Giggle. . . Giggle. . . Giggle. . .
Lexi bends over, dissolving into a fit of giggles as I anxiously await her response. Sweat slides down my neck and my knee hurts from the added weight of the suit. With the pot belly adjusted sideways, I’m like a massive cargo ship listing in the ocean, at the brink of sinking. I have to use all my core muscles just to maintain balance. Maybe I should have done some sit ups in preparation for this?
Zoe finally saves me when she breaks through Lexi’s mirth. “Lexi, girlfriend, what’s your answer? The man’s waiting for a response.”
Straightening back up in her chair, Lexi takes the ring from my hand and slips it on her finger. “Yes, I’ll marry you!” She shouts as she leaps out of the chair, trying to give me a hug, but instead she bounces off the springy suit, knocking me over in the process, and then lands in a heap on top of me. I don’t feel a thing with all the padding.
Our eyes lock and our lips meet as we defy the layers and layers of sponge between us. This is the most awkward kiss of my life, but somehow, it’s also the most satisfying.
“I love you, Lexi,” I say after a few seconds.
“I love you, too, Brady,” she says, then rolls off me and hops to her feet—an amazing feat considering her tight dress and those heels. Lexi extends her hand to me, but when she tries to pull me to my feet, the cumbersome suit gets in the way. No matter how hard she tugs, I can’t get to my feet. Lauren and Zoe come to the rescue, and with all three of them pushing and pulling, they assist me, and what feels like miles of sponge, to my feet. We all burst into laughter.
“I’m never wearing this suit again!” I say in a grumpy voice when I’m back upright.
Lexi rubs the stubble on my face, giving me an understanding look. “Let’s get you out of that thing and go celebrate!” Lexi is unaware that Harper’s husband, Chef Turner, has prepared a delicious meal in the inn’s commercial kitchen for everyone to share. Willow even convinced her rockstar husband Jace to serenade us afterwards.
Zoe and Lauren depart, and I hear their laughter echoing all the way down the hall. Making a fool of myself was worth it since Lexi said yes.
After removing the fake nose and fat suit, I pull Lexi close for a proper hug and kiss. During the kiss, she pulls back and says, “I read about the legend of the bells.”
I was surprised that she dropped the topic so quickly the first time. “Ah, right, the bells. What do you think? Do you believe the legend?”
She smirks. “Obviously! They rang when we first kissed, and the bells are never wrong. Both Willow and Harper confirmed they also rang for them when they first kissed the man who became their husband.”
The quirky bells may have heralded our love, but I’m convinced that God was the one who helped guide us and get us together. The Lord has always been a strong influence in my life and now Lexi turns to Him for guidance as well.
I exchange an adoring grin with my fiancée—we’re the most recent example of the legend of the bells being fulfilled. Several seconds later, I say, “The bells must be right because I can’t wait to marry you, Alexis Taylor.”
“Me either!” she says. “Let’s get married this weekend in that quaint little chapel.”
And we did.
THE END
