Miss Belief: A Fake Relationship Romance (The Miss Series Book 3)

My arms reached across 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.

She gave me a kiss before taking her seat and reaching into her bowl of nuts. I had to sit back and exercise great patience. She gripped my hand on takeoff and only went back to snacking once we were airborne. I took the opportunity to close our private door.

She clicked through the entertainment options. “Ooh, they have the new Jennifer Anniston movie.”

I loved her enthusiasm for the little things in life. It had made me appreciate everything I’d ever taken for granted.

“How are the nuts?” I asked and watched her grin light up her face.

“They’re warm, salty, and— Hey, what’s this?” She leaned over to take a look at what her fingers had found, lifting up a three-carat, emerald-cut diamond solitaire set in rose gold. Her big eyes searched mine.

“I thought of a dozen ways to ask you to marry me. The down-on-one-knee romantic setting with flowers didn’t seem like us, but warm nuts on a plane did.” God, I hoped I wasn’t wrong. Maybe she’d have preferred the traditional form of proposal. I moved to get down on my knees.

“Don’t you dare move,” she whispered, still holding the ring with wide eyes.

“I took a chance with the rose gold because you’re wrong about pink not looking good on you. For instance, the blush staining your cheeks right now is the sexiest color I’ve ever seen on you. And don’t get me started on my favorite pink lingerie set. But if you want—”

“I love the rose gold. It’s the most exquisite ring I’ve ever seen.”

“Does that mean you’re saying yes to my nutty proposal?”

“Well, I don’t remember you actually asking.”

My brain did a quick rewind. “I didn’t ask?”

She giggled. “I would’ve remembered a question like that.”

Jesus, how fucking terrible could one be at a proposal? And here I’d thought about it for weeks and weeks. “I can’t believe I messed this up.”

“You see the huge grin on my face? You didn’t mess anything up.”

“I want a do-over.”

“You got it.” She took her hands, two fingers still clutching the ring, and chopped them together like a director’s clapboard. “Proposal take two.”

I took the ring from her fingers, holding it in mine. “I love you, Teagan, to the point of distraction given the way I forgot to actually ask you to marry me. These last eight months have been the best of my life. And I would be the luckiest man alive if you’d say yes to becoming my wife.”

She smiled brilliantly. “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“As if I’d say no to a man who would think to combine my two favorite things. Loving him and warm nuts.”

I slid the ring on her left finger before leaning in to kiss right below her ear. “I thought neck kisses were your favorite thing.”

“Mm, how could I forget?”

She climbed over the console to straddle my lap. “How soundproof do you think our cabin is?”

I pulled back to take in the mischievous glint in her eyes. “I have no clue, but there’s no doubt we’re about to find out.”