Love on Borrowed Time

Chapter 3: A proposal to remember

KAYLEE

“Damn it all to hell!”

The tube of lipstick landed with a soft thud as I threw it back into my bag. My hands shook. I curled them into fists and stared at the offending smear of ruby red that had gone across my chin. I looked like a toddler who had been left unsupervised in her mother’s makeup drawer.

Great. Just the look I was looking for. Not.

Sighing, I reached for the paper towels and began the process of cleaning up. Deep breaths, I told myself. Everything was going to be perfect. Caleb loved me. He would be shocked, maybe. I mean, the guy had to know I wanted to get married and be a proper family for Zeke.

I was sure we would be laughing about it in bed later tonight after a few kisses and orgasms. Damn, I couldn’t wait. It had been a while since we’d had a good time between the sheets. Intimacy wasn’t easy to find when we lived apart, had a nine-month-old son, and you both worked.

That was why this trip was good for us in more than one way. It was a chance for us to reconnect.

I drew in a deep breath as I braced my hands against the cool sink in the bathroom. I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing the gentle sway and rhythmic chug of the wheels to anchor me. When I opened my eyes again, I stared at the woman in the mirror.

Needing to get a better look at what I had put together, I took a step back, because that was all the space the bathroom could allow. As luxurious as everything could be, they still had to be confined to the shape and size of the train.

I still loved it and had nearly swallowed my tongue when we were shown to our private cabin. When making reservations, I had paid for the equivalent of the cheapest room on the train and so had kept my expectations on guard. But I needn’t have.

The same color theme of polished wood and velvety, cream-colored furniture I had noticed in the observation car flowed into the private quarters. A double bed with cream sheets and a complimentary basket took up most of the space sitting wall to wall in the cabin, right next to the large window which meant I could lie down on the soft bed with Caleb and watch the beautiful scenery as the train took us through all the exquisite terrain across countries I hadn’t had the pleasure to explore until now.

Caleb had brought his camera, so I knew he would probably want to take pictures, but I hoped we would still get some time to just snuggle.

Now, if only I could calm myself enough and finish getting ready so that this evening could get on the way.

I smoothed a hand down the red, short dress. It was nothing fancy, just a strapless tight satin dress that stopped mid-thigh. It wasn’t my usual, but today was special.

“Kaylee?” Caleb called at the closed door after a brief knock. “Are you ready? I’m starving.”

Shoot! I quickly glanced down at the black heels, abandoned all thoughts of makeup, and reached for the door. “I’m ready,” I said with a smile as I opened the door.

My smile nearly faltered. I took in Caleb’s appearance and tried not to lose the battle with the tight hold I had on my emotions. “Are you ready?” I asked instead, even though I knew he had to be if he had just rushed me out of the bathroom.

Except there was a small problem. Caleb was wearing the same clothes he’d arrived on the train with earlier, despite the fact that I had asked him to change for dinner. Oh, the man was trying my patience, and I wasn’t sure I had plenty of it left.

“I thought you packed a suit?”

Caleb scoffed even as his appreciative eyes roamed over my body. “I’m not dressing fancy for a bunch of rich people.”

I could feel the crease between my brows deepening. “This isn’t about them. This is about us. Caleb, think of it like a date.”

“I always take you out like this on a date.” He waved a hand in front of himself.

Oh, sweet Jesus, have mercy. Technically, he wasn’t wrong, even though Caleb hadn’t taken me out on a date in months. Taking her and Zeke to the park or mall did not count. Then again, even when he had taken me out on a date, it hadn’t been anything half as fancy as this train.

But was this a hill I was willing to die on? Uhm… No.

“That was amazing,” Caleb said an hour later as he sipped his wine and leaned back in his seat, a look of satisfaction on his face.

It was the first positive expression he had given me since we got on the train. I smiled, my shoulders slumping a little. I finally felt a little confidence creep back into my bones. “It was. What do you think? Dessert?”

I was already reaching for the menu the server had left at our table. Never having been to an expensive restaurant, I had to confess that I’d been nervous about making a fool of myself. Thankfully, we had an angel for a server. He’d helped us pick the meal and wine without batting an eyelash at the fact that we both knew next to nothing about all the fancy words beautifully written on the menus.

But when the server collected our empty plates and brought the dessert menu, he gave me a smile and said this one would be easy. He was right. I could easily recognize things like chocolate and cake. It also helped that this menu had images and the beverage option was nicely detailed.

“I’m thinking of a Mocha Mud Pie and Irish Coffee.” I imagined I would be doing a lot of aerobics to burn all the fat and sugar I was putting into my body when we got home, but wasn’t that the point of the Christmas and New Year holidays? A lot of good food to motivate you to a workout goal in January. There was nothing like starting the year with a resolution to lose weight and get healthy. It got the blood pumping.

I looked up in time to catch Caleb shrugging. “You are the boss. You paid for this. Whatever you say.”

Okay? That wasn’t what I had expected to hear. Suddenly self-conscious, I glanced at the nearest tables. Everything was pretty close. A row of small, two-seater tables ran on either side of the train wall, leaving an aisle in between for people to walk through. So that meant privacy wasn’t very high up on the chart.

Thankfully, it seemed no one was paying us any attention. The couple opposite us were too busy feeding each other strawberries dipped in white chocolate, and the one behind Caleb was engrossed in a conversation. I only prayed that the table behind me was equally in its own world.

Focusing back on Caleb, I straightened in my seat. “Is that the issue you are having with this trip? That I paid for it?”

Caleb took another sip of his wine. “It’s your money,” he said after he had swallowed. “I just don’t understand you. Didn’t you tell me just last month that you needed a cot for Zeke?” He waved a hand around. “Then you go and spend money on this. I didn’t even know you had this kind of money.”

“I don’t,” I muttered under my breath, trying my best to remain calm. “I just wanted us to have something special. Something to remember.”

Caleb gave me a look as though I had lost my damn mind. “Special?”

Damn. I hadn’t planned to do it like this. I’d thought we would have a nice dinner and then get back to our cabin and make love, after which I would propose. That plan wasn’t going to work. I could still wait, but I wanted Caleb to understand why I had spent all this money and finally relax enough to enjoy himself.

Decision made, I shakily stood from my chair and moved into the aisle, facing Caleb. I reached for the small purse I’d carried and retrieved the ring I’d bought myself for the occasion.

There was no way in hell I was going to kneel on one knee for this, so I just stood and tentatively presented the small red box to him. “Caleb, will you marry me?”