She turned those loving hazel eyes on him and said, “I don’t care if I get married barefoot on the beach or in glass slippers in a castle, as long as when I say I do, I get to say it to you.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
CHLOE LEFT THE meeting with the clinicians Monday afternoon feeling productive. They’d discussed potential candidates for Madigan’s trial program and arranged for Madigan to come in and meet with their medical teams to ensure they were all on the same page. The trial program wasn’t due to start for several weeks, but everything was coming together nicely—there and in all aspects of Chloe’s life. She glanced at her sparkling engagement ring for the millionth time that day as she followed the sounds of laughter and music into the community room.
Rose was sitting beside Tina, one of the juniors in the new program, and her senior partner, Clara. They were looking at Tina’s and Clara’s phones. In the middle of the room, Kelly, another junior, was teaching her senior partner, Barbara, and Arlin, how to do the floss, a trendy dance move. The three of them were laughing as Kelly tried to guide Arlin’s hips in the right direction. It was good to see so much joy coming from the program.
“Chloe!” Rose waved her over. “Tina is filtering us.”
“Filtering?” Chloe asked.
“Photo filters.” Tina, a petite redhead with a sweet demeanor, held up her phone, showing Chloe a picture of Rose with bunny ears and whiskers.
“She’s showing us how to use Snapchat,” Clara said. “It’s all the rage these days, and Tina makes it easy to understand.”
Chloe loved that they were all enjoying their time together. “Very cute, ladies. Maybe now you’ll consider signing up for our technology program.”
Clara said, “Tina, would you go with me to a technology class?”
“Sure. Let me know when and I’ll check my schedule.” Tina handed Clara the phone and said, “Why don’t you try a filter?”
As Clara navigated the program on Tina’s phone, Rose got up and reached for Chloe’s hand. “I just have to see this gorgeous ring one more time. Your engagement is all anyone can talk about.”
When Chloe had arrived at work that morning, she’d stopped to chat with Shelby, and when she’d told her about the engagement, Shelby had popped to her feet, letting out a loud “Congratulations!” She’d hurried around the desk to hug Chloe just as two more staff members had come through the door. It hadn’t taken long for word of her engagement to make its way around the facility. Residents stopped her in the hall to congratulate her and ask about the lucky man who had snagged her heart. She loved telling them about Justin and his family, and about Shadow and Sampson. Justin had taken Sampson to work with him today, and he’d texted earlier to say how good a boy he was.
Tina got up to check out Chloe’s ring. “Wow, that’s cool. I’ve never seen a ring like that.”
“It’s custom. Her fiancé designed it,” Rose said. “I hope you two are as happy as Leon and I were, but for many more years.”
“Thank you, Rose.”
“Tina, look at this one.” Clara waved the phone.
As Tina sat beside Clara, Rose lowered her voice and said, “Emery told me all about how Justin wooed you and how you played hard to get for a very long time.”
“I didn’t play hard to get. I just had to get out of my own way and let nature take its course.”
“Either way, a man who waits is a man worth waiting for.” Rose turned toward the women who were learning the floss, and said, “Do you know how to do the floss?”
“Yes. I love to dance, but that’s not my dance of choice.”
“I miss dancing with Leon.” Rose’s expression turned thoughtful. “We used to slow dance, and oh, how I loved being in his arms.”
“Justin and I love to slow dance, too. I think dancing with him is one of my favorite things to do with him,” Chloe said, remembering the way Justin had pulled her into his arms earlier that morning after their shower and they’d slow danced in the bathroom. He’d touched his forehead to hers and whispered, I will always love you.
Rose squeezed her hand and said, “That’s good, Chloe. I hope you two always have that.”
“Me too.” Chloe checked the time. It was already three thirty. She and Justin were meeting at her cottage right after work to start packing for her move. “Oh gosh,