During the brief pause at the red light, Braden glanced sideways, watching Elise in the passenger seat. Remembering their earlier exchange, he chuckled to himself.
She had planned to go home and freshen up for their date, but he had simply pulled a new lace dress from his closet along with a pale pink, front-clasped, embroidered organza bra. He seemed completely at ease, as if there was nothing awkward about it.
He'd never forget the way her ears turned red as she clutched the dress and lingerie he had bought for her, rushing shyly to the bathroom. The sight of her embarrassed retreat felt like his own little victory.
If she was going to use his vow to mock him, she should've been prepared for this.
He reached out, gently patting the top of her head.
"Where are we going?" Elise looked out the window at the passing scenery, still excited about what surprise Braden might have planned for her.
It was their first official date, the first day of being together, so naturally, she hoped it would be special.
They had gone out countless times, but there had always been others, like Ruth, with them. A day out with just the two of them was truly rare.
"You'll find out soon." Braden placed his hand back on the steering wheel, eyes fixed straight ahead.
"Alright, then I'll look forward to it." Elise started playing a game on her phone.
"But I can give you a little hint—there are lots of delicious cookies there, perfect for someone like you with a sweet tooth."
"Will there be strawberry cake?"
"I didn't exactly check on that," Braden replied softly. "But… I want to take you there because there's something I'd like to tell you."
Elise was puzzled. "Why is it different?" "Something you want to tell me?" Elise wondered aloud.
What could he possibly want to say that required a special location?
Still, since he brought it up, she figured she might as well look forward to whatever he had to say.
------
In front of the European-style castle with its pointed white spires, oversized chess pieces stood proudly on a checkerboard-patterned ground.
A line formed beside a pumpkin carriage as tourists eagerly waited their turn to pose for pictures.
Hand in hand with Elise, Braden led her into the castle's marketplace, where vendors offered an array of goodies—from nougat to garlic bread and more baked treats.
Just as Braden had guessed, Elise found herself tempted by every treat she saw, her mouth watering. But she held herself back, only daring to think about it.
She used to indulge freely because she didn't think of him as a romantic interest. Now that they were together, she had to keep her image in mind!
"We're here." Braden stopped and glanced at Elise, who was still holding his hand.
Elise was at a loss for words. This wasn't…
"Did I scare you?" He grew a bit concerned, wondering if he'd chosen the wrong spot when she didn't respond.
But this was exactly where he wanted to bring her, and she was the only one he'd ever brought here.
"I… I was just thinking, isn't this a wedding cake shop…?" Elise looked down, her voice getting quieter. "Did you bring me here by mistake?"
"Mistake?" He tightened his grip on her hand, his voice both gentle and firm. "Of course not. This is my first time here too, and it's part of what I wanted to tell you."
"But…" she hesitated. "Didn't you say you didn't want to settle down?"
Seeing the wedding cake shop in front of her, she remembered Braden once saying in front of Zayne that he planned to look after her and Ruth, so he hadn't considered marriage.
Was he now thinking about marriage? Or was this just a coincidence?
"I never used to consider it, but I realized that's because no one in my life had ever made me think of it," Braden said, releasing her hand and pulling her into his arms. In a gentle whisper, he continued, "I don't just want to date you. I want to marry you. I want to keep you by my side for the rest of my life."
Elise felt a wave of warmth course through her, heating every inch of her skin. She was shy, moved, and overwhelmed by the urge to cry.
Even though Vargas had left her before the wedding, it was because of that heartbreak that she'd had the chance to ask Braden to be her stand-in groom, bringing an unexpected turn to their relationship.
She never thought she'd fall for him, but in the days they spent together again, the happiness outweighed any sadness.
"But you still haven't told me you love me," she complained playfully, though her heart was already lost to him.
"I definitely told you when you were tipsy," he whispered mischievously in her ear. "Or I could tell you again tonight, just to make sure you know how much I love you."
Of course Elise understood what he meant, and her face flushed with embarrassment. How could he say such things in public? Even if only she could hear him, it still made her shy.
"I knew it—you're the real creep," she teased with a playful grumble, though inside her heart felt like it was melting, warm and blissfully content.
"Funny, I remember someone proposing to me first, or am I wrong?" Braden teased her on purpose, just to see her get all flustered and unable to argue back.
"I didn't…!" Elise pulled away from his arms, insisting, "I didn't!" "Of course not!"
"Alright, guess I'll have to take responsibility then." He pulled a small red velvet box from his pocket and slipped the ring onto her finger.
She was utterly stunned, completely unprepared for the fact that he'd secretly bought a ring.
When she finally came back to her senses, she realized she'd been 'trapped,' and couldn't help but pout, "I didn't even say yes yet."
"I already assumed you did, in my heart," he joked, "or are you planning to back out?"
"Not a chance! I'm going to eat you out of house and home!" She spoke defiantly, but her heart was brimming with happiness.
She'd never expected he had so much romance in him; it was a surprise that thrilled her.
"Fine with me." He stroked the top of her head, his hand slowly sliding down until it reached the ends of her hair. "I'll eat you out of house and home too."
"How can you be such a perv… and look so casual about it?" she muttered softly, not even daring to look at him, afraid she'd see that intense look in his eyes.
"Aren't we talking about food?" He stifled a laugh. "So, you were really begging me that day? I thought I'd imagined it."
"You… you're so annoying!" Elise snapped, then walked over to a nearby booth, pretending to ignore him.
He didn't mind much. If anything, he found her shyness adorable and couldn't help but want to tease her.
But with this overwhelming happiness, he couldn't shake the feeling that something might happen.
Was it just his imagination? Perhaps.
He hoped it was just a trick of his mind.
