Meant to Marry Me

It was a rare Friday night that Bree didn't have a show, so Trent took advantage of her night off by taking her out to a fancy French restaurant. He intended to let her know what he'd decided to do. Hopefully, it would be a night to remember. She'd been so busy since the wedding and the declaration of their love for one another that he hadn't gotten a chance to take her out on a proper date, so this was a night he wanted to make special for her.

Dressed in an elegant black cocktail dress, with her strawberry-blonde hair piled on top of her head, Bree was a vision of beauty. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she sat across from him in the restaurant, soft romantic music playing while they waited for their entrees at a candlelit table. He'd asked for a table with some privacy so that they could spend some time focusing on one another, and he loved the seating they'd gotten. It was near a window, and outside, horses pulled carriages by as other couples sat with their arms intertwined, riding through the historic district looking at beautiful old homes.

"I just love the buildings down here," Bree said, gazing out the window as another horse clip clopped by. "I'd love to live in a big old house one day. One with lots of character and charm, mature trees, and a huge back yard for the kids to play in."

Trent smiled at her. "The kids? I didn't know you had any."

Bree giggled. "Well, no, not yet. But I'd like to have some one day. What about you? We haven't talked about that since high school when we were both so angry at our parents we decided they didn't deserve grandkids." Laughing, he remembered that conversation. "Was that the night we both got in trouble for being out five minutes past our curfews?"

"Yes! And only because Hank wanted to use those firecrackers to blow that ant mound up."

Trent laughed louder as Bree joined in. He had vivid memories of Hank covered in ants, screaming and running into his neighbor's pond to try to wash off the thousands of little bugs that had crawled all over him after their home was destroyed.

"How could we miss out on that?" he asked.

Bree shook her head. "It was totally worth being late." She sighed, still smiling. "Anyway, I do want kids one day, after I'm done touring and have a few more albums under my belt. What about you? Do you want kids?"

"I did," Trent shrugged. "I mean, I guess I still do. Monica didn't want any, so it made me think I wouldn't ever have the chance. I haven't really thought about it since she and I broke up. But yes, I do want to have kids, Bree." She smiled at him. "Cool. Do you want them soon, or would you be willing to wait a while?"

Under normal circumstances, he would've thought the conversation was getting ahead of them. They hadn't been dating that long, after all, and she seemed to be talking about forever. But since they'd both wanted to be with each other for years, he didn't mind talking to her about it. "I can wait a while. I have some business plans, too. That's one of the things I was hoping to talk to you about tonight."

"Oh?" Bree asked, her smile brightening. "Did you find a place?"

"I did. I signed the paperwork to lease a space this morning. It's a nice place, not too far from your studio. I also found an apartment."Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

"Wow, Trent! You've been busy. Congratulations!" She reached for his hand, and he gave it to her. "I have to say, though, I'm sorry you're moving out. I know this was just a temporary arrangement, and I never expected us to live together so soon, but it's still going to be sad to see you go."

He could tell by her expression that she meant it, and he felt the same way. "Well, that's something else I wanted to talk to you about. The apartment I've rented has two bedrooms. I was wondering how you might feel about moving in with me. Since we haven't been dating that long, I thought maybe you'd be more comfortable with your own space, but we'd still be close enough to see each other every day that you're in town without having to arrange it." Both of Bree's eyebrows shot up as she considered his proposal. He expected her to immediately go for it, but he couldn't read her face, and then the waiter was there with their food before she had a chance to answer. They both started eating, and Trent decided to give her some time to think about it. Once they were both almost done, she said, "Gosh, Trent, there are so many good points to moving in with you. I'd love to get to see you as much as possible. I do have my lease to consider. And I'm not sure what my parents would think...."

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience—all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you!

"I know it's a big step, Bree. If you're not comfortable, I understand. But I'm happy to pay to get you out of your lease, and I hope your parents will understand that it doesn't make too much sense to pay for two apartments when you won't be using yours that much anyway, once you start touring."

"That is a good point," she said, finishing her dinner. "Can I see it?"

"Absolutely. I'll take you there tomorrow, if you don't mind waiting. Tonight, I have something else in mind. Do you want dessert?"

"I'm stuffed," Bree said, patting her stomach.

"Then let me pay the bill, and we'll be on our way." He couldn't help but smile at her. He knew she'd love what he had planned, and her smile told him she was intrigued but content to wait to see what it was.

The waiter brought the bill, and Trent hastily paid it before taking his girl by the hand and leading her out to a beautiful Nashville night.