As if I’d ever let her pay rent. “You’re not paying rent.” She glares at me, but I cut her off before she can protest. “This is a joint venture between me and you. You’ll operate the business while I’m the silent financial partner. It’s all above board. My lawyer wrote up the contracts. But I don’t want to talk about the legalese now.”
“You don’t?” she asks as she twirls around the booth to take it all in. Her movements halt and she bites her lip.
I close and lock the door before moving to her and taking her hands. “What is it? What’s wrong? Do you not like it?”
She mumbles something, but her voice is too soft for me to hear.
I lean down to ask, “What did you say?”
Her gaze meets mine. “What if I fail?”
It’s not even a consideration for me. “You won’t.”
“I have no idea how to run a recording studio. I’m just an audiobook narrator.”
“Just?” I snort. “You, Ashlyn Dream West, are not just anything. You are amazing. You can succeed at anything you put your mind to. I admire your determination.”
She rolls her eyes.
I squeeze her hands. “No. Don’t be dismissive. I’m being honest here. You worked a million different jobs over the past year in order to make your business of being an audiobook narrator succeed. If you put that kind of determination into making the studio work, you can’t fail.”
She avoids my gaze to contemplate the floor. “I’m scared,” she tells the floor.
I release her hands to cradle her face. I use my hold to lift her head until we’re eye to eye. “Dream girl, I promise I won’t let you fail.”
She holds my gaze for several moments before speaking, “We’re partners? Fifty/fifty?”
“Yes,” I tell her.
She blows out a breath before nodding. “Okay. I’m in.”
I feel my smile stretch from ear to ear before I kiss her forehead. She pushes up on her toes to reach my mouth, but I drop to my knee.
She gasps. “What are you doing?”
I dig in my pocket for the ring before extending my hand to show it to her. “Isn’t it obvious?”
The vulnerable woman is nowhere to be seen as she crosses her arms and taps her toe. “Let’s hear it.”
I chuckle. “Ashlyn Dream West, will you marry me and become my dream wife for the rest of my life?”
“Yes,” she screams and launches herself at me.
I wrap my arms around her as we fall back on the floor.
Knock. Knock. “Are you having hanky-panky?” Petal asks through the glass. “Let me go find Sage. I want my money back.”
Ash sighs. “I love this town.”
I kiss her nose. “And I love you.”