“Have,” he clarified with a smile. “In Toronto.”
“Toronto, Canada.”
“You know any other?”
She laughed, but quickly sobered when she realized he lived his real life in an entirely different country.
“I took a leave of absence, but it’s up in a few days. I’m sure I could ask for more time…”
When he didn’t continue, her chest tightened and her stomach turned. His expression had become so serious. She lifted her chin. “Are you waiting for me to tell you to stay?”
Justin smiled. “You could do that, however, I think I have a better idea.”
“Which is?”
He cleared his throat. “I’d been saving to start my own construction company, but now I’m hoping you’ll consider a partnership. I’m thinking we’d call it Blake Construction.”
Marley frowned. “You’re asking me to be your business partner and you want to name the company Blake Construction? How do you figure?”
“Think about it.”
She pushed against his chest and stepped back. “I don’t have to think about it, but no way we’d only use your name. It’d have to be Blake and Wade, or Wade and Blake. Considering you’ll have to cover the bulk of the initial investment, I guess Blake and Wade would be fair.”
Justin shook his head and moved forward to cup her face in his hands. “Marley, I love you. I want an equal partnership with you, and I’d prefer to use only one name. Think about it.”
The light bulb flared bright and a lump formed in her throat. Moisture burned her eyes. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“What else would I be doing?”
She sniffed back the tears and smacked his shoulder. “Then just ask me! You know by now that I don’t go for all that read-between-the-lines-game-playing crap. If you want to—”
Another kiss shut her up for a long, delicious minute. Then his gaze captured hers with an intensity she felt deep in her soul.
“Marley Wade, will you marry me?”
She made him wait for a few seconds, until he shifted sligh
tly and revealed he wasn’t one hundred percent sure of her answer. Then she smiled.
“Blake Construction sounds perfect.”