Can't Buy Me Love by Beth K. Vogt

friend.”
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢Â 
    From the moment they’d met, Reid Stanton made Bellamy believe in happily ever after.
    Of course, her adolescent daydreams hadn’t included playing a princess with a client’s squirmy Lhasa apso puppy in one hand and a pair of nail trimmers in the other to Reid’s striking Prince Charming. But she hadn’t planned on him coming to pick up his mother’s dog, either.
    And tonight, he’d save her again. She’d apologize and, gentleman that he was, he’d forgive her for falling in love with a one-of-a-kind dress and upending their budget.
    â€œTonight went well, don’t you think?” Bellamy linked her arm through Reid’s, her boot-clad feet scuffing through the autumn leaves covering the ground.
    Reid adjusted his steps to hers. “Your mother pulled off quite a feat—feeding such a huge crowd.”
    Bellamy was unable to keep the laughter out of her reply. “That? That’s pretty much a typical Hillman dinner when everyone shows up.”
    â€œAnd how often does that happen?”
    â€œAbout once a month nowadays, what with Bailee and Bridget and Keagan and Kristoffer starting their own families.” Bellamy inhaled the night air, still laden with a hint of the smoke from her father’s grill. “The Hillmans and the Stantons did well together, don’t you think?”
    â€œYes, not that we’ll be sharing holidays. But everyone got along well enough.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    â€œNothing—we’ll figure out Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter just like any other married couple.”
    â€œYes, we will.” Bellamy swung their hands between them. “And probably easier than most couples.”
    â€œGrowing up it was just Lydia, me, and my parents. Things were a little quieter.”
    â€œThat must have been absolute bliss.”
    â€œIt was normal—and I admit I like it.”
    â€œI would have loved that kind of normal growing up.”
    â€œI know we haven’t talked about children specifically—other than saying we want to have a family.” Reid tucked her hand into his pocket. “Do you want to have a large family like your parents did?”
    â€œMost days, one child sounds perfect. A boy named Reid Junior.”
    â€œBe serious, Bellamy.”
    â€œI am being serious. I’d love to have a little boy who looks just like you.” Why not daydream for a few minutes longer? Talk about their future—starting a family. All too soon she’d have to talk about the here and now. “And no, I’m not like my parents. They knew when they got married that they wanted a large family—at least five children. That’s never been my family plan. I want our family to be just the right size so everyone has their own place to be him or herself.”
    Silence settled between them—and a huge, unspoken Say it, say it now loomed in her head.
    â€œReid, I wanted to talk to you about some wedding details—”
    â€œAnd here I thought I could enjoy a romantic walk with my fiancée.” Even though Reid was saying the right romantic words, he seemed distracted—had seemed that way all evening. “What do we need to talk about now? Flowers? The cake? Adding someone to the guest list? Don’t ask about the honeymoon—that’s my surprise.”
    He followed up his statement with a quick kiss, their breath mingling together for just a moment, and she was left wanting more. But when she leaned in closer, slipping her arm around his broad back, he broke the kiss much too soon.
    â€œYou were saying?”
    â€œI have no idea . . .”
    He settled her against him and resumed their walk. “No more kisses for now. You were the one who mentioned the wedding.”
    The wedding. The dress. The budget .
    â€œReid—” Bellamy linked their hands again. Holding hands with Reid was