I turned around and blinked at him. “Oh, yeah? What about?”
One hour later, I pulled my Jetta to a stop in front of Jeremy’s house. He and Huckleberry came bounding down the porch stairs to greet me.
“How did it go?” Jeremy asked, a wary look on his face, as he pulled me into his arms to give me a big, warm hug.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him for all I was worth. I also sniffed his neck a little. Now that he was my boyfriend, neck-sniffing was allowed. “Better than expected.” I pulled away from him and grasped his hand.
“Really?” His brows lifted.
“Yep.” I nodded, but I couldn’t contain my smile. We walked together toward the house while I recounted my meeting with Dr. Holmes.
“So that’s it?” he said, grinning back at me. “Tenure and a sabbatical?”
“Uh-huh,” I bit my lip, still smiling.
“That and the trophy we brought back from Bath, and I’d say your autumn is really looking up, Doc.”
“I agree,” I said, pausing to wrap my arms around his neck again. It wasn’t easy for me to stop touching him. “Now kiss me, please.”
He kissed me, right there in his front yard. PDA be damned.
When he pulled away from me a few minutes later, we continued into the house together. Once we’d made it through the front door, he paused. “There’s only one more thing that would make this moment even better.”
“I thought you said you already ordered your new band saw?”
Jeremy snorted. “Not that. Though it’s gonna be sweet.”
“What, then?”
“Remember you agreed that if we won, you’d owe me a favor?”
I knew I must’ve looked like a deer trapped in headlights. “Actually, I totally forgot about that. What favor do you want? Did you buy a chinchilla?” I glanced around as if the animal would suddenly hop out. Did chinchillas hop? I had no idea.
Jeremy pulled a small, black, velvet box from his pocket and dropped to one knee in the middle of his living room. “My affections and wishes are unchanged, since high school, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever. Margaret Violet Knightley, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Had there ever been a more romantic proposal? He’d even managed to toss in a little bit of Mr. Darcy’s quote from the book. Tears filled my eyes. I let them drop, reveling in the happiness that had caused them. Silently, I nodded.
“Before you say anything,” Jeremy continued, “I’d just like to point out that I meet all the criteria on your Future Husband Checklist, too. Well, all but one.”
“I don’t give a damn about the Future Husband Checklist anymore, Jeremy,” I said, still crying. He stood and I hugged him. “I threw that stupid thing away.”
“But don’t you want to know which one I missed?”
“Fine,” I sniffed. “Which one?”
“The never-plays-cards-recreationally one. I still want to try to beat your brother out of pizza every once in a while, when we visit him in Nashville.” It turned out Luke had returned from his trip with good news, too. He and his band had been signed by a big agent in Nashville and their recordings were being shopped around Music City. According to his agent, they had an excellent shot at scoring a record deal. He was planning to move there the first chance he got.
“Play as much as you like,” I sniffed. “I know you’re not addicted to gambling.”
He searched my face. “Does that mean you’ll marry me?”
I smiled and wiped away my tears with the backs of my hands. “Yes, Jeremy Remington, I’ll marry you. With pleasure.”
He pulled the gorgeous cushion-cut diamond from the box and slid it over my finger, then he picked me up and slowly lowered me until we were kissing. “Want to go celebrate...in bed?” he asked with a sly smile.
“Absolutely. I already told Dr. Holmes I was going to be out ‘sick’ for the rest of the day, but actually I fully intend to spend it rolling around in bed with a man.”
“Sounds wicked.”
“It will be.” I gave him a devilish grin and pulled him behind me toward the bedroom. “And afterward, I can tell you all about the article Dr. Holmes wants me to write after I finish my romance novel.”
“Article? For the department?” Jeremy asked.
“That’s right. He wants me to tell the story of how I taught you to be Mr. Darcy in two short weeks.”
“Oh, really.” Jeremy paused to wrap his arms around my waist and kissed my neck. “What’s it called?”
“Hmmm. I haven’t thought of a title yet. Any ideas?” I closed my eyes and leaned back against him, reveling in the feel of his arms around me.
He nipped at the sensitive spot where my neck and my shoulder met. “How about ‘Hiring Mr. Darcy’?”
I turned my head to the side and grinned at him. “‘Hiring Mr. Darcy,’ huh? I like the sound of that.”
Also by Valerie Bowman
Regency Historical Romance
The Footmen’s Club
The Footman and I (Book 1)
Duke Looks Like a Groomsman (Book 2)
The Valet Who Loved Me (Book 3)
Playful Brides
The Unexpected Duchess (Book 1)
The Accidental Countess (Book 2)
The Unlikely Lady (Book 3)
The Irresistible Rogue (Book 4)
The Unforgettable Hero (Book 4.5)
The Untamed Earl (Book 5)
The Legendary Lord (Book 6)
Never Trust a Pirate (Book 7)
The Right Kind of Rogue (Book 8)
A Duke Like No Other (Book 9)
Kiss Me At Christmas (Book 10)
Mr. Hunt, I Presume (Book 10.5)
No Other Duke But You (Book 11)
Secret Brides
Secrets of a Wedding Night (Book 1)
A Secret Proposal (Book 1.5)
Secrets of a Runaway Bride (Book 2)
A Secret Affair (Book 2.5)
Secrets of a Scandalous Marriage (Book 3)
It Happened Under the Mistletoe (Book 3.5)
Thank you for reading Hiring, Mr. Darcy. This book has been sitting on my computer for years because I was too nervous to publish it, so I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed it and if you’re reading this, do that thing that scares you!
I’d love to keep in touch.
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About the Author
Valerie Bowman grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels.
After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got.