Reba McEntire admits she paused before saying yes ‘three times’ to Rex Linn’s proposal

Reba McEntire is “happier now than I’ve ever been in my life,” in part thanks to her romance with her fiancé, Rex Linn — although she admits she didn’t immediately say yes to his proposal.

Speaking to USA Today, Reba shared that Linn, her co-star on Happy’s Place, originally planned to pop the question when they were on safari in Africa in June, but “the opportunity never presented itself.” He brought the ring all the way back home to Tennessee, and on Dec. 24 he got down on one knee while he and Reba were walking near a creek on their ranch outside Nashville.

“I said, ‘What are you doing?’ and he said, ‘Would you marry me? I want to cross the finish line with you,'” Reba said, adding that she hugged Rex’s head but didn’t answer.

“He said, ‘You’re not saying anything!’ And I finally said, ‘Well, yes! YES!'”

Rex told USA Today that Reba only paused for about “21 seconds,” but noted, “Even a five-second pause feels like an hour.” 

“I thought, if she doesn’t say ‘yes,’ I’ll just disappear into that creek,” Rex added. “But then she said ‘yes’ three times.”

The two haven’t set a wedding date, since, as Rex explained, Reba only has “13 free days in 2026.” For now, they’re just enjoying their engagement — and inspiring others with their love story. 

As Reba told USA Today, “I’m hearing from people I haven’t heard from in years, going, ‘Gosh, you’ve given me hope. Maybe there is someone out there for me.'”