Reba McEntire ‘Desperate’ to Keep Boyfriend Rex Linn Happy by ‘Setting Time Aside’ for Them

Reba McEntire‘s romance with Rex Linn has been through some hurdles, but she’s determined to give it a reboot.

Sources exclusively tell Closer the Queen of Country, 69, is promising her man, 67, more dream vacations because she’s afraid he’ll get tired of her workaholic ways if she doesn’t.

“Paranoia has set in, and she’s realizing she’s got to step it up if she doesn’t want to lose him,” an insider reveals. “She’s desperate to keep him happy and from straying.”

During an October 2020 episode of her “Living and Learning” podcast, Reba announced she started dating the CSI: Miami star that year. Following a double date night with friends in New York City, the two got closer by “spending hours chatting on FaceTime” amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While Rex is “the kindest person,” the Closer source notes that “his patience is bound to wear out if she doesn’t do something drastic.” Adds the insider, “She knows she’s not perfect and can be annoying, but her heart is in the right place, and she loves Rex. She’s lucky to have him.”

One of the challenges they’re sure to face, however, is the “I’m a Survivor” singer’s maxed-out calendar. “Reba’s got a full schedule ahead with The Voice and other projects, but she’s setting time aside for Rex and planning more holidays and date nights and fun things with the family,” says the source. “It can’t all be about work.”

Aside from vacations where Reba and Rex can get in some much-needed QT, a separate source recently told Closer that the “Fancy” songstress insisted her beau be cast in a starring role on her new sitcom.

While Rex is a respected actor, the source said getting him on the new show was a way for the country queen to keep a close eye on him.

“Reba really feared that between her music career, serving as a coach on The Voice and now, starring in a new TV show, Rex was going to feel she wouldn’t have enough hours in the day for him,” said an insider.

The new series, Happy’s Place, which is set for NBC this fall, comes as the couple ponders their future — and debates tying the knot.

“Reba has been married twice and she really hadn’t had another marriage on her dance card,” the source said. “But he has been such a blessing in her life, she’s decided she’d love to marry him and would be crushed if their personal lives took a backseat to their professional pursuits. She is an executive producer of Happy’s Place so she solved the problem by insisting Rex be a part of the cast. Now he’s going to be by her side during the 12-hour days!”

The two worked together before with recurring roles on the series Big Sky last year. Still, the source notes Reba could be playing with fire. “Reba is figuring out how to strike a balance between a romance and a working relationship,” the source explained. “She’s still trying to figure out if she’s getting too close is a new thing, but for now, she sees working with Rex as the best situation for them.”