Chapter 33. She Wasn’t Expecting Him
She Wasn’t Expecting Him
It had been a few weeks since the street festival, and our precinct was noticeably busier.
The Yarn Fanatics had had an influx of new customers at the store, mostly visitors who came to the festival.
All our knitting clubs were now at maximum capacity, and I’d had to create new clubs to make sure everyone who wanted a spot got one.
There was now a club running every day of the week with the addition of Game of Knots, another book-club-slash-knitting-club, because the first one was so overwhelmingly popular; we had the Crochet Mafia, for those wanting to learn more about crocheting; and Fiber Friends, where the members knit things like socks and hats and blankets to donate to people in need.
Melinda Paulson had also agreed to come for another talk sometime before the end of the year, because she said she’d forgotten how much she missed doing events and meeting people who shared the same passion as her.
And all the other shop owners on the strip agreed that their business had picked up considerably after the street festival.
That, coupled with the article in the official blog of the Port Benedict Tourism Board and a recent feature about the festival in the local newspaper, helped boost business at the precinct considerably.
And the good news was, that helped sway people who were on the fence about selling to Goodwin to turn down the offer.
The bad news was, the people who had decided to sell weren’t changing their minds.
Ellie and I even met with Jacqui Goodwin, and even though she was sympathetic to our plight, she said the City of Port Benedict was the major investor in the project, and how her hands were tied because the city was adamant they had to push on with the plan.
So when her number showed up on my phone just now, I wasn’t keen on answering, because I knew we would be repeating the same conversation.
“Hey, Jacqui,” I said, trying my best to sound upbeat. “I hope you’re calling with good news this time.”
“I am, actually.” A soft laugh followed her words. “Good news for you, at least. I don’t think the city officials are too happy, but they can’t do anything about it.”
I paused. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“I just got off a phone call with a very unhappy city executive. They’ve been notified that the row of shops at the back of Port Benedict Plaza has now been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, which means they have been instructed by their bosses to stop the project.
Permanently. I suppose you have something to do with this? ”
What is she talking about? “We did submit the application for the register, but I was under the impression it would take a while to be approved. I wasn’t expecting it to be this soon.”
“Apparently someone with friends in high places pulled some strings on your behalf,” she said. “Whoever it was, they did you a huge favor. We will be withdrawing our buyout offers officially in the next few days, but I wanted you to be the first to know.”
“Are you being serious?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “But what about the people who had already agreed to sell?”
“We will still honor the offer and acquire their properties, but we won’t be demolishing anything. In fact”—I could hear the smile in her voice—“I was thinking that we might be able to donate some of the development funds to help revitalize the strip. If all the owners are agreeable, of course.”
Yes. I made a mental fist pump. “I think everyone would love that. Thanks for letting me know, Jacqui. I appreciate that.” I hung up and did a happy dance around the store.
At least that was one issue out of the way.
Now all I had to do was figure out a way to inherit and own the place.
My mind drifted to Rob, wanting to share the news with him. I gritted my teeth and pushed him out of my mind, then reached for my phone to tell Opa the good news instead.
“That’s wonderful!” My grandfather was thrilled. “I’m so proud of you. All your efforts have really paid off.”
“I don’t know how we had our application approved so quickly, but I’m glad it was.”
There was a lengthy pause from my grandfather. “I might have told Rob about it.”
I froze. “You what?”
“He said he knows someone in the local State Historic Preservation Office and told me he’d try to reach out to his friend there.”
My jaw unhinged. “So you’re saying that Rob helped us fast-track the approval process? This all happened because of him?”
“I’m not saying that, but I’m also not saying no.”
But if he did that, that meant he went against his father. His dad had wanted this project to happen so badly, and if Rob had stopped the development from going ahead, it meant he was sacrificing his future and his relationship with his dad.
He had done this for me.
He had chosen me over his father.
Today was the day of the fifth and final wedding Rob and I were supposed to go to.
So obviously, I was going to ambush him there.
Jenna had objected to the idea that I was planning to make a grand gesture for Rob. “Why should you be the one making the effort? Didn’t he make a mistake, too?”
That might be true, but he had sacrificed more for me. He had practically given up a future with his father for my future.
I owed him a fucking grand gesture.
The bride of the fifth wedding was a lawyer who used to consult for Mackenzie Constructions, so Ellie and Alec were also invited.
They’d picked me up, and I spent the entire twenty-minute car trip mentally rehearsing my speech.
It wasn’t long or flashy, but it was genuine, and it came from my heart, so I hoped that was enough to tell him how I felt.
The wedding was huge, so it was easy for me to walk in unnoticed.
Alec said the bride was a senior partner at a top-tier law firm, which was probably why there were tons of people invited.
He had approached the bride, told her about me, and she was so excited at the possibility of a live rom-com-grand-gesture movie moment at her wedding, that she immediately went on stage to stop the band and beckoned me to come over.
Meanwhile, I was about to chicken out. Cold sweat coated my forehead, my palms were clammy, and I seriously felt like I needed to cry. Or vomit. And faint. Maybe all three, at the same time.
But Ellie gave me a gentle push toward the stage. “Go on. Do what you need to do.”
I ran my hand to flatten my perfectly flattened skirt. “What if he’s not here yet?”
“He texted me earlier. He’s here somewhere.” Alec nodded. “You can do this.”
I took a deep breath. Fuck it. I’m going for it.
The bride was quietly squealing when she handed me the mic. A hush fell over the crowd, and several hundred pairs of curious eyes turned to watch me.
“First of all, congratulations,” I said to the beaming bride, “and thanks for giving me a chance to say a few words.”
She gave me two excited thumbs-up, followed by another squeal.
“Hello, everyone.” I scanned the darkened crowd, hoping to spot Rob.
“I apologize for hijacking your night. I promise I’ll be quick.
” I found Ellie and Alec in the crowd, and they both gave me encouraging nods.
“Uh, my name is Kim, and I’m here because I have a few words to say to a friend of mine, who is a guest at this wedding. ”
Quiet murmurs broke among the guests, and my gaze roamed the crowd again, only to find Leo and his fiancée on the left side of the room.
Maybe all the lawyers knew each other in this city?
He was frowning at me, and I realized with relief that I didn’t really give a damn about what he might or might not think about me right now.
Because I knew that I had truly moved on this time, and whatever he did in the past no longer had a claim over me and my life. Over my future.
“First of all, I just wanted to say to that friend, that I’m sorry.
For being dishonest, for hiding my real reasons for wanting to find a partner.
” I took a deep breath. “I know it was selfish of me for not telling you, and I’ll need to work on rebuilding your trust, to give you a reason to believe in me again.
But if you give me another chance, I’m willing to put in the work. ”
My gaze finally fell on him, standing in the darkened corner at the back.
With Lucy Nguyen by his side.
Looking so perfect and gorgeous together.
It felt like my heart had stopped and dropped to my shoes, and I could feel blood draining from my face. I stared at the two of them, my heart struggling to start itself back up, while my brain was racing a thousand miles a minute.
This is all for nothing. I was here for him, but he was here with someone else.
I didn’t know how long I stared at him. The bride was nudging me, prompting me to continue my speech, but it took me a while to swallow the lump in my throat. My eyes found Ellie again, and she must have seen Rob and Lucy, too. But she gave me a firm nod and mouthed, “Keep going.”
She’s right. I’m already here. Go for broke.
“Those of you who know me would know that I never used to believe in love. In marriages, in happy endings, because of a terrible relationship in the past.” My eyes found Leo again, and this time, he gave me a sad, apologetic smile.
“But that friend changed my outlook on love. He showed me that it’s not as scary as I thought to trust in someone.
That it’s okay to give myself and my heart to another person—to the right person, if he’s earned that trust.” My voice faltered a little. “Because the risk is worth it.”
“You’re doing amazing,” the bride whispered.