Chapter 40
Logan
Finally, everything was in place. The bar had fully been moved over and our grand reopening was tomorrow. Every glass was in place, everything fully stocked, and I had an opening special to encourage the crowds to visit me here.
I also had a ring burning a hole in my pocket.
Gage was expecting a private celebration with just the two of us about an hour before the rest of my friends and family descended for a party. That was what I’d told him, anyway. In truth, I had Shanice lurking upstairs, armed with a camera, to get some candid engagement shots.
I tried not to pace, because if Gage walked in on me pacing, the jig would be up. Still, I ended up fidgeting with a glass and a towel behind the bar, like I was some kind of walking Hollywood meme.
Finally, I heard his truck pull into the parking lot.
He was here! Okay, so, music was playing (I had a mix of favorite love ballads I knew Gage liked), lights were mellow but still bright enough for good pictures (Shanice had taken test shots), I had champagne, wings, and fries on the table, because let’s face it, I was blue-collar bougie.
I had dressed in the nicest clothes I owned, which were dark wash jeans and a white cable-knit sweater, and left my hair down because I knew he liked it best loose.
I’d gotten a trim and applied beard oil today so I’d look my best.
I was good to go.
Somehow, knowing for a fact Gage had been prepping to propose didn’t seem to settle my nerves any. I still felt downright jittery and prayed I didn’t fumble this. Why the hell was I so nervous?
Granted, I was asking a drop-dead gorgeous, educated, and charming man to stay with me for the rest of my life…oh. Yeah, that’d be a good reason, I guessed.
Gage walked in, and I could tell he’d come straight from work, with the white button-down shirt and deep, inky dark blue blazer. God, I loved that color on him. Asher was rubbing off on me, I guessed, since I knew colors now. That one on my man was stunning, as it complemented his eyes.
I abandoned glass and bar as he came in, discreetly texting Shanice a single letter: G.
Go.
I trusted her to move stealthily.
Catching his hand, I leaned in to kiss him hello, a soft brushing of lips that was pure affection. This man had stood by me through the roller coaster of this past year, and my heart knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he was the one I could trust with everything.
Gage was quick on the uptake though, and he pulled back to ask, “What are you up to? There is champagne on that table, unless I missed my guess.”
“You guess correctly.”
I didn’t explain, just drew him forward until he was positioned right. Then I sucked in a breath and sank to one knee, all the while pulling out the ring from my pocket. With the way his eyes widened, jaw dropping, he hadn’t expected a proposal.
Good! Meant my plans had worked.
“Gage Andrew Banachek, you are an incredible man. Someone I aspire to be like. You draw out the best from me, no question, and have stood by me. It didn’t matter whether I was working on a bar, burying a family member, or rescuing a sibling, you had my back every step of the way.
I can’t imagine going the rest of my life without you by my side.
I love you so, so much that words feel inadequate. May I call you husband?”
Gage seized my face and leaned in, kissing me thoroughly, leaving us both breathless. Tears shone in his eyes as he whispered, “I love you so much. Nothing could bring me greater joy than to have you as a husband. Put that bad boy on me.”
Laughing, I stood and slid the ring onto his finger. It felt so incredibly right to see the warm gold there. A riptide of emotions swept over me. Relief that my proposal had gone over so well, but mostly joy. Breathtaking, searing joy that left me near breathless in its wake.
“You wanting me here an hour earlier now makes complete sense,” Gage muttered. “Wait. That was Shanice’s car across the street, wasn’t it?”
Shanice popped her head out over the railing, making herself more obvious. “Hi, I’m just here to get pictures.”
Gage busted out laughing. “Holy shit, I thought I was being paranoid! Of course he recruited you to take pictures.”
“She’s the best photographer I know,” I defended myself, teasing. “Want a more formal shot or two before she skedaddles?”
“That’s…You know what? Yes.”
Shanice was happy to come all the way downstairs. She posed us for a quick standing shot, then a sitting one, then hugged us both before leaving, giving us some privacy.
Well, at least for the next hour, before everyone else descended.
I owed her favors. Or I would have, if I wasn’t damn sure she was going to use those pictures to her own benefit.
Gage held up a staying hand. “You wait for a second. I’m fetching something from the truck. Pour us some bubbly.”
“Alrighty.” I poured but had deep suspicions. I’d been reliably informed by a few people that Gage had been working on a proposal present. I had no idea what it was—no one would tell me—but it was something he had on hand, despite not knowing what I’d intended tonight?
He hadn’t designed me something, had he?
Gage was back by time I had the second drink poured and was seated. He’d brought in a tablet, and look at his face, he seemed as giddy as a kid expecting the mother lode of all Christmases. Just what had he done?
Gage slid into the chair next to mine, sitting close enough our thighs brushed. “In truth, I’d planned on proposing in January.”
“Shut up, you had not.”
“I was just having trouble figuring out your ring size.” Gage glanced at my left hand. “Something we’ll fix shortly, as I want you wearing a ring too. People need to understand you’re mine.”
He was possessive of me in all the best ways. “I’m okay with it.”
“Good. Um, about the present.” Gage turned on his tablet, then pulled up a file, but there was this tinge of pink to his cheeks, as if he felt shy? “This might be too much. I just couldn’t help myself.”
Without any more explanation, he flipped the tablet so I could see the screen.
It took me a second to realize I was staring at a blueprint of a house.
This image was something computer rendered, of a two-story house that had a distinct Tudor look, with a rounded, towerlike stone structure on the right side, basically incorporating the feel of a medieval structure with modern architecture.
I loved it immediately.
“Gage,” I breathed, still taking the image in, “did you design us a house? Did you fantasize about living with me to the point you designed a house?”
His shyness dropped, and he beamed now, smile stretched from ear to ear. “You love it, I can tell.”
“This house is fucking fantastic, who wouldn’t love it!” I swiped right, and sure enough, there was the floorplan of the main floor. “Hon, you even put in a gaming room.”
“Considering how much we play with friends, of course I did.”
I hauled him in for a kiss, so touched and excited in the same breath, I couldn’t form words. Kissing him was the only way to show just how happy he’d made me.
He kissed back, grinning against my lips. “You haven’t even seen the second story yet.”
“I don’t need to, I know it’ll be perfect. I mean, do show me. I’m curious now.”
Gage showed me the second story, explaining a few things that were harder to imagine with this plain rendering of the space.
There wasn’t a single part I would change.
He’d given us four bedrooms, so friends and family could stay over, which was a huge thing for me.
I was set to be my grandma’s caretaker when she got to that point.
Gage knew that, so him including her own mother-in-law apartment at the back of the property told me without words that he would continue to protect anything I cherished.
And to think, other men had only been interested in quick sex with this man. How blind they’d been. Luckily for me.
“I love it,” I told him, meaning every word, “but I’m also mad as hell we can’t start building right now.”
“Snow’s kind of a deterrent.”
“Damn weather. But we can buy a lot and get permits, right?”
“We absolutely can. That way we can start in spring, when the weather warms up enough to allow it. If we tell Riggs now, we can probably schedule it in with our other jobs. I want to be right on top of the crew for this.”
I nodded fervently, because yes, please.
“We’ll sit down, discuss financials and how much money we need to throw into this, and all the details.
Later. Right now, we’ve got fifteen minutes before people descend.
So, two questions for you, love. When do you want to get married and how big of a party do you want it to be? ”
Gage pursed his lips, clearly thinking. “I’m not one for the big white formal wedding. I don’t think you are either.”
“Ha, no. I could go to Vegas right this minute and be happy.”
“In that case, want to get Si to marry us? I know he’s ordained. Let’s do something casual and fun and have a catered lunch somewhere for everyone and call it a day.”
I’d kind of known that’d be his answer. I felt relieved, because like him, I wasn’t huge on pomp and ceremony. Also, having one of my best friends marry us would be awesome, and I was thrilled he’d suggested it.
“I’m sold. When?”
“Well, how about January? Gives us two months to plan and send invites out.”
“That should be enough time. Most of my siblings are nearby, or close enough to drive in. I know yours are the same.”
“Then let’s say…January twenty-eighth.” Gage was looking at his phone calendar and jotting this in. “That’s a Saturday.”
“Perfect.”
I couldn’t believe my luck. I’d known Gage would say yes, so his answer wasn’t a surprise. The surprise was that he’d had so much prepared for our lives together. That house was incredible, even on paper, and showed me how much he wanted us to live together forever.
He paused, head canted. “What?”
“I was just thinking, this almost didn’t happen.”
“What didn’t? Us getting engaged?”
“Yeah. ’Cause I almost didn’t flirt with you. I almost didn’t ask you out. Since the day I met you, I thought you were out of my league. I was being a little shit by asking and was surprised and delighted when you said yes. Still, I never expected us to get to this point.”
Gage’s eyes softened. “Stop selling yourself short. You’ve always been exactly the man I need. I mean, I said yes to that first date because you’re hot as sin—”
I snorted.
“—but when I learned more about you, I realized you were exactly the man I’d fantasized about having as my own.” He kissed me, soft and slow. “I love you, Logan Sebastian McNair. Don’t you ever forget it.”
“Trust me, I won’t.” I returned the kiss but also realized the rest of our guests had arrived. “Oh, they’re here. Gage. Wanna pull a prank?”
Showing we had the same brain, he rolled his eyes. No explanation needed. He was also smiling and trying to suppress it. He pulled out his phone and started the camera.
Oh good, he was in on it.
I raised my fingers to my face and arranged it into sad lines. Kinda failed. All right, arm trick it was. I quickly moved away from the table, going to the door like I was fleeing the scene. Gage followed at a distance.
The first one through the door was Grandma. She almost hugged me, then realized I had my face buried against one arm. “Oh, honey, what happened?”
“He said,” I mock-sobbed, “he said—”
“Oh no, don’t tell me Gage refused!”
“He said yes.”
There was a pause, then she whacked my arm. “LOGAN SEBASTIAN! When will you stop pranking me?!”
“The grave,” I admitted, raising my hand so I could grin at her.
She smacked my arm again. Then decided I wasn’t worth a hug, apparently, as she went and hugged Gage.
“Gage, welcome to the family!”
“Thank you, Grandma.” He hugged her, winking over her head at me.
See, this was why I loved him. He indulged my mischief.
People poured in after Grandma, all demanding the same, and Gage quickly realized everyone had been in on this except him. He didn’t seem to mind, just accepted congratulations, got in hugs, and told people our general plan for a wedding.
I watched them all—this family with my grandma and sister, Gage’s brother, and my chosen family of friends—and my heart felt full to the brim.
How amazing this life of mine had become.
It was no longer drudgery or something I needed spite to motivate myself through, but had become this warm, beautiful world with love, acceptance, and support like I’d never known.
All because I’d dared to ask out a structural engineer.
Thank god I’d never let the impossible scare me away, because if it had, I’d never have gotten Gage. That was a future I couldn’t fathom. I’d make a life and a home with this man.
I couldn’t wait.