36. Epilogue
Six Weeks Later
Ava
Over the past few weeks, life has taken a complete turn. My relationship with my sister has healed and now I can’t get her to shut up. She pulled her math mark up easily in the first few weeks back to school. She’d told me Todd came to apologize to her, and she’d sent him away. After quitting the restaurant, we instituted girls’ nights. Once a month we get together to hang out, watch movies or do our nails. We’ve done two so far. The first one was just us. The second one we’d invited her friend, Jess. We’ve talked about inviting Bethany, Lis, Adalie, and Vic as well. It’s been amazing how easily I’ve been included in Derek’s friend group. They accepted me as though I’d always been one of them.
In January, I sat down with Spencer and Vic for a few hours and we hammered out a business plan for my photography. Then Derek joined us and we sat around, laughing and telling stories about the past, theirs with Derek and mine with him. He’d laughed good-naturedly even when the stories got a little embarrassing.
Ever since, I’ve received so many calls from local businesses wanting to hire me that I’m on the verge of quitting my housekeeping job. I don’t have quite enough work yet, so I arrive home after a long day, wanting to take a hot shower and put my feet up.
But when I walk in the door to my bedroom, my plans dissolve as I note the candles flickering everywhere, the flowers in vases around the room, and the man standing in the middle, dressed in dark jeans and a green sweater.
“The one and only Ava Calligan,” Derek says. “How’s it going, sweetheart?”
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I ask, setting my bag down.
“Do you know what today is?”
My heart clenches as I remember, tears flooding my eyes. I can’t speak, so I just nod.
Derek comes toward me, taking my hands. His fingers find my ring and fiddle with it, like he’s been doing a lot lately.
“Nine years ago today, I made the biggest mistake of my life when I walked away from you instead of proposing.” He drops to one knee and my hands fly to my face. “I’m hoping you’ll let me fix that mistake now and agree to let me call you my fiancée instead of my girlfriend. You’ve already been wearing my ring for two months.”
He opens a small box with a new ring inside. This one is smaller than the one I already wear, a simple gold band with a slight curve to it, five small diamonds set into it.
“I love you, Ava. I will never stop loving you. Will you marry me?”
Tears overflow my eyes and trace down my cheeks as I nod. “Yes,” I whisper. “But I already have a ring I love.”
He rolls his eyes as he stands, taking my hand in his and removing the ring he’d bought me originally. He slides the new one on and replaces the first one. They fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
“How—?”
“Remember when I told you I was worried the claws on this one might be loose since it’s so old? I took it to the jeweller.”
I narrow my eyes. “You sneaky—”
He grins. “I did get him to make sure the claws were tight, and it was cleaned. But he also used it to make this one.”
I look from the ring up to him. He’s blinking rapidly, like he’s trying to blink away tears.
“You better not make me cry, sweetheart,” he says. “I’m wearing my contacts.”
“You’ll need to wear your glasses when we get married then,” I say, draping my arms around his neck. “Because I fully expect you to cry like a baby when I walk down the aisle to you.”
He laughs, tugging me closer. “Whatever you want, sweetheart. All you need to do is ask.”
Derek
I take Ava out to celebrate. We decide on a brewery that I love and she’s never been to, leading her into the establishment and up to the front counter where a large man with a beard and slicked back hair waits to take our order.
We each order a flight of four mini beers and bring them to our table.
“We should probably figure out when we want to get married,” Ava says.
I grin, loving the sound of that sentence as it comes from her mouth.
“Anything you want, sweetheart.”
She rolls her eyes. “I knew you were going to say that. What do you want?”
“I’d like to get married at Blue Vista. If you want a summer wedding, we’ll have to figure that out or wait a couple years. But I’m really fine with whatever.”
“That’s it? Married at the wedding venue you run?”
“I’m an easy man, Ava. When I dreamed of my wedding, the only thing I ever imagined was the woman I’d be marrying. And that’s you.”
She blushes a pretty pink and I reach across the table to take her hand, playing with the two rings she now wears. I lift it toward me, placing a kiss on her knuckle.
We talk for a while about the future and drink our beers. We’ve talked more about her and Lacey moving into my place, and I think we’ve almost decided. It’ll be a little tight for three people, but with Lacey determined to live on campus when she goes to university, it’ll only be for a while.
I can’t stop playing with the rings on Ava’s finger, loving the feeling of knowing she’s mine.
“So, who do you want to tell first?” she asks.
“Probably Lacey.”
“What about your friends?”
“Maybe we can invite them all over for dinner tomorrow night. Tell them and Lacey at the same time.”
“And just hope no one notices my new ring?”
I shrug. “It’s not very big.” I stroke my finger over hers below the set. “It should be fine.”
“Shall we head out, then? I kind of want to get you home.”
I chuckle, rising to my feet, drawing her with me. “Are you telling me you only want me for my body?”
She rubs against me, tugging my head down to kiss me. Then she whispers, “No, Derek. I need you for your body.”
I groan and drop my forehead against hers. “I wanted to do something first, but then I’m taking you home, sweetheart.”
“What do you want to do?” she asks, still pressed against me.
I blink away the haze of lust and tug her back to the bar, pulling out my wallet. The big guy is still there, watching us approach. He doesn’t smile.
“Hey,” I say. “Is the owner or manager around?”
“That’s me,” he says. “My brother and I own this place.”
“Excellent.” I hand him my business card. “I’m Derek.” I turn to Ava with a smile. “This is my fiancée, Ava.”
When I look back at the guy, he’s examining my card.
“Okay,” he says.
“I’m the acquisitions coordinator for Blue Vista Events. It’s an event venue downtown. Pretty popular. We try to source as much as we can from local vendors. And your beer is awesome.”
“It is.”
Man of few words.
“If you’d be interested, we’d like to partner with you. Get your beer in for events that serve alcohol.”
He grunts, looking up from the card. “You can make decisions like that?”
I nod. “I’m part owner with three of my friends. I can make decisions when it comes to products.”
He doesn’t say anything for a moment, so I continue.
“Listen. There’s a risk in partnering with a business you don’t know, so why don’t you come check us out? We’ve started a new event on Friday nights this winter and spring. We’re calling them Date Nights. This Friday we’re doing cooking. I think Lis, our chef, is doing a class on Asian food. Next Friday, we’re hosting a paint night with Adalie, our human resources coordinator and another part owner. You and your brother can both come out. Bring dates if you want. On us.”
The man taps the edge of the card against the bar top. “Four free admissions?”
“Cost of doing business,” I say with a shrug.
I wait as he considers. Ava slides her arm around my waist, leaning into me. I know she wants to go as much as I do. I want nothing more than to take her home and strip her naked. My arm comes around her, holding her close.
“Is the paint night adults only?” he finally asks.
I arch a brow. “No. My sister-in-law will be there. She’s sixteen. Another friend is bringing his niece this Friday. We usually serve alcohol to everyone, but if you wanted to bring a minor, we’d just make a note. Who were you thinking?”
“My daughter. She likes painting.”
“That’s perfect. Bring her. And I meant it about your brother, too. If he’d be interested.”
The man taps the card again. “All right. I’ll talk to Taylor. I’m Nate Sinclair.”
He reaches out his hand and we shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Nate. Hopefully, we can develop a good business relationship. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to take my fiancée home.”
Ava and I head out to my car.
“What was that about?” she asks.
“You heard. I liked that beer. It’s some of the best I’ve had.”
“So, did you just take me there because you wanted to do some business?”
I smile down at her as I open the car door. “I’ve been thinking about which places to partner with for the last few months. I made the decision while we were drinking, figured I could take a couple minutes to get the ball rolling. But I’m done, and for the rest of the night, I’m going to focus on you.”
“Starting when?”
I kiss her, pulling her tight to me. “Why not now?”
The End