Chapter 44
Harper
“Hey, I’m looking for Mindy, she here?”
A guy wearing a fedora nods up at me from the other side of the bar. Meanwhile, Reggie, the bartender I am working with, shoots me a sideways glance with a headshake.
“Nope. No Mindy here,” I say as I reach for the next drink ticket.
It’s a Saturday night and my first official shift as lead bartender at the Gatsby Underground.
It’s been non-stop since we opened our doors.
It’s been pretty chaotic, but I love it.
There’s live music in full swing, the food and the drinks are coming out perfectly, and the atmosphere is as swanky as ever.
I honestly gotta hand it to the guys. It really is the perfect speakeasy.
I hope that Ash and Jaylen will soon be friends again, but that is still up in the air, unfortunately.
While Ash has been constantly reassuring me that Jaylen will come around, I’m not so sure.
“Well, when does she work again?” he asks.
“Mindy doesn’t work here anymore,” Reggie says from down the bar line. An eccentric theater kid, he has less patience for assholes than I do. It comes in handy when I’m getting harassed. It’s probably why Jaylen hired him.
“Well, that’s a shame,” the guy says, walking off.
Reggie shakes his head, and I just smile. I’m loving working behind the bar, especially in a place like this, even if it means dealing with guys like that.
“I doubt he would have talked to you that way if he knew you’re Ash’s girl,” Reggie says, reaching around me for the bitters.
“Yeah, well, I try not to let it get to me,” I say.
“Your brother would have lost his shit too,” he says. I don’t love it, but I know it’s true. Jaylen has no tolerance for guys being in my face, and he never has. The current state of Ash’s face is proof of that. It’s been a week, and his lip is still swollen. It’s making certain things very tricky.
“So, are you and Jaylen still on the outs?” Reggie asks.
“What makes you think we are on the outs?” I ask as I load a tray with shots of Patron.
“I mean, there was that little public dispute at the opening,” he says, and I look at him.
“You weren’t at the opening,” I say.
“No, but I heard about it. A lot of people heard about it. It was on social media too.”
“Well, that’s just lovely,” I say with a sigh. “For the record, Jaylen and I haven’t really patched things up.”
“I can imagine,” he says as he cuts into an orange. “Dating my best friend’s little sister; that’s breaking bro code, I think. Honestly, I think it’s breaking a lot of codes.”
I roll my eyes at Reggie. “You’re not helping,” I say, and Reggie just smiles.
“Hey,” a familiar voice comes from across the bar. “What does a girl gotta do to get a drink around here?”
I smile before I even look up because I’d know Darlene’s voice anywhere. “What are you doing here?” I ask, rounding the bar so I can give her a hug.
“Well, you told me it was your first real shift, so I decided to come see what this place is all about. And give you a hard time, of course,” she smiles, and we hug again.
“So, what do you think?” I ask as I go back behind the bar again.
“It’s swanky as hell, girl. I am loving it. Also, you look good back there,” she says, taking a seat at the bar.
“Yeah?” I ask.
“Yeah. It fits. It feels right,” she says, looking down at the drink list.
“Well, I love it. Also, I came up with all the drinks on that list, and we make a specialty too. Just tell me the mood you’re in, and I can make you a drink to match it.”
“Well, let’s see,” she says, setting the menu down. “What’cha got for a girl who hasn’t gotten laid in almost a month, just started her period, and is also feeling a little left out because her best friend’s like so chaotic that she doesn’t have time to text said girl very often.”
“Well, I’m thinking spirit forward, something tangy for the attitude, but also something that finishes sweet.
Because your best friend is sorry that she hasn’t been around much.
Between the new job, trying to convince my brother not to hate me, and trying to navigate falling for my brother’s best friend, I’ve been a bit distracted.
So, this tangy, sweet, knock you on your ass drink is on the house. ”
She smiles, and I whip up a cocktail to beat all cocktails and pass it to her. Then I pour the leftovers into a shot glass and clink it to her glass. “To friends,”
“To friends,” she says. “And to love. May we both figure it out.”
We drink our drinks, and there is a pleasant lull for a moment, giving me a much-needed breather. My eyes sweep the room, and I see Jaylen towards the front, near the stage where the band is playing. I don’t see Ash anywhere, and I realize that I’ve been so busy I haven’t seen him in a hot minute.
I pull my phone out to text him, but just before I click send, the lead singer of the band taps the mic to get everyone’s attention.
“Hello everyone. Are we having a good night?”
The crowd cheers and claps, and I set my phone down so I can clap too, not wanting to be rude.
“Isn’t this place the best? I mean, for real,” the girl goes on.
“I think it’s safe to say this might be the hottest spot in the Mile-High City right now,” she says, and the crowd erupts again.
“It’s all thanks to the owners, Jaylen and Asher.
Speaking of Asher, he has a few words to say before we get the music rolling again. ”
Asher comes out of the crowd and steps onto the stage.
He takes the mic from the woman with the ruby red lips and matching sequined dress.
Even with the slick band behind him, Ash is center stage in every way.
He looks good wearing those black slacks, a burgundy button down, and windsor tie. And I mean, good!
“Don’t worry,” he says into the mic with that charming smile of his.
It just about knocks me off my feet. “I won’t take up too much of your evening, but I do have a few things I need to say.
First of all, thank you. From the bartenders to the wait staff, the chefs and the designers, and everyone behind the scenes, the Gatsby Underground has been a bigger hit than I could have ever imagined.
I am so grateful for each and every person in this room, including those of you that came here to have a good time.
That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?
Getting together with people you love, sharing a meal, enjoying a drink, and letting the rest of the world fade into the background while you enjoy yourself with the company around you.
The restaurant industry isn’t solely about food.
It’s not about the best drinks, although I think it’s safe to say we do have the best drinks, am I right? ”
The room agrees with him, and Ash looks over at me and winks before going on.
My heart skips a beat in my chest. I’m so proud of him.
I am so in love with him. Instinctively, I glance over at Jaylen, who is still standing near the stage with his friends around him and a drink in hand. He’s smiling, and it looks genuine.
“The industry is about people. At the end of the day, even if your food is spectacular and your drinks are award-winning, even if the ambiance, location, and everything else is perfect…it means nothing if it doesn’t attract people.
We want people to feel taken care of and valued…
we want our guests to lose track of time and place and want to come back again.
So to everyone who had a hand in making our first night a success, thank you! ”
Ash takes a moment while everyone claps. He’s smiling and looks so happy, but he also looks a little nervous. His eyes dart to Jaylen, who grins and gives a single nod of his head.
What are they up to?
A moment later, his eyes lock on mine. “There is one last thing I want to say before I let you go back to your evening. One last thing I want to do. Harper. Will you come up here with me, please?”
My heart stops in my chest, and I feel every eye in the room gravitate toward me.
“What in the world?” Darlene asks with a jaw-dropped smile. I am still staring at Asher, who is just standing on the stage and smiling at me.
“Girl, get up there,” Reggie says, and starts clapping. It begins a domino effect, and everyone in the room starts clapping. I realize I have no choice but to put down my bar towel and weave my way to the front.
Ash extends a hand and guides me up the two stairs to the small stage.
“What are you doing?” I ask through a smile, but he doesn’t answer. He pulls me to the center of the stage, then brings the mic back to his mouth.
“For anyone who doesn’t know, this is Harper St. James.
Lead bartender as of this week at the Gatsby Underground.
I might be looking for a new personal assistant soon because I want her here all the time, stirring and shaking up those magic concoctions.
She’s really brilliant at the art of mixology. ”
Oh my God.
As Ash talks about me in front of all these people, my heart is dancing the mamba in my chest. Is he about to confess his undying love for me?
Okay, maybe I’m being a little dramatic.
But by the way he is looking at me, and pulled me up on stage with him, I don’t know what else it could be.
I’m kind of holding my breath at whatever is coming next.
“Harper, I have known you for…a very long time. You’ve always meant something to me.
But it wasn’t until another man asked for your hand in marriage, a man that in no way deserved you, that I realized I couldn’t just stand around anymore.
I certainly couldn’t watch you make the biggest mistake of your life. ”
Oh my God.
The crowd lets out a collective gasp, but he just keeps smiling.
“After spending nearly a week with you alone in a gorgeous, secluded villa in Costa Rica during one of the worst storms I’ve ever seen, I realized a couple of things.
One, forced proximity isn’t as romantic or entertaining as it is in books.
Ladies, keep that in mind the next time you’re looking for something to read,” he says, and everyone laughs.
“Two, you are more to me than just the beloved little sister of my lifelong best friend. You are the love of my life. And as much as I tried to deny it, fight it, and run away from it, there was no way I could. Literally. Because we were stuck in a villa during a tropical storm.”
Everyone laughs again, but I can hardly breathe as my heart pounds in my chest.
“So Harper, with no question in my heart, and your brother’s blessing,” he nods to Jaylen before dropping to one knee.
Then he pulls his hand out of his pocket and brings out a small box.
“If you don’t think I am too much of a jerk, if you aren’t upset with me for turning your life upside down, if you don’t think I am too old for you…
” he says, and everyone laughs. I stand in amazement when he says the words I know are coming next. “Will you marry me?”
The room fills with a loud gasp, and I am so stunned in that moment that I’m not even sure of my reaction. I’m just standing there with my jaw on the floor, my hand on my chest, and my heart beating wildly as tears sting my eyes.
The ring in the box is the one that belonged to his grandmother. Asher is smiling up at me, tears in his eyes, waiting for my answer. I have no hesitation. I know what I want, what I’ve wanted for some time and didn’t think I could have, even if I admitted to myself that I wanted it.
It’s him.
And my answer is,
“Yes,” I nod with a smile, and the room erupts.
He slides the ring onto my finger and comes to his feet to take me in his arms. It feels like I’m watching all this happen in slow motion.
As his hands cup my face, I glance over at Jaylen, who is smiling and clapping with everyone else.
When I see him, my heart finally feels like it has permission to accept this moment as my dream come true.
“Are you sure?” he whispers. “I mean, I did put you on the spot.”
“Hmm, let me think about it. Am I sure I want to marry you? Am I sure that I love you? Yes. A thousand times yes,” I say, and the tears spill down my cheeks. Asher is grinning with a smile that reaches his eyes, and I press my hands to his chest.
“I love you, Harper,” he says.
“I love you too,” I say. “And no. You’re not too old for me.”
He laughs and covers my mouth with his lips. The music starts up again, drowning out the cheering, talking, and everything else around us.