Chapter Thirty-Two
Truett
L ife was hard. That didn’t change because I’d mentally committed to taking the first steps to reclaim my life. There were no fewer than a million grueling miles between where I was and where I wanted to be.
But I was trying. Little by little. Minute by minute.
With Gwen by my side.
We hadn’t heard anything from Jeff in nearly two weeks. With the majority of their custody swaps being done in the carpool line after school, it wasn’t necessary to see each other regularly. Thankfully, his surprise visits and nasty texts had stopped. That was as much of a win as I figured we could expect from him.
While I wanted to be with Gwen twenty-four-seven, we thought it was best to ease Nate into me being around all the time. On the weekends she had him, I’d only come over on Saturday and leave after breakfast on Sunday morning. And on the nights he was with his dad, we were either working at the restaurant or in her bed, making up for lost time.
She hated when I went home and had gone so far as to convince Cooter to offer me her guest room. That was the easiest no I’d ever spoken. Besides, I’d spent the majority of my life in that house. I couldn’t just walk away and never look back the way she so desperately wanted me to. But I had agreed to trash the couch, so I’d at least placated her for a while.
It was finally time for the soft launch of The Rosewood Café, and for the last five days, Gwen had banished me from the premises.
She had wanted to put the finishing touches on the place herself, promising that the surprises she had in store would be worth the long hours. The nights I spent at her place, she’d come home an exhausted, sweaty, overwhelmed mess. Yet she would walk in the door, a smile stretched wide across her gorgeous face, and spend the next half hour recapping her day.
I’d never seen her more radiant.
From the moment she’d shown me her plans, I hadn’t doubted for a second that The Rosewood would be every bit as amazing as she was. Gwen had decided that a soft launch for friends and family would be a good test of their preparation. As the time loomed near, I wasn’t sure who was more nervous: Gwen or Cooter. They’d both thrown themselves into The Rosewood, and despite Cooter’s unconventional approach to life in general, she’d turned out to be not only an incredible resource, but a great friend to Gwen as well.
As I stood on the sidewalk, waiting for our head chef to open the doors, the air was static, everyone abuzz with excitement to see what she had created inside a once outdated grease pit. Gwen was not messing around with the big reveal. The sign over the door had been covered with a tarp to keep it hidden. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw she’d used two of the old newspapers to cover the logos on the doors.
Finally, Gwen slipped through the front door, wearing a crisp white chef’s jacket, her hair pulled back in a bun. Everyone cheered as she waved, her face beaming with pride. She froze when she saw the long red ribbon with silver and gold jewels that hung between the potted trees on either side of the door.
As a surprise, Nate had spent his free time bedazzling the ribbon for his mother. As much as he complained about those arts and crafts she made him do with her, I think he secretly liked it just as much as she did.
She found Nate in the crowd. “Did you do this?”
He nodded, suddenly extremely uncomfortable to be called out in front of the crowd.
“Buddy, it’s amazing! I love it!” she exclaimed, opening her arms for Nate.
He glanced around before giving her what could possibly be the world’s shortest hug and then escaping back to his place beside Pike and Daphne.
“Truett,” she called, searching for me in the crowd. Her face lit when our eyes finally collided. Circling her hand in the air, she said, “Come up here.”
With a smile that had become a permanent fixture on my face as of lately, I weaved my way to the front, but I wasn’t going to stay. I dropped a quick kiss on her lips before leaning in toward her ear to whisper, “This is your moment, baby. Not mine. Embrace it.”
Her face got soft. “True, I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“You could have, and you would have, and it would still be incredible. You’d just have significant credit card debt.”
She laughed, snaking her hand out to pinch my nipple. “You mean significantly more credit card debt?”
“That too.” I winked. “Now, come on. Give the people what they came for.”
She pressed up onto her toes and brushed her lips with mine.
“Get a room!” Cooter yelled.
Everyone laughed, and I stepped away, staying close without stealing her spotlight.
“Wow,” she breathed. “Thank you so much for being here tonight.” She paused as a round of applause erupted. “Proud doesn’t begin to cover the way I feel about this place. Literal blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this transformation. And I’m not just talking about the restaurant. The day I signed the contract to purchase The Grille, I never could have imagined how much my life would change.”
Her eyes locked on mine. “It’s funny. I bought this place as a fresh start, but somehow, I found a piece of my past that had been missing for far too long.”
Emotion lodged in my throat, so I blew her a kiss. Midsentence, and without missing a beat, she caught it in the air and placed it on her cheek.
“I got to thinking,” she continued. “I began to wonder how this little restaurant of mine might affect the lives of the people who come here to share a meal. What kind of memories might be made between these four walls? What kind of connections might be forged over a shared table, between friends, families, or even strangers? What kind of comfort might people find here? Only time will tell. But I know the memories I’ve made, the connections I’ve forged, and the comfort I never could have imagined I’d find again.
“So, with that, some of you might be surprised that things look a little different than you’re expecting, but I could not be happier with the way things turned out. I could not have done this without each and every one of you. Thank you.” Her eyes once again filled with tears, but she managed to keep them at bay. “Those two words are not enough, but hopefully the food will help bridge the gap. There will be a cocktail hour first so I can hopefully shake off some of the nerves. If you see me without a drink in my hand, please remedy that immediately.”
Everyone laughed, but I stared at her, happiness cocooning me.
She swiped under her eyes and then clapped her hands. “Anyway, without further ado… Welcome to The Haven!”
My whole body jerked. The…wait… what ?
Chills exploded across my skin as I stared at her. She made quick work of cutting the ribbon as the crowd cheered.
And I just stood there, dazed, dumbfounded, and so fucking filled with love it physically hurt.
She extended her hand toward me. “Come on, True. I need you for this.”
I immediately became unstuck and moved to her side, lacing my fingers with hers.
With a gorgeous smile playing on her lips, Gwen stopped us just inside. Her guests eagerly flooded in around us until it was just the two of us standing in that doorway.
She squeezed my hand. “What do you think?”
I couldn’t drag my stare away from the tall wooden letters spelling out our daughter’s middle name centered over the blackboard menu. I took measured breaths, working to control the thick emotion that swelled in my chest.
“The Haven?” I asked.
“Yep. I had those letters cut from the table top of the booth.”
“What?” I gasped.
She turned and pointed toward the hostess stand. Two benches formed an L in the corner. “I used the seats over there. I left the original vinyl and covered it with cloth slipcovers.”
I was in a losing battle to hold my emotions back. “This is incredible.”
She smiled. “I know you used to come here as some kind of penitence, but look at all it’s given us. From now on, I want this to be our safe space, our refuge, our haven . Us. Me, you, Nate. And anyone who walks through that door. I want the whole world to feel the warmth and joy that was, and will always be, our Kaitlyn Haven West.”
“Jesus, Gwen. It’s perfect,” I breathed, wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her body flush with mine. “You’re perfect.”
“Okay, let’s not get carried away.”
We both laughed, and I bent over, resting my forehead on hers and gently swayed us from side to side. “God, I’m gonna miss you.”
My chest ached at the thought of being away from her for so long. I didn’t know how I was going to manage not being able to pull her into my arms whenever I wanted or hear her laughter ringing loudly every day. But I knew that making the decision to attend a residential treatment program was the only way I was ever going to be able to fully heal and move forward with my life.
With our life.
“Yeah, it’s gonna suck,” she replied. “But I’m so proud of you for finally making yourself a priority.”
I gave her another squeeze and then cleared my throat. “You think anyone will notice if we sneak off to the office?”
“I’m pretty sure about twenty people would notice, especially those two.”
I looked up and saw Dylan and Angela making their way over.
“You two done making out yet?” Dylan quipped.
Angela swatted at her shoulder. “I know this is special for you both. But, Truett, you have to share.”
“Fiiine,” I huffed teasingly. After one last kiss, I released her and they swooped her away.
I went back to admiring the wooden letters until Daniel patted me on the back.
“There you are. I lost you in the stampede to the bar.” He tipped a beer to his lips.
He had Jacob, who was almost three, sitting on his hip, so I poked him in the belly. Wiggling as he laughed, he hid his face against his father’s shoulder.
Daniel nudged Carson with his thigh. “Say hey to Uncle Truett.”
Dramatic as only a five-year-old could be, he threw his head back and whined, “Can we go home yet?”
“Hey, dude. That’s my line.” I ruffled the top of his hair.
“I’m so bored,” he groaned.
Daniel rolled his eyes. “You’ll have to excuse him. He’s not sure what to do when he’s not being completely and utterly spoiled with things like a trampoline park or video games.”
Grinning, I shook my head and located Nate across the room. “Hey, buddy,” I called.
His head popped up from the game of Jenga he was playing on the floor with Pike and Daphne.
“Can you let Carson hang out with you guys for a little bit?”
“Sure,” he chirped.
Carson was hesitant, but Daniel tipped his head toward the kids. “Go ahead. I’ll be right here.”
Reluctantly, he shuffled away.
“Where’s Amber?” I asked.
Using his drink, he pointed across the room. She was standing with Angela, Gwen, and Dylan, a glass of wine in all of their hands.
I instantly snagged the beer from my brother and set it on a nearby high-top.
“What was that for?”
“That is a dangerous circle your wife is standing in. The next thing you know, she’s going to be bottle deep, discussing the finer and less-than-finer points of your sex life. You, sir, are going to need to drive home tonight. Go ahead and prep for it now.”
He laughed. “Fair enough.” He shifted Jacob to his other hip. “I guess I’ll be letting Amber know that you’ll be attending all future birthday parties and holiday get-togethers. No excuses now.”
I groaned. “As long as I get a couple of plus-ones, I’ll be there.”
The happiness and relief on that man’s face made him look like a kid again. “I’m so proud of you.”
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” I deadpanned. “Just promise you’ll check on Gwen when I’m gone. God only knows what that asshole will pull if he catches wind that I’m not around.”
“You just focus on Truett while you’re gone. I’ll hold down the fort. I promise.”
He would. Daniel would always have my back, and it was about damn time I started having his.
“Hey, you should drop the boys off with me and Gwen one night. I’m sure you two need a break.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Is tonight an option?” He tipped his chin at his wife. “That is her second glass of wine in so many minutes. She’s going to be so hungover tomorrow.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Not tonight. But definitely sometime when I get back.”
“Deal.” He narrowed his eyes across the room. “I think someone over there is trying to get your attention.”
I turned and saw Gwen waving me over. She was standing with Cooter, so I steeled myself for whatever adventure I was about to embark on.
“I’ll catch up with you in a few.” I jerked my chin at Daniel and then headed her way.
Gwen reached for me as soon as I got close, sliding her arm around my waist. “Truett, baby, can you help us settle something here?”
I pulled her into my side with my arm around her shoulders. “Sure.”
“Please tell her that her name tag is misspelled.”
Cooter pulled at her shirt to read the tag and then looked back to Gwen. “No, it’s not. Lucille is spelled with two L’s. How are we best friends and you don’t even know how to spell my name?”
Gwen pulled a small rectangular tag from her pocket, a mischievous grin on her face. “Weird. I always thought Lucille was spelled C-O-O-T-E-R.”
A loud hoot erupted and she snatched her new name tag. In less than a second, she’d switched them out, tossing the old one over her shoulder. Thankfully, it only hit the wall.
“Thank God!” she exclaimed. “I was sick to my stomach every time someone referred to me as Lucille. That was my granny’s name. It made me feel like I was being haunted.”
A tall gentleman in a three-piece-suit appeared beside her, with two cocktails in his hands. He leaned into her ear and sweetly said, “I wasn’t sure if you were allowed to drink or not while you’re working, but I couldn’t very well come back from the bar without a drink for my best girl.”
Cooter beamed up at him, taking the drink. “Gwennie, Gargamel, this is my new beau, George. But you can call him Dinky.”
He smiled awkwardly and extended his hand in Gwen’s direction. “Nice to meet you. This place is beautiful. Also, please just call me George.” He shook her hand and then turned with it still outstretched to me. “And you are?”
I grasped his palm. “Look, I’ll call you George if you call me Truett and not Gargamel.” I hit Cooter with a side-eye. “Not really sure where that even came from.”
“Well, you were the hot gargoyle, and ya know, natural progression is Gargamel,” Cooter explained as though it made all the sense in the world.
“Isn’t that the bad guy from The Smurfs ?” Gwen asked.
Cooter shrugged. “I dunno, but it sounded good.” She turned to George. “Dinky, scoot over there and check on those kids. They’re awful quiet and that’s never a good sign.”
George gave us a salute as he quickly shuffled away, and the moment he was out of earshot, Dylan appeared out of thin air.
“Coot! Why the hell are you calling that man ‘Dinky’?” She dropped her voice. “Is that a reference to something being small?”
Disgust washed across Cooter’s face. “Girl, please! You think I’d ever date a man with a small package?” She looked over at Gwen and waggled her eyebrows. “Trust me, he’s not dinky anywhere that counts. When I first met him, he was driving the smallest car I’d ever seen. I swear I thought I’d had a stroke, because it looked like he was sitting behind the wheel of a roller skate. So when he got out and I saw he was a piece of man meat, I marched over and asked him what the hell he was doing in such a dinky car. He replied that hopefully he’d be doing me in that dinky car, and I don’t know, the name just came to me.”
I couldn’t decide if I was more impressed with his comeback or horrified at the fact that that was Cooter’s pick-up line. Okay, that wasn’t true. I was impressed by both. I had to give credit where credit was due, and while Cooter was a fiery ball of crazy on her best day, she was also a lot of fun.
Angela tapped a knife to a champagne flute and announced, “The kitchen is just about to open and our girl needs to get back there. Spoiler alert: it already smells divine . But before she disappears on us in search of her first Michelin star, let’s have a toast.”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. It’s a café, Ang.”
“You never know. I hear the club sandwiches are amazing.” Angela shot me a wink.
I threw my head back, laughing. I didn’t have a drink in my hand, but I did have the only woman I would ever love at my side, a bright future ahead of us, and a life I was finally ready to fight for.
I lifted my imaginary drink in the air. “To Gwen, the most kind and beautiful woman I will ever know. Be it a friendly smile at a low moment, a hot cup of coffee when the world is too cold to sit in the rain, or a hug when your soul has been starved for happiness, Gwen is a giver who has offered all of us a piece of her heart. Most especially me. So, here’s to a future full of possibilities, a new beginning, and if we’re lucky, maybe even a piece of bacon on the side.”