EPILOGUE BENNETT
EPILOGUE
BENNETT
“Can you hand me that candle?” Bower asks as she fidgets with her display.
“Baby, it looks amazing.” I hand her the candle, even though it’s not needed.
“Thank you.” She takes a step back, checking out The Whimsy Wagon and her shop setup.
We were able to secure another property from Brody, an open courtyard with vines covering the bricks and a spot that fits the wagon as well as seating and extra shelves for extra merch.
Bower has the spot for the next two weeks, which we thought would be smart—establish a solid location and following and then move around the city.
She’s thinking that she could always rent the spot again for events, maybe even book signings since there’s an attached building that would hold about two hundred people.
“God, I’m sweating.” She shakes her hands out and I quickly scoop her up and pull her off to the side, where I set her down on one of the high-top chairs and trap her with my arms.
“Don’t be nervous. You worked so hard for this, the book club is already a success because of you, and this grand opening will be a success, too, because you put it together.”
Her expression softens as she cups my cheek. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Nah, you could have. You just would have been sexually frustrated.”
She chuckles just as Everly, our event planner, who has been so helpful, calls out, “Bower, can I borrow you for a moment?”
She looks me in the eyes and says, “I have to go.”
I give her a quick kiss and then help her down from her chair, watching as she walks away looking so fucking good in her deep teal dress and black heels. I have plans for her tonight, so many goddamn plans, because we can finally relax.
After Gabby and Ryland found out about me and Bower, we went out to dinner and had one of the best nights, all of us joking and enjoying each other’s company as if nothing had happened.
But I got to hold Bower’s hand and kiss her whenever I fucking wanted, which only made Gabby kiss Ryland. Weird, maybe, but we laughed about it.
The next night, we wound up losing the wild card game. Our team just wasn’t cohesive enough to make it work, which meant we were done for the season.
Honestly, it felt good to be done, given everything that was going on.
And I hate that mentality, but I know management is going to shake up the team for next year, get rid of some of the soured contracts and try to create a whole new image around the team, which I think will help…as well as the book club.
When I say that popularity in our female fans has picked up, it’s an understatement. We’re already planning a romance book night, and we’re trying to invite some authors out for the event. Bower is assisting and having the time of her life with it.
We’re both still reading, but now I’m starting to branch out and send her some of my romance recommendations.
Bower found it incredibly hot that I was taking the initiative in our romance reading journey, and then proceeded to play with me, a vibrator up the ass, and well, let’s just say the entire building could have guessed what she was doing to me by the moans coming out of my mouth.
Bower also started a tradition that once a week we read a passage from one of our books and we reenact it. Not that we needed any extra spice in our life, but fuck, do I look forward to those nights, because not only do we read it, we listen to it on audio as well.
I was telling Nolan about it the other day, and he’s convinced that he has to start reading now, that maybe if he spends some time in bookstores, learning and educating himself on the romance community, he might be able to find someone as freaky as him.
I told him his chances would increase if he hung out in the romance section.
I think he’s going for it.
Also…last week, Bower moved in with me. It was dumb, having her live one floor above me when she was already spending every night at my place, so she’s subletting her apartment to Adalade’s new assistant.
I think her name is Marlowe, but I might be wrong on that.
Either way, she’s gotten to know Bower and they hang out every once in a while.
Sometimes Bower lends a hand with helping Marlowe on Adalade’s likes and dislikes.
And as for Adalade, well, Draco did show up to the dinner party, but it wasn’t who Adalade had her eyes on the entire night. Nope, it was a man named Ramond, who brought her flowers and wooed her right off her feet.
They’ve been on four dates now, and it seems like Adalade might be smitten, at least that’s what Bower has told me.
“I think we’re ready,” Bower says, coming back over to me.
“Adalade and Ramond are handing out pamphlets. Gabby and Ryland are poised at the register, and Maple is ready to take pictures at the photo booth.” She presses her hand to my chest. “I can’t believe we have all these people willing to help. ”
“I can,” I say, tipping her chin up. “You’re the type of person people want to help.” I lean down and kiss her. “I’m so proud of you, beautiful. So fucking proud.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes swim with tears.
“Don’t cry. Enjoy this moment. It’s the beginning of something so much more.” I kiss her one more time and then send her on her way to greet all her patrons waiting to be let into the courtyard.
Ryland walks up to me and pats me on the back. “You ready for tonight?”
I stare off at Bower and smile. “I am. Do you have the ring?”
“Protecting it with my life.”
“Does Gabby know?”
He chuckles. “No goddamn clue.”
“Perfect.”
My eyes track Bower’s movements, knowing damn well by the end of the night, she will no longer be the girl I lusted after for years with no chance of having. Instead, she’ll be my fiancée.
Mine.
For life.
If you couldn’t put Just for the Plot down and want more sizzling romance from Meghan Quinn, get Rules for the Summer. Available now!