42. Millie
CHAPTER 42
Millie
T he sun decided to stay out today, which I’m grateful for, because that’s helped people turn out that might have chosen to stay home otherwise. It’s always a difficult decision to host an event during a month where the weather can be unpredictable. We don’t often have snow in Willow Pines, especially in April, but it could happen.
We were blessed with a mild spring day, and I’m thanking the universe for looking out for this event. My event company launched today with the event, with all social handles and a website to accept any inquiries going live.
An email was sent to my floral business subscribers and anyone I did an event with previously last week, letting them know when my website would go live.
I told myself I wouldn’t check my email today, but when Will was with me at lunch, I felt like it was a good excuse to check it together. Or, I made him check it at least, because I didn’t want to be disappointed if I had zero emails.
Will was awfully silent when he checked my phone, and when I demanded to know why he was put into such a state of shock, he looked at me and told me I already had fifteen requests.
I didn’t believe him and looked for myself. Sure enough, they were there, and I had to put my phone away because I didn’t want the overwhelming pressure to respond right away.
The people pleaser in me didn’t want them to wait, but Will reassured me that I can respond on Monday and it’ll be fine.
I distract myself by talking to others and helping Kristie and my mom with the floral activities when I have a spare few minutes.
Eventually, my dad finds me, letting me know that it’s time to announce the grant winners.
“Do you want to announce them?” Dad asks as we walk over to the music table. It’s where we have the microphones plugged in.
I shake my head. “I don’t want to announce it if it’s going to be bad news.”
“It’s not bad news, Mills.”
I peer at my dad and tilt my head. “You already know how the money is being allocated?”
“I signed off on the disbursements, remember?”
“And you made us wait to tell us? I don’t get a special daughter treatment?” I ask, and my dad chuckles.
“I wish, sweetheart. But no.” He thrusts the envelope toward me with the list of names and monetary amounts. “We don’t say the monetary amounts out loud, but we will give them each a check. I’ll give them that, if you’ll announce the business names?”
I hesitate for a brief moment before ultimately deciding I’d like to be there when Will finds out the outcome of the grant, so I take the envelope. “I’ll announce the names.”
“Perfect.”
Dad grabs the microphone from Grant, who’s manning the sound table while Will helps elsewhere, and hands it to me.
At this moment, I discover I might have a small amount of stage fright. When I turn away from the table, everyone is sitting around tables and standing around booths. There are over a hundred people staring back at me.
Somehow, out of all the people in the street, my eyes find Will’s. He mouths, “You got this,” which gives me the courage I didn’t know I needed to talk.
“Hi, everyone.” There’s a small amount of feedback in the microphone, which I cringe at and laugh off. “Sorry about that, um, I’m Millie. Most of you know me, but if this is your first time in Willow Pines, welcome. I run Rose & Ivy and have lived here my entire life. From meeting my best friends to falling in love, I owe a lot to this town and the people that live here.”
I pause for a moment, taking in the people around me. There’s so much I’m grateful for, so much that I could say if I had hours to thank everyone individually. I’d drown in a puddle of my own tears, so it’s best if I don’t do that right now, but I wouldn’t have had the courage to launch my event business if I didn’t have so many people helping me with the store and encouraging me to keep chasing my dreams.
“But we aren’t here to talk about me,” I continue, and chuckle with the crowd. “I have the pleasure of announcing this year’s Willow Pine’s Small Business Grant winners.”
I read the list, starting with a new boutique that opened on the strip. After that is a new hair salon. And finally, I get to the last store on the list.
“And last, Carter Records.” I bite my lip to hold back my grin as Will walks toward me, stopping to grab his grandpa. Rob shakes his head for a moment, likely telling Will that it’s his award, but Will is stubborn like me and eventually wins.
Will winks at me as he walks to my dad, accepting the check from him and shaking hands for a photo opportunity. He won’t open the envelope until he gets off stage, and I’m sure he will wait for me, so I quickly remind everyone to purchase wine and food and check out all the vendors before leaving.
It takes a few minutes and asking multiple people before I find Will on the roof of the record store.
“There you are.” It takes me a brief moment to catch my breath after climbing the stairs .
Will is sitting on a chair, holding the envelope between his hands. He smiles at me, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“You’re nervous?” I ask.
“What if it’s not enough?”
I take the seat next to him and grasp his arm. “What if it is?”
“Fair. Okay. Ready?”
“Am I ready? This is something I should be asking you.”
He chuckles. “I’m ready.”
After a deep breath, he tears open the envelope and pulls out the check.
A few seconds pass. I expect him to say something, anything, but he drops the hand that was holding the check between his legs and hangs his head.
“What? Tell me!” I push, needing to know if it’s good news or if he’s disappointed.
He hands me the check instead of answering, eyes wide and jaw unhinged.
The check reads thirty thousand dollars.
That’s more than he needs to pay back his debt and survive for a few months.
“Will.” I don’t know what to say after seeing it.
“I know,” he says, finally lifting his head.
“This is?—”
“Enough.” Will finishes my sentence, taking the check from me to put in the envelope. It’s not a real check, the actual money will be wired, but it’s something he likely wants to keep forever as a token of this moment.
“And more.”
“Yeah, I was thinking of redoing the room upstairs for lessons. I don’t know if I’d have enough clients?—”
I cut him off. “That’s incredible. You need to do that. I launched my business. It’s your turn to launch yours.”
“In addition to the record store? You think I’d have time for that?” he asks .
“We’d make it work. Why not? Four businesses between us? We can do it.” I say, nodding in reassurance.
“As long as we are doing it together.”
“Forever.” I beam.
“Because we are endgame,” Will says, leaning in to kiss me.
“Endgame.”