Bonus Epilogue
TWO YEARS LATER
The Golden Falls Gazette
Lake Ridge’s Leo Rivers wins prestigious James Beard award
Chef Leo Rivers earned the title of Best Chef: Midwest, highlighting his innovative, sustainable cuisine.
Chef Leo Rivers of Lake Ridge took home the title of Best Chef: Midwest at this year’s James Beard Awards, one of the culinary world’s highest honors.
Rivers, who joined Lake Ridge just over two years ago, hit the ground running with innovative seasonal menus using fresh, local ingredients and sustainable practices. Rivers also created a tight-knit staff known for its consistency, creativity, and passion.
“I’m beyond honored,” Rivers said. “This award belongs to the entire team at Lake Ridge, as well as the farmers and producers we work with to bring our vision to life. Each day, I get to wake up and do what I love. It doesn’t get better than that.”
Industry experts have highlighted a broader shift toward chefs who emphasize sustainability, with renowned food credits at the awards in Chicago highlighting how chefs like Rivers are redefining what excellence looks like in dining.
“Chef Rivers built something incredibly special here,” Lake Ridge’s sous chef Ray Solano said. “There’s a real sense of trust and pride—not just in the kitchen but in the community. People feel part of something bigger, and that comes through in the care and intention behind every menu we create.”
When asked for hints about Lake Ridge’s next menu or tasting dinner, both Rivers and Solano kept quiet, offering only knowing smiles.
“You’ll have to come in and find out,” Rivers said.
Continue reading on page 3A
Leo
When Eliza and I said we wanted to make our dreams a reality, we weren’t messing around.
The last couple of years had been a whirlwind in the best way. I’d never been happier, both personally and professionally. And there was something incredibly invigorating about us chasing our dreams together.
Her yoga studio was doing better than ever, and with the success, Eliza was able to bring on additional instructors and now also offered Pilates and barre.
She partnered with local organizations for donation drives, implemented sustainable practices for her business, and even hosted a lifelong dream of Lily’s—kitten yoga.
Eliza’s passion for bartending and love for this town, unsurprisingly, never went away. While her focus over the last couple of years leaned more toward the studio, she didn’t stop bartending and picked up shifts whenever she could, and especially when the bar needed extra help.
Selfishly, I was thrilled she kept bartending. It meant I got to sneak glances of her at work.
Soon after Eliza and I had figured out our relationship and that I was staying in Golden Falls, Wes gave me the reins to do what I wanted in the kitchen, which included building my team with Ray as my right-hand man.
And dare I say we built a damn good team. If it weren’t for them, there was no way Lake Ridge would have been as successful as it was. And I certainly wouldn’t have gotten the James Beard recognition. I meant what I told our local paper—this award belonged to everyone.
That included Eliza, because without her, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. When I doubted myself or got discouraged, she believed in me fiercely. I knew I was the luckiest man in the world having Eliza on my side.
With us staying in Golden Falls, it meant we got to see my mom often, and she absolutely adored Eliza—to no one’s surprise.
Mom had stayed in Maple Bluffs and downsized after selling her old house.
She was retired now, and I didn’t think I’d ever seen her happier. She was finally putting herself first.
My relationship with Colin was still strained after what happened a couple of years ago, but I could see the work he was putting in by going to therapy and respecting the boundaries Eliza and I had set.
And that meant something to me. I didn’t think we would ever be friends like I’d once hoped, but that was okay.
I’d come to terms with it and had a great group of people here who had my back.
I ran my hand over my jean pocket, feeling for the small velvet box and ensuring it was still secure—like I’d been doing for the last hour or so.
Eliza and I had both taken the week off, finally having a much needed break. Tomorrow, we were taking off for a beach vacation filled with lounging by the pool, food, and sex. Lots and lots of sex.
There was just one thing I wanted to do before we left.
When I stepped out into our backyard, I wasn’t surprised to find Eliza in the greenhouse, tending to her plants, which had multiplied since we moved from our apartment to our new house last year.
A nonnegotiable when we were house hunting?
Walking distance from Lily and Gabe. It slightly limited our options but led us to finding the perfect house for us, which included a plot of land big enough for a greenhouse, garden, and outdoor yoga.
I watched as Eliza worked, a relaxed smile on her face. When she noticed me standing on the deck, her gaze caught mine and her smile bloomed. She pulled off her garden gloves and immediately made her way over.
“You know,” I started, a grin on my face, “these overalls are really doing it for me.” She looked beautiful and sexy—like always—in a pair of denim short overalls that showed off her tan legs and a tank top. Her skin glistened with sweat from working outside.
“You’re really doing it for me.” She matched my grin with one of her own, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and looking up at me with her deep-brown eyes. “I was thinking…” she said slowly.
“Uh-oh,” I teased with raised brows.
She rolled her lips, hiding her smile, but I could sense the excitement bouncing off her. “I think we should get married. We can figure out the timing and everything, but I want to marry you.”
“Eliza,” I sighed, a laugh escaping. Once again, she’d beat me to it—same with the first I love you and moving in together. Always causing trouble in the best way. “You keep messing up my hopeless romantic plans,” I teased.
A laugh bubbled out of her. “What do you mean?”
I’d planned on taking her to one of her favorite spots in town—the clearing by the lake where we’d gone on our first hike and picnic, which I now had a reminder of tattooed on my body—and recreating a version of our day together with a hike and picnic.
I wanted when I got down on one knee to be absolutely perfect, because she deserved it.
But every moment with her was perfect.
So, I dropped down on one knee and pulled out the velvet box that had been burning a hole in my pocket. Eliza gasped, bringing her hands up to her face.
“I had a whole day planned for us before we left for our trip tomorrow, because I wanted when I asked you to marry me to be perfect. But turns out, every moment is perfect with you, even when you beat me to it on my own proposal.”
“You need to be faster, then,” Eliza teased, smiling through the emotion in her eyes.
“You’re damn right.” I chuckled. “Eliza, I love you. I love the life we’ve built together. I love how much we’ve been able to accomplish together, and I don’t want to wait any longer to call you my wife, my partner, my everything. Will you marry me?”
I opened the velvet box, revealing an oval blue sapphire on a gold band with a cluster of three marquise diamonds on each side.
I’d stopped by Marnie’s a couple weeks ago to share that I wanted to propose to Eliza soon.
I hadn’t even finished my sentence before Marnie got up, practically floated to the other room with how quickly she moved, and came back with a stunning ring that was so perfectly Eliza.
What made it even more meaningful was it’d been Marnie’s ring when she got engaged, and she’d been saving it for Eliza.
“Y-yes. Yes!” Eliza stammered, bending down and cupping my face, pulling me up as she crashed her lips against mine. “A million times yes,” she mumbled against my lips, pulling away only to look at the ring, realization quickly dawning. “That’s Gran’s ring.”
I slid it on her finger, a perfect fit after I got it resized.
“It was. It’s yours now. We were supposed to go over to her house for dinner after I proposed. Maybe we head over now for lunch?”
She grinned at me, eyes dropping to my mouth. “Let’s still head over for dinner. I can think of a few things to keep us busy until then.”
“I like the way you think, baby.” I wrapped an arm around her waist, easily lifting her and carrying her into our house.
Eliza’s lips graced my skin, leaving searing kisses against my neck. “We’re going to elope on our vacation, aren’t we?”
I tipped my head back with a laugh, especially when I felt her smile against my skin. “Maybe, but I think that’d be pretty perfect for us, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah.” She laughed, her hold on me tightening as she pulled back to lock her eyes with mine. “I think it would be. I love you, and I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“I love you, too, and I can’t wait to be your husband.”