Chapter Twenty Eight
pinky promise
Over the course of the next few days, I spend every second I can in Logan's arms, never wanting to be without them.
We work on getting my shop put together. Logan installed all the shelving and cases, and even built a few extra pieces for me that turned out absolutely beautiful.
Cassie and I went shopping for knick knacks to decorate with, like rugs, plants, and vintage lamps.
Everything is coming together.
It has a vintage/grunge vibe, and I’m here for it.
The rug I picked is full of rustic reds, oranges, and tans, with little tassels hanging off of the edges, and fits perfectly in the center of the shop.
There's plants hanging from the ceiling and sitting on shelves, and string lights lining the ceiling as well.
We’re almost done for the day, when Cassie walks up to me, and everyone stops what they're doing to come over.
“Here.” Cassie says, holding out a wrapped box for me to take.
“What's this?” I ask, looking around confused.
“Just open it.” she says with a light smile.
I look around at everyone, and I can't read their faces.
Logan is standing with his arms crossed, watching me with a soft smile that sends butterflies scattering.
Garrett is leaning against the wall, watching us with a neutral face.
Nathaniel and his boyfriend look like they are going to start crying any second.
What is going on?
I grab the box, and start to open it.
As the box bends open, I see the corner of a picture frame.
It's gold, with filigree all over it, and looks beautiful.
Gently I pull it out of the box, and turn it around.
As my eyes land on it, my breath catches, and tears instantly spring to my eyes.
I look up at Cassie, then everyone else.
“Where did you find this?” I whisper, staring at the picture I thought was long gone.
“It was in a box that was pushed aside after the fire. I guess it got put away and forgotten in that back room. I went ahead and framed it for you, so you can hang it up.”
I wipe a tear away, staring at the picture.
Me and Sam, standing in front of Charlie's Antiques on opening day.
Sam's arm is around my waist, pulling me into him, and my arm is stretched out above my head.
We both have the biggest smiles on our faces, and I remember this being one of the happiest days of my life.
“I can’t believe you found this.” I whisper.
I look around the shop, looking for an empty spot on the wall.
My eyes land on the perfect spot next to a hanging plant, above one of the shelves Logan built me.
“The finishing touch.” I say to no one in particular as I hang it on the wall.
Logan comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around me as he looks at the picture.
“I think it’s perfect.” he whispers into my neck, squeezing me tightly.
“Me too.”
He leans in and kisses my cheek, then steps back taking a look around.
“I think everything is finished.”
I look back at the shop and take a breath. Everything is done except getting some more product on my shelves, which always takes time.
Logan and I, and Pudding, have been staying at the marigold house while working on my shop because it just makes more sense than driving back and forth.
I haven't really talked to anyone anymore about me moving, simply because everything feels like it's happening so fast.
Logan's house isn't completely livable yet, so we've been roughing it with small battery powered heaters for the chilly nights, and eating in town. It's not ideal at all, but it's been kind of nice at the same time.
It’s just him and I, in a quiet house, and it’s been so peaceful. We could easily go to a hotel, but I prefer this.
After we all clean up, everyone heads home, so Logan and I lock up and head out to get dinner. After locking the door, I turn and see Logan standing by the passenger door of his truck.
“I thought we were going to walk to dinner?” I ask him, but he still opens the door for me.
“I’ve been sweating in these clothes all day. I figured we could go shower and change, and have a nice dinner. It’s early enough.”
“Yeah, I guess you're right.” I say with a smile. “You did get pretty dirty today.” I tease, giving his shoulder a playful slap as I pass.
Logan shuts the door behind me, then climbs in on his side. I watch him as he starts his truck, putting one hand on the steering wheel.
He catches me watching him, and I just smile.
“You're staring.” he says, his dimples on full display sending butterflies to my stomach.
“I just love watching you drive.”
His eyebrows quirk up, “You do?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“It’s incredibly sexy.” I shrug my shoulders. “It's the one arm on the steering wheel thing.”
He chuckles, and the sound makes my heart so happy. I love it.
“So, I've been thinking.” I start, as we turn onto the road that leads to the house.
“Oh yeah?”
“I think I want to move out here.”
I watch his eyebrows shoot up, and a smile appears on his lips.
“I think that's an amazing idea.” he says after a second.
“You do?”
“Yeah. Especially since I’d be living here too.”
I hadn't thought about that. He bought that property, which has a house. Of course he would fix it up and live there.
Sarah and Hazel haven't seen it yet, but I can already picture Hazel running around in the huge front yard.
We pull up the driveway, and get out once the truck is in park.
I hear Pudding barking, and know he probably is hungry and wants to go out.
That or he has attachment issues.
Logan opens the front door for me, and steps in, then stops.
“What is this?” I ask him.
There’s candles lit everywhere, a table with two plates of food, two glasses of wine, and freshly picked flowers in the middle.
“I wanted to surprise you.” Logan says behind me, his voice deep in my ear.
“Logan, this is beautiful.” I turn and wrap my arms around him.
He squeezes me back, then kisses my forehead.
He pulls my chair out for me, then pours me a glass of wine. As he sits across from me, I notice he seems nervous.
What's he planning here?
“How did you pull this off? I was with you all day.”
He chuckles, “Cassie and Garrett set it all up for me before they left.”
Of course they did.
“Well, it's beautiful.” I tell him again, hoping he realizes how much I love it.
This man goes above and beyond to make sure I’m happy and taken care of, and I am beyond grateful for that.
I am beyond grateful for him.
Logan reaches across the table, grabbing my hands in his.
“Charlie,” he starts, and I feel my heart start to race.
“I’m not asking you to marry me, because I know that’s not in our cards just yet, and I am perfectly ok with that. I’m not asking you to replace Sam with me. I’m not asking you to pretend like everything is ok.” he pauses, and I swallow hard.
“What I am asking, is that you give me your heart and your days. All the broken bits and pieces. All the bad and all the good. The days where you smile so hard your cheeks hurt, and the days where all you can do is lay in bed and cry.” he smiles, “I want all your days. And I want to spend all of my days with you.”
I laugh-cry, but before I can say anything, he pulls a small box out from under the table.
My heart starts to beat faster.
“Charlie girl, will you be my forever?” He opens the box, and there's a small gold band, with small flowers engraved all the way around. It’s so simple, but it’s absolutely stunning.
“I got this ring, because I feel like you deserve it, and because I love you. I love you so much, Charlie.” his eyes start to glisten and I reach my hand up, wiping at them.
“Logan, you are one of the most amazing men I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.” I sniffle, “Forever with you sounds like heaven.”
Logan slides the ring on my finger, and I smile down at it.
“Promise me you’ll never leave.” I whisper. “Promise me this is it, because I don't think I can take losing you.”
Logan holds out his hand, sticking his finger out.
“Pinky promise.”
We eat our meal, and finish the night tangled in each other's arms. A hot, sweaty mess. I wake up lying on Logan’s bare chest, both of us still completely naked under the sheets. I stay like this for a moment, just soaking it all in.
Him. This house. How happy I am.
I never thought I would be able to love again, and then Logan walked into my shop, and swept me off my feet. I didn’t stand a chance.
My eyes start to grow heavy again, and then I hear my phone vibrating on the table next to the bed.
My mom.
Slowly, I sit up and grab it as I reach for Logan's flannel to toss on so I can go downstairs.
I hit the answer button as soon as my chest is covered, “Hi mom.”
“Hi sweetie! I hope I didn’t wake you?”
I laugh, “No, mom, you didn't. Is everything ok? It’s only..” I pull my phone away from my ear to check the time, “8 in the morning.”
“Oh yes, everything is fine. I just haven't heard from you in a while, besides a few texts here and there. I wanted to check on you.”
I open the front door, and walk out onto the front porch. “I’m sorry, things have just been non-stop here with the new space. I’ve hardly had time for anything.”
I hear her laugh, “I know sweetheart. How is the shop? Is it fully set up?”
I explain to her everything we’ve done, and send a couple pictures. I really have been bad at staying in touch with her over these last few weeks.
“Listen, I was thinking.” she starts, “I want to come visit that new town of yours, what is it? Rosemary something?”
I throw my head back laughing, “Sage Valley mom. Sage, not rosemary.”
“Oh close enough. Anyway, I was thinking of visiting again. There’s a cute little cottage for sale, not too far from your new shop, and I wanted to take a look at it.”
My jaw drops, but my heart swells. Having my mom close to me again would be like a dream come true.
“Mom, that sounds amazing. When were you thinking? You could stay with Logan and I? I would just have to get some things set up first.”
“I was thinking in two weeks, for Thanksgiving?”
I smile to myself, “That sounds perfect. I’ll let him know to get his butt in gear on the house.”
My mom laughs, and the sound makes me smile more. I miss my mom so much. Having her live in the same town as me would be amazing.
“You sound so happy, Charlie.”
A lone tear slips from the corner of my eye just as I hear Logan come out onto the porch. He looks at me concerned, but I wave him off, assuring him I am ok.
“I am happy, mom. I’m so happy.” I say as my eyes meet Logan’s.
And for the first time in a long time, I believe it.
We finish talking, and I hang up, wiping at my face.
Logan reaches over and caresses my cheek.
“These are happy tears, right?” he asks.
“Yes, they are happy tears.”
“Good. What did your mom have to say?
I fill him in on everything, letting him know he has two weeks to get this house up and running decent enough for my mom to come stay with us, and I swear the amount of excitement in his eyes about my mom coming just warms my heart even more.
Sam might have been the first one to hold my heart; but I couldn't have asked for a better person to get my second chance at love with.
Logan is my home and my new forever.
But Sam will always hold a special place in my heart.