Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 93453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
She stands up beside me as my hand moves to grab hers, sliding it with her fingers and feeling her. Making me settle just by her touch, she looks up at me. The streaks of tears down her face as she smiles, inhaling deeply before saying three words that I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to hear more in my life, “I love you.”
Here, in the middle of the cemetery where my dreams were shattered, I feel whole again. I feel like whatever path I was on and then did a detour led me to this moment right here. To this woman right here. To the fact I love her with every single fiber in my soul. I love her to the point that I never, ever want to be without her. I love her to the point where I don’t think I could breathe without her. She has cured me, and she had no idea she was doing it. I had no idea she was doing it until it was right there in front of me. “I love you.”
Epilogue One
Autumn
Six Months Later
“Hey,” Brady says, coming into the office with two plates in his hand, and my eyes light up.
“One of those better be for me,” I reply as he sets one plate with a burger and fries in front of me and then places his own in front of him as he sits down in his chair.
“Last time I came in here with food only for myself, you stole it from me.” He picks up his burger and takes a bite. “Didn’t even offer me anything.”
I pick up a french fry and dip it in the mountain of ketchup the chef put on there for me. “It was delicious.”
“What are you doing?” he asks, looking at all the paperwork in front of me.
“Preparing my speech for the State of the Union.” I scrunch my nose up at him.
He ignores my joke. “We need to hire another server,” Brady suggests. “One isn’t enough on a Saturday. Even you have to agree.”
“I do,” I agree with him. “We need at least another two.” I take a bite of my burger as my eyes go to the papers that were in front of me not long ago. Invoices that are all current with the way the bar has taken off. It’s like we are back and even better than ever. “I had to soak my feet in an ice bath when I got home.”
“Well, I’ll put the notice up on the door like I did the last time,” he says, “and we also need another bartender.” I look at him. “You can’t be doing the office and then the bar every night.”
“You sound like Charlie,” I point out to him. “I’m fine. I’m more than fine now that nothing is threatening me and my family,” I admit to him. The Cartwrights have slunk into whatever hole they are in now. Now that Harmony left Winston, they are trying to do damage control to show everyone how amazing they still are. Apparently, according to the gossip going around, she left him six months ago. Why anyone is surprised is beyond me since he makes it no secret that he cheats on her. The number of times I’ve seen him out with different women is crazy, and if I were her, I would light all of his shit on fire.
“You are, but we are doing pretty well now,” he declares, and I chuckle. “Very well, considering all of our debts are paid off, and we have regular runs with orders that are backed up. Plus, the tours are still going stronger than ever. We sell more cases than we’ve ever sold.”
“Why don’t we wait a couple of months and see?” I try to meet him in the middle.
“You said that last month,” he points out, “and we’ve already passed the quota for this month.” He then points at the whiteboard I hung in the office with a goal that we need for the month. “The private tasting events are booked solid for a whole year, Autumn.” His voice starts to go up. “What else is new?” I try to change the subject.
“Not much,” he says, “I think the house next to mine got rented out.”
“The one that is run down?” I ask.
He nods. “Saw someone over there this morning trying to calm down the overgrown weeds.”
“Every single time I come and visit you, I have a feeling it’s going to fall like a stack of Jengas.”
“Hire the fucking bartender.” He puts his hands on his hips. “Or you know what, I’ll do it myself.”
“Fine, fine.” I hold up my hands. “I’ll do it. Jeez.” I inhale. “I was just trying to spend time with you.”
“You want to spend time with me?” he retorts. “Invite me over for a meal. Now I have to go out for a bit.” He doesn’t wait for me to answer him. Instead, he just walks out of the office when my phone rings, and I see it’s my father.