by Erika Kelly
“He makes me happy.”
“I can tell.”
“And it’s only a plane ride away. There’s plenty of room for you to visit. Any time you want. You can bring Sam and the kids. They’ll love it.”
“I’m going to miss you so much.” Her sister pulled her into her arms. “I know you’re a grown woman but, in a way, you’re also my little girl.” She let her go. “Even when Mom was alive, I helped her look after you. I’d take you to classes and play dates. I helped you with your homework and made sure you brushed your teeth.” Tears glittered in her eyes. “I don’t want to lose you, but I need you to be as happy as that place makes you.”
“But what about the new franchise? I don’t want to disappoint everyone. This is a real opportunity for growth for our family, and it all hinges on me. Is everyone going to be angry that I’m bailing on it?”
Her sister drew in a deep breath. “When Mom and Dad died, you were just heading off for college. We didn’t want you to be alone, so we all committed to keeping things as close to normal as possible. But I think we took it too far. I think, in trying to make sure you got everything Mom and Dad would’ve given you, we stole your ability to find your own way. You’re so much more than our youngest sister. And, as hard as it for me to let you go, I think I’d really love to see you become the magnificent woman you’re meant to be.”
Hot tears spilled down her cheeks, and she’d never felt closer to her sister. “I love you, Bree. Thank you for giving me a home and traditions and so much of your time and attention. It didn’t hold me back. It made me feel loved.”
Her sister pulled back. “Don’t worry about the business. You just go and win that competition.”
Delilah peeled off her chef’s jacket and tossed it on the desk. Grabbing her notebook, she dropped it into her tote.
Her sister watched with wide eyes. “I didn’t mean right now.”
“I’ve got people coming over tomorrow night to taste my dishes.” She hitched the bag onto her shoulder. “I’m ready for that competition and…dammit, Bree, I’m going to win.”
Peering out the window, Will took in Delilah’s world. A melee of cars, buses, vans, and bike messengers, and a steady stream of pedestrians streaked past as the yellow cab turned off Bowery onto Broome Street.
He hadn’t slept in eighteen hours. Couldn’t stomach the idea of food.
What had he been thinking, telling her to walk away? Well, that’s the thing. He hadn’t been thinking. He’d been reacting. A childhood of rejection did that to a guy.
But he was done protecting his heart. He’d found the one woman in the world made for him—and he wasn’t letting her go.
The cab slowed in dense traffic. Fuck. He couldn’t wait to see her. Couldn’t wait to tell her he loved her, that he’d move to New York—or China or Brazil. Wherever she is, that’s where I’ll be.
If only she’d answer her damn phone. No, it’s better this way. What he needed to say had to be done in person.
What if she told him to fuck off? That it was too late? Fear sliced through him, and he sat up straighter in his seat.
If she said no, he’d woo the fuck out of her. He wouldn’t give up.
Because Delilah Lua was a force of nature. Her pull so powerful, she’d caused a seismic shift in the landscape of his heart.
Catching his reflection in the window, he saw a desperate man. A frantic man. Neither of which he’d ever been before. And he smiled because this was what love felt like. Like you couldn’t live without your person. Like you’d lose the very best part of yourself without her.
And it felt so damn good—like he’d punched through a wall. On the other side was fresh air, wide open spaces. Love.
Love. He loved her. And he’d fight like hell for her.
In thick gold lettering, a huge black sign heralding Da Nonna’s took up the entire length of an old stone building. The bright yellow awning, umbrellas, and tablecloths gave the outdoor seating area a festive and welcoming feel.
The cab double-parked out front, and Will handed the driver two twenties. “Thank you.”
Scraping a hand through his hair, he headed inside. His body trembled. Anticipation, need—
Yeah, need. I need her.
I can’t live without her. And it was all right to love her that way. In fact, it was fucking great to love with his whole heart and soul. He didn’t want to be stingy and shut off anymore. He wanted to shout it from the top of her building: I love Delilah Lua.
“Are you waiting for the rest of your party?” the hostess asked.
“No. I’m not eating. I’m looking for Delilah, actually.” Emotion pushed hard on his skin, like it was about to bust free. “I love her. I want to marry her.” He felt giddy with relief. “I want to spend the rest of my life with her.” He stood there, making a fool of himself and not even caring.
The hostess smiled, glancing behind her. The wait staff had stopped mid-motion to stare at him. “That’s awesome. But…she’s not here.”
Disappointment sped through him like a fireball. He’d learned, though, that chefs took their breaks around three, so maybe she’d taken hers a little early. “That’s fine. I’ll wait.” He’d wait as long as it took.
“No. I mean, she doesn’t work here anymore. She’s gone.”
“Delilah, can we talk to you?”
She turned to find Chris and a few other board members approaching her. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?” She’d lost the competition, and she didn’t want to talk to anyone. She’d been so sure she’d knocked it out of the park.
She loved her menu. Loved her dishes. Her guests the other night had eaten every bite and raved about her food.
Dammit, Harry. His was the only low score. Low enough to bring her down to second place in the overall competition.
Her only consolation? A Michelin-rated chef had lost, too.
The group surrounded her, but she couldn’t read their expression. They seemed…nervous? She hoped they understood how grateful she was for the opportunity they’d given her. “You guys were so great to let me in at the last minute. I had more fun with this competition than anything I’ve ever done. I got to meet amazing people and learn about hydroponic farming and sustainable ranching. Honestly, I’ve loved everything about it.”
“That’s one of the things we like best about you,” Chris said. “That you talked to so many local producers. That, and your attitude.”
“Hey, we’re not all temperamental.” She smiled through her hurt. She wished the judges had appreciated her this much. “Only two of the chefs stomped off in a huff.”
Chris glanced at the others before continuing. “So, we’re wondering what’s next for you. Are you going back to New York to run your family restaurant?”
No one knew about Dino Romano’s offer. And, if they did, they’d think she was nuts for turning it down. But she was staying in Calamity no matter what. “Actually, no, I’m not.” But she didn’t want to make them uncomfortable. “Believe it or not, Chef Alonso was talking about me joining his kitchen in London.”
“You give him an answer yet?” Chris asked.
“No. I think I’d like to stay in town a while. I like it here. Why? What’s going on?”
“We had a very clear idea in mind for the chef of the spa restaurant, and you didn’t meet our criteria,” the older gentleman said.
Horrified, Delilah went perfectly still. He didn’t need to tell her that. God.
“And yet…” He shrugged. “It turns out you’re exactly what we want.”
“Whatever we thought we wanted on paper,” Chris said. “Went out the window when we saw all the chefs in action. You’re perfect for the job.”
Perfect? Me? “But my menu came in second place.”
“With us, you came in first,” the older man said. “Your style is exactly what we want. Fresh, exciting, interesting—”
“Honestly, there was only one proposal that moved the meter for us,” Chris said. “Yours.”
“It fits the spirit of the West,” the older man said.
She couldn’t believe it. Was this actually happening? “You’re choosing me to run the restaurant?”
Chris grinned. “Yes. You.”
The moment felt surreal. Just a moment ago, she’d given up on all her dreams, assuming she’d have to start fresh. “I’m completely floored.” And now…this.
The older man’s forehead creased. “So, is that a yes?”
Just over his shoulder, a man came into the saloon. With his swagger and size, he immediately drew her attention.
Will.
It took about three seconds for his gaze to connect with hers, and the relief in his expression was palpable.
“It’s a hell yes.” She started for her man, then remembered that these people had just offered her a job. “Thank you so much. I would love to run the spa restaurant. I, um, I just need to…”
Chris laughed. “Go.”
Delilah took off with only one thought on repeat. I love him, I love him, I love him.
And then, the most miraculous thing happened, restrained, stoic Will Bowie broke into a run.
In front of all those people—Fin, Callie, board members, the other chefs and remaining guests—he raced through the crowd with a look of such intense yearning it made her burst into tears.
Their bodies slammed into each other right in the middle of the saloon. His muscular arms wrapped around her, his mouth closed over hers, and he kissed her with all the intensity she craved.
“I love you.” He tore his mouth off hers, breathing hard. “I know you only came back to finish the competition, and I know how much your family means to you—”
“It’s not a choice.”
He looked perplexed.
“I’m not choosing between you and my family. I’m in love with you, Will. And I’m staying in Calamity. With or without a job. I’ve already packed up most of my stuff. I live here.”
Relief swept across his features, making him look about ten years younger. “With me?”
“Yeah, with you. It turns out that, all this time, I haven’t been looking for new and different. I’ve been looking for myself. And I found it here. With you. And Ruby.”
“We’re a family.”
“We totally are.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. Also…” She glanced behind her at the board members watching her with happy expressions. “I just got a job.”
“Here?”
“The board just offered me the executive chef job at the spa. And I took it.”
“Wheel?”
The shriek of joy had both of them whipping around to find Ruby toddling over to them. Will dropped to his knees to catch her in his arms. Wrapping both arms around his sister, he held her tightly, emotion squeezing his eyes closed.
“Back, Wheel?”
“I’m back.” He stood up with her. “And I’m staying.”
Delilah laughed at the chocolate smeared around the little girl’s mouth. “What have you been eating?”
Ruby flashed a giant smile at Delilah and Will. “I gots shock-let.”
“Did you save any for me?” Delilah asked.
Ruby reached for her, and Delilah leaned in. Flinging an arm around both their necks, Ruby drew them in close, so all three heads touched. She smelled like chocolate and baby shampoo, and, for the first time in her life, Delilah knew the true taste of happiness.
“Ruby?” Will said.
She pulled back to look at him.
“Will you be mine?”
“My Wheel.”
“Yeah. I want that. To be your Will forever.” He looked at Delilah. “Wally, too. Will you be mine forever?”
She drew in a sharp breath. “There’s nothing I want more in the world. The two of you, forever.”
Chapter Twenty
Will pulled the SUV over and killed the ignition. He didn’t know how many people would want a ride home, so he made a quick sweep of the debris lying on the floor and seats and stuffed it all in one of Delilah’s reusable grocery totes. On the seat beside him, he picked up the box that had just arrived in the mail.
Now. He wanted to do it right now. Didn’t want to wait a second longer. Tearing open the box, he removed the gift and headed into the empty restaurant space.
With a hand behind his back, he stood in the doorway and watched Callie spread her arms wide, as if to encompass the picture window overlooking Ballard’s Pond. “I wouldn’t even want window treatments here. The view’s spectacular.”
“I agree,” Delilah said.
With the toe of his boot pressed on the tape measure, Brodie reached to the middle of the wall. “Seventy-two inches.” He glanced over his shoulder to find Fin with his arms around Callie’s waist, nuzzling her neck instead of writing down the measurements. “Fin. You think you can keep your hands to yourself for five minutes so we can get this done?”
Without turning around, Fin brought his hand to the small of his back and hoisted his middle finger. Brodie sighed. “Come on, man. I don’t have all day.”
“We’re talking about…” Fin murmured in his fiancée’s ear. Callie whispered, and he smiled. “Paint chips. Hang on.”
“Lachlan?” Brodie sound exasperated. “Can you give me a hand?”
But their uncle had Ruby on his shoulders as he swayed and swooped around the empty room. Their sister, hands fisted in his white pompadour, giggled adorably.
“You gonna help or just stand there?” Brodie asked Will.
“I’m thinking.” About what Delilah would look like when she said, I do. He imagined her eyes sparkling with love, mischief, and all the promise of the adventure their life together would be. “About décor.”
Fin snickered, and Brodie shot him a look. “What’s to think about? She wants it to fit in with the region, use locally farmed, environmentally sustainable blah blah blah, so why don’t we just do antler chandeliers and be done with it?”
“He’s right about that.” Fin let go of Callie and turned to face the room. With both hands, he made L-shapes, like a painter eyeing his landscape. “Red leather booths, black and white cowhide rugs.”
“You guys.” Delilah had a smile in her voice. “I’m not doing antlers. I want Wally’s to be elegant, but earthy and soulful.”
“When she says she wants to fit in with the region,” Callie said. “She’s thinking white-washed wood, like Quaking Aspens, with sage green accents.”
Switching his gift from one hand to the other behind his back, Will said, “You know what fits right in with sage meadows? Elk. And I’ve got a guy who can outfit this whole place with some nicely mounted heads.”
“That guy out in Elgin?” Fin smiled. “He’s got a great moose one, too. And a grizzly about…oh, twelve feet tall. That’d look real nice in that corner over there.”
“I’m literally not listening to anything you clowns have to say.” Callie stepped back from the window to pick up some paint samples. “We’ll figure it out ourselves.”
Will couldn’t wait a second longer. “I’ve got an idea.”
“Yeah?” Delilah looked up from her notebook and gave him a sweet smile.
“Let’s do snow globes.”
Lachlan stopped dive-bombing. “What?”
“You heard me. Snow globes.”
“Can’t tell if he’s serious or not,” Fin said.
“He’s not.” Callie reached for the tape and peeled off a strip. She tacked a paint chip to the wall.
“I’m not sure I get what you mean.” Delilah came closer.
“We could have shelves all around the room and, over time, we’d fill them with snow globes. It’d become a thing. Our patrons will bring them in from all over the world. We’d have a whole collection.”
“Weird,” Brodie said. “But I like it.”
“It has nothing to do with our theme,” Callie said. “But it’s really cute.”
As she reached for his hand, Delilah had a gleam in her eye. �
��I like it. A lot.” She mouthed, It’s us.
“Good.” He brought the snow globe from behind his back. “This can be our first.”
Everyone stopped working. Some started walking over, but he only had eyes for Delilah.
“What’s going on?” Fin asked.
“No idea,” Brodie said.
“Shh,” Callie said.
Will held his gift out to her.
“Oh, my God.” She grasped it in her hands, eyes going wide as she took in the custom-made snow globe. Tipping it over and back, she watched glitter rain down over the kitchen scene, complete with a man, a woman, and a little girl. “This is amazing.” She looked up at him with pure delight.
“Look more closely.”
She blinked a few times and wiped her eyes, before staring at the man on one knee, presenting a ring to the woman, who held a hand over her heart.
“Delilah Lua?” Will got down on his knee.
Delilah gasped, wiping tears off her cheeks.
“Wally?” Ruby rocked her hips, signaling Lachlan to let her down. The moment she hit the floor, she toddled over.
Delilah got on her knees, too, and held her arms out for the little girl.
“Okay, Wally?” Ruby patted her shoulder.
“Yeah, sweetheart, I’m good.” She turned to Will. “Just waiting for your brother to finish what he was saying.”
Will had been noodling on these words for the last six weeks, so he was ready. “I don’t know how it happened, how my life changed so suddenly and completely, but I’ve never been happier. And it’s because I get to hear your laughter every single day. I get to watch you lick ice cream cones and interview ranchers and read books to our girl. Every day, I get to hold your hand and see your hair spread out on our pillowcase, and I’m just the luckiest damn man in the world. You’re all I want, Delilah. You’re it for me. There’s nothing more I want to do the rest of my life other than love you. Will you marry me?”