by Jami Wagner
I narrow my eyes at him and stand swiftly.
“Sara, sit down.”
I take a deep breath, debating whether to storm out of here or finish this conversation with him. The grown up in me wins and I sit back in my seat. “You don’t even know Logan. How dare you judge him and act like he’s lower than the rest of us. He doesn’t need to come from money or a family name. He just needs to be himself, the person he taught himself to be. If you looked at him, actually looked at him, Dad, you’d see how amazing, driven, and strong he is. He’s the perfect guy for me, and you’re a crazy to think otherwise.”
“I’m sorry, Sara. I see all those things now, which is why I brought the papers you’ve been waiting for.” He reaches into his briefcase and pulls out a manila envelope. “I was waiting because when you moved your relationship was at the infatuation stage, which in fact, does cloud judgment. This bar wasn’t going to open if you were distracted, and if it did open with your mind focused on something else, I wasn’t going to just let you take over and drive it into a hole.”
He slides the yellow folder toward me. “The progress I saw last time I was here proved me wrong. With or without Logan, you will make a fine business owner.”
“Dad, this is great, and I thank you for your apology, but after everything you’ve taught me, I still can’t believe you would do this. After you apologize to Logan, too, that’s when you can come find me. But until then, unless it’s about work, we have nothing to talk about.”
I hold my head high as I remove the envelope from the table and walk away. My lips press together as I hold in my tears. I’m still in shock that he admitted to everything. I thought I was going to have to fight and pry until my brain exploded. I was not expecting this at all. All my life my father was the one man I could count on. I trusted him as much as I trust Logan. He ruined it, and I’m not sure he’ll ever get our relationship back. But an apology is good place to start.
I push through the door and keep walking toward my apartment but stop to sit on the bench outside. I glance down the block to The Silver Tap. A couple of girls have their hands cupped against the window as they look inside. Smiles fill their faces as they walk away in my direction.
“That place is going to be so cool.”
“I know. I can’t wait for it to open. Having all these bars downtown within walking distance of each other is a great idea.”
I watch as they continue past me and then disappear inside another business. My lips tug slightly. It is going to be a cool bar. If only they knew everything that went into making it happen, they might appreciate it even more.
As if he heard my thoughts, my phone begins to ring and Logan’s picture flashes across the screen. I grin; just the thought of him naturally makes me happy.
“Hey you,” I answer.
“Hey, beautiful, I miss you.”
Logan
The sound of Sara’s voice will always have a calming effect on me. Leaving her after we made up was hard. No, it was more than hard. It was completely miserable. I didn’t want to go without her, but the summer is almost over and The Silver Tap opens mid-August. Two weeks away to be exact, and then Sara will be home. And I can’t wait to have her in my arms again.
I’m still staring at my phone when Conner walks into the apartment.
“Dude, I’m 100 percent happy you and Sara are back together, and I hate to admit this, but I kind of missed seeing that goofy look on your face,” he says and tosses his gym bag onto the counter.
“Yeah, I missed it too.”
Conner chuckles and then chucks his basketball in my face. I catch it and fake tossing it back.
“You laugh now, but trust me, one day—”
“Oh no, no, no, not you too. Ethan has already tried to give me this talk, and I thank you for having so much faith in me, but until I have partial custody of Jake, no woman will be in this guy’s life. Unless they’re a one-night kind of thing, of course.”
“Yeah, okay, we’ll see if that actually happens.”
“How are things with Sara’s father?” Conner asks, grabbing bottled water from the fridge, casually switching the topic.
“They are on a little bit of rocky soil, but Sara loves her dad. She’ll forgive him eventually.”
Lunch with her father didn’t end horribly, but still, unfortunately for me, that doesn’t leave me in a great position to ask for his permission to marry her. Looks like I might need to be looking for another way to get that.
“Let’s go shoot some hoops today. I have a feeling playing with you won’t be so dramatic this time,” Conner says, swinging his bag over his shoulder.
“Yeah, okay.” I get off the couch. “Have you talked to your sister lately?”
“No, why, you think I spilled the beans on you getting engaged?”
“No, I was just wondering if she said anything to you about driving together for The Silver Tap’s opening night, and I was hoping to catch you beforehand to tell you not to blow it.” I stare at him.
“How could I blow it?”
“By telling Kelsey I’m going to propose.”
“I would never do that,” he says sarcastically. “On purpose.”
Conner and I head out for the gym, but I have to make one stop on the way. With all the money I’ve been making at the BA, I have decide to buy the diamond ring Sara deserves.
When I see Sara at the opening, I’m not letting her out of my sight. I love that woman more than anything, and I’m ready to start spending my life with her.
Chapter Twenty-four
Sara
I’m panicking. This should come as no surprise to anyone. But tonight is a huge deal for me. Everyone is going to be here, and I can’t let anything go wrong. I survey the bar one last time. Everyone and everything looks to be in their places. Liam is behind the bar with Grayson and Doug, a couple other bartenders I hired. Andi, Brit, and Lisa, another waitress I brought on board, are ready on the floor. Thank goodness Liam had great recommendations on friends to hire. I’m leaving tomorrow no matter what, and he has promised to call me with the bar’s update each day. He also promised to hire more people because I told him twelve employees were not enough. Yes, tonight will be fine with six because it’s only our closest friends and family coming, but still, together, we know a lot of people.
And my father will be here. Most of all, I want him to see that I can be with Logan and still run a business.
“Sara, calm down. Everything is going to be fine.” Brit comes up behind me and gives me a pat on the back. “You look worried, and it’s starting to freak me out.”
“I’m just nervous, and it’s totally normal to be nervous, right?” I nail her with wide eyes, praying she gives me the right answer.
“I thought you said you’ve worked in a bar before. Didn’t you run the one in Wind Valley? What’s so different about this one other than being in another state?” she asks from behind the bar where she’s helping Liam.
Huh. I totally have done this before so she’s right, I shouldn’t be nervous.
“And it looks perfect, just like you.” Logan’s deep, tingling voice hums through my body as he steps through the door. Is it possible to love someone more every day? I can’t get enough of this guy. He wraps his arms around me and his lips find my neck, immediately pressing gentle kisses against it. “You,” he says and presses another kiss to my neck, “are,” another kiss, “amazing.” He kisses me one last time and pulls away to look into my eyes.
“Well, don’t stop there,” I tell him.
He half grins and his eyes sparkle. “I wasn’t planning on it.” He leans in, this time for my lips.
“I was talking about the amazing part.” The words come out right before his lips touch mine and he laughs into my mouth.
“Did I ever tell you how cute you are?” he asks, and I can feel his warm, minty breath.
“Probably more than you should.” I kiss him one more time and then step back before our make-out session is the first thing peo
ple see when they get here. I turn for the bar, and that’s when I find everyone staring at me.
“What?”
A few head shakes and a shrug is all I get. And then Liam chuckles.
“Seriously, what, you guys?” My face begins to warm when smiles slowly begin to appear on all their faces.
“We’ve just—” Lisa begins.
“Never seen you so—” Andi adds.
“Bubbly,” Brit finishes.
I turn at Logan’s laughter behind me to playfully swat his arm. I don’t want to be all flushed when people get here, and with everyone throwing these shocked faces at me, I’ll never get my face back to its normal color in time.
“Oh my god! This place looks amazing!” Kelsey gushes as she walks in.
“Yeah, it does,” Beth chimes in behind her.
“Not bad, not bad,” Ethan says, stepping up next to Kelsey and swinging his arm around her shoulders. His head nods as he glances around. “So, this is what you’ve been doing with all your time,” he adds and then sends a wink Logan’s way.
“Sara!”
“Hmmm,” I say, pulling my eyes away from Logan to Kelsey.
She laughs, and Beth and Ethan are right there with her. “You two have it bad for each other. Give it up already and get married.” Ethan pats Logan on the back as they continue inside, and Conner steps in their place.
He pins me with a glare and then smiles. “You did good, Sara. Now get your butt back to Wind Valley so I don’t have to watch this guy mope around anymore.” Again, he pats Logan on back and heads inside.
“We have some interesting friends,” I say.
“I couldn’t agree more but—”
“You couldn’t pick any better ones?” I fill in.
“Not at all.”
Logan dips his head for a kiss and just when our lips are about to touch, my father clears his throat behind us.
“Sara, darling.” He pulls me in for a shoulder hug. “Logan,” he says and extends his hand.
“Mr. Connelly.” Logan responds and they do that weird one firm handshake thing. They stare at each other for a moment until I clear my throat.
“The place looks wonderful, Sara, and it’s been a pleasure, Logan,” he says, giving him another look I’ve never seen before. He nods and walks right on by.
I know my father apologized and that since then, both he and Logan pretend nothing happened. But that look was—
“Stop obsessing over whatever you’re thinking about and go greet the rest of your guests. I’ll be around here when you’re finished.” Logan kisses the top of my head.
He’s right. I have a bar to open.
Logan
Sara did an amazing job, and I can’t believe she did all this in just ten weeks. Those also happened to be the longest ten weeks of my life, but they are over now and Sara and I have never been happier, which is why I’m planning to propose to her tonight.
After running into Sara’s father at the jewelry store, where he was replacing the battery in his watch and I was buying Sara a ring, well I went for it and asked him. They guy seriously told me he’d “think about it” and “let me know.” Just now, when he nodded to me in the doorway, that was his permission for me to marry his daughter. I know it was.
“Isn’t this place amazing? Maybe Sara will come home and give the BA a re-opening. If this place hits it off, it might be worth the time.” Ethan pats me on shoulder. He keeps doing that like he knows I’m up to something and need the encouragement. Yep, he’s smirking. Conner told him.
“I agree, but if I’m honest, I really hope Sara is too busy planning something else for the next year.” I reach my hand into my pocket and curl my fingers around the black velvet box inside, pulling it out for a glimpse. If anyone can keep me from freaking out right now, it’s Ethan.
I know tonight is going to be the night I take a knee for her in front of everyone we know, but I still don’t know how I’m going to do it. If I were smart, I would have the entire performance planned out to be the most romantic moment of her life. But I’m an idiot, and all I worried about was making sure I didn’t lose the ring between Wind Valley and here.
“I’m confused.” Ethan rubs his chin as his eyes flicker between me and the ring box. “I thought you were going to do it after the opening?”
“Nope. During.”
“How?”
“Wing it. Call everyone’s attention, and put her in the center of the room. I guess you’ll find out.”
“Hey, you remember the way I proposed to Kelsey. I had a broken heart and I looked like a slob who hadn’t showered in days. Somehow she came to my house and still said yes.”
“True.” I laugh with him. “These poor girls had no idea what they were getting into picking us, did they?”
“Hey guys, glad you could make it.” Liam approaches Ethan and I, reaching his hand out to shake ours. He then rubs his neck before he looks directly at me. “I want to apologize for everything. I never planned to come between you and Sara. I didn’t even know that was a plan for anyone until … well, you know how things went down. Anyway, man, I’m sorry and I hope we can somehow be friends.”
I stare back at him, not saying anything. What can I say? After I learned Sara’s father hired him as a plan to split us up and then it worked, causing our relationship to hit the rocks for a bit, I had a strong dislike for the guy. Then, Liam found out and helped me fight to get her back, so what does that leave there to be mad about? In my book, we’ve been friends since that moment.
“Consider yourself already part of the group, man. Anytime you’re in Wind Valley, you’ve always got a place with us.”
“Thanks, I’ll definitely be taking you up on that.” He shakes my hand one more time and then returns to his position for the night behind the bar. Ethan gives me one more pat on the back and then disappears to find Kelsey. I roll my shoulder. Jeez, at this rate, I’m going to have a bruise.
Suddenly, the stage is empty and the room is calming down. This is the moment I’ve needed all night. Everyone is paired off in couples and happier than ever. It’s the perfect time to make my move. My eyes scan the room almost frantically until they land on Sara. She’s standing with her father, and I’m relieved to see a smile on both of their faces. More than likely this means her father approves of the bar. I take a step toward them. My sudden movement must have caught her father’s eye because he’s now watching my every move. His stare is intense, but my feet keep moving. I’m not backing down now.
“Friends and family, can I please have your attention?”
My steps slow as Mr. Connelly’s voice booms through the open room—the way it always does—capturing everyone’s attention. A flashback of Sara’s birthday party plays inside my mind. He wouldn’t try to step between us again—would he?
Without a second thought, I lace Sara’s fingers with my own. Her hand clenches around mine, and with that one simple movement my heart pounds inside my chest. I slip my free hand inside my pocket and open the ring box. I take the ring from its nestled spot and cradle it away from prying eyes.
“As you all know, this bar was a gift for Sara. She has put hard work and dedication into the place you are all standing in today.” The crowd applauds and a few cheer in the background. They are coming from Kelsey and Beth from the sounds of it. Mr. Connelly taps the microphone to control the excitement of the room. That’s the same moment I slip the diamond onto Sara’s finger. I hear her sharp gasp and her hand begins to tremble. In one step I’m behind her, wrapping my arms around her entire body.
“I love you more than words can describe. I know in my heart that we are meant to grow old together, to have kids together, to love together, and to learn together. Sara Connolly, would you be my wife?” I whisper into her ear. Her body presses back against mine as she inhales.
“Sara, dear, could you please come up here?”
The entire room’s attention is on us, and when she moves out of my arms I almost pull her back.
> “Sara, you have had to sacrifice a number of things to be here today. I am to blame for part of that, and I am the luckiest father to raise such a forgiving woman. I hope this is a night you’ll cherish forever, and I thought it would be fun if I were able to assist in some way. Logan, can you come up here as well?”
What the—?
Silence is everywhere as I join Sara. I look to her father to see if he will hint something, anything to me right now. I have no idea what’s going on and I’d really like to get back to finishing my proposal. Would it be rude to cut him off until after she says yes? His eyes match mine and he nods.
“Logan, why don’t you pull out that box from inside your pocket?”
Wow. This is what he’s assisting with. Weird, but kind of cool, too. I reveal the box from my pocket and the crowd immediately starts to cheer. Mr. Connelly steps back to give me this moment. I catch Sara’s eye as I kneel in front of her. When she smiles and nods, it’s the most beautiful moment of my life.
I turn to face our audience. “Well, I planned to grab everyone’s attention and make a huge scene tonight. I wanted this moment to be special and couldn’t picture any way better than to include all of you.” A collective aww fills the silence. “But, I changed my mind.”
“What!” Kelsey’s voice rings out and Ethan plants his hands firmly on hips and glares at me. I see Sara’s father take a step forward. I pop the box open and people begin to whisper when they realize it’s empty.
“I already said yes!” Sara steps out and holds her hand up in the air. Cheers fall all around us, and I don’t waste another minute pulling her into my arms and kissing her. Everything inside my body warms. This is the girl for me, and I couldn’t be happier or more thankful in my whole life.
Epilogue
One month later…
Logan
I am 100 percent whipped over Sara Parker. That’s right, Parker. She officially became my wife as of one hour ago. I love that not a single person thought our wedding was rushed, and I love that Sara and her father have mended their relationship. Signing full ownership of both the BA and The Silver Tap over to us was an amazing wedding gift. His including me as an owner was a huge reason she forgave him.