by Violet Blake
I opened my mouth to speak but only a strangled squeak came out.
His lips pressed against my newly be-ringed finger. “Blair, will you give me a chance? Blink once for yes.”
“You’re such a dork, Sally,” I cried, fresh tears falling down my cheeks.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” I said.
He pulled me into his arms and held on like he’d never let go. “Thank you.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Two months later I no longer worked for Watson. The place had become so consumed by Bartlett Mania I couldn’t take it. Mom hadn’t come near me, hadn’t even tried to so much as text. Still, I needed a break.
I’d applied for a job as a gallery assistant at Armstrong. Walter Armstrong not only gave me the job, but he asked me to be a featured artist in his gallery. He had a thing for pre-Raphaelite geeks like myself. He’d even promised to open the show with a gala.
So tonight I was on my way to my very first gala.
I hadn’t slept in a week I was so excited, and I was a sloppy, probably smelly, caffeinated mess. Last night I’d come down with the sexiest case of hives. I’m surprised Sawyer even talked to me on the phone anymore.
But right now he stood across the room, on the phone with Henry and Christine, who were catering the event. I couldn’t get two intelligible syllables out of my mouth so he’d blessedly stepped in to handle the talking parts. Nobody else could speak my new language, which involved a stupid amount of stuttering and squeeing.
He caught me staring at him and winked.
Oh, he was getting lucky tonight.
Speaking of which, as part of our redo on the relationship, we hadn’t slept in the same bed in the past two months. It helped that we lived in separate cities, but on the weekends when he came to visit me, he wooed me like crazy and dropped me off at home afterward. I hoped to change that very soon.
I stared at the ring on my right ring finger and admired the way it glinted in the sunlight. Every promise he’d made to me he’d kept.
Jessica appeared in the doorway and came to the table where I was arranging postcards with my information on them. So I might’ve accidentally bent a few. At least nobody had let me near the glass sculpture exhibit.
“Whoa,” Jessica said, stopping three feet short of me, her arms assuming the position for a hug. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Nothing.” I tried not to take offense to the aborted hug. “Just completely freaking the fuck out.”
“Uh-huh. Let’s get you home. You are no good here.” She stared wide-eyed at me, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was reaching for her TASER. “You need to get ready, drink some tea, get changed.”
I shook my head. “No way. There’s so much to do.”
“Which is why you have me,” Sawyer said, taking my shoulders. “Go with Jessica. I’ve got this.”
“But I can’t leave you to—”
His expression hardened, and then he dragged his teeth across his lower lip, which he knew caused almost instantaneous clothes shedding. Sneaky, sneaky. “You will go home and get ready while I handle things here. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“When you talk like that and look at me like that I want to do you so bad,” I whined.
“Keep it in your pants, Blair,” Jessica said.
He chuckled and nodded. “After the party.”
“Promise?”
“I got you a new riding crop.”
“I’m outta here,” she said, guiding me away. “You two are disgusting.”
“Love you, Jess,” he called.
“You’re a douche,” she called back.
At my place, after I’d showered and put on my dress, Jessica made me sit on the toilet so she could do my makeup. “Deep breaths. You break out in more hives and there’s no way I can cover it all.”
“I can’t believe I’m so nervous over this.” I grabbed a Fitness magazine off the back of my toilet and fanned my face with it.
“I think it’s something else,” she said.
“You do?”
With a giant dose of patience, she nodded. “You and Sawyer are doing well, it seems.”
She’d stayed out of it since we’d reconciled. Always supportive, and the best friend I could ask for, but we didn’t talk about him.
“We’re doing great,” I said.
“Close your eyes. I’m going to put some eyeliner on you.”
I obeyed. “I started going to his therapist with him,” I said. We had an appointment every Saturday together. He did phone conferences on his own during the week, and the two of us went together on the weekends.
“That’s pretty serious,” she said.
“Yep. Now that we’re getting it all out there, things have been…awesome.”
“Which means what? Suck in your cheeks.”
I sucked them in and she dusted blush in the hollows. “All I know is, I’m really really in love with him.”
“Damn it. You’re going to make me cry,” she said.
“And if you cry I’ll cry and then you’ll have to redo my makeup.”
“So we need to change the subject,” she said.
“Clearly.”
We talked about the brewery while she finished doing my makeup, and when I was ready she took me back to the gallery. I wore a dark scarlet dress that showed off all my curves, but had just enough modern edge to give me some street cred in the art community.
Sawyer whistled. “I’m feeling kind of lucky right now,” he said.
“Keep thinking that way,” I said, and twirled so he could get the whole effect.
The show was a success. And by success, I mean almost all the pieces had sold, and others were put on reserve. Seeing how I’d been convinced nobody would even show up, I had zero things to complain about. Maybe this whole professional artist thing would actually happen.
Later, after we’d finished cleaning up, Sawyer and I walked to his place. Outside, Caty and Cody were playing. Cody perked up when he saw Sawyer, and ran to him. He held his arms up to give him a hug, but stopped short.
“What’s up with the suit?” he asked.
I hid my giggle with a cough.
Sawyer peered down at his suit. “Chicks dig suits. Especially this one.”
Cody arched his brow at me, then returned his attention to Sawyer. “My dad says you must have it bad.”
Sawyer’s hand fastened around mine. “He’s right.”
Cody gave a dismissive snort.
Caty ran up, ran her fingers through her hair, and glanced at my dress. “You look like a princess.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I love your Thor shoes.”
She jumped around and the soles lit up. “They’re so freaking awesome, aren’t they?”
“Heck, yeah,” I said.
“Who’s your favorite Avenger?” Cody asked me.
“Hmmm… Well, I’m a big fan of Thor, but I have kind of a crush on Loki.”
“Hey,” Sawyer said.
I shrugged. “What can I say? Everybody likes a good redemption story.”
“Can’t argue with that.” His smile said it all.
“Hey,” Caty said. She stopped in front of me and stared at my right hand. “You’re wearing that on the wrong hand. Wedding rings go on the left, and you’re wearing it on the right.”
Sawyer stiffened, and I pulled my hand out of his and smiled at the ring. The diamond sparkled in the city street lamps, and I enjoyed the way it felt on my hand for the last time. “You know what? I am wearing it on the wrong hand.”
Heart pounding, I took it off my right hand and put it where it belonged—on my left ring finger. This wasn’t exactly how I’d planned to do it, but why not?
“There,” I said, and held up my left hand.
Sawyer took my hand and smiled at me over it, his eyes shiny as the diamond on my finger. “It’s about time. Now, if you’l excuse us, kids, Blair and I have some kissing to do.”
&nbs
p; Caty clapped and Cody put his hands over his eyes. “Man, you’re sick.”
“Bye, Sally,” Caty called.
He all but pushed me through the front door and slammed it shut. “What does this mean?”
“It means I’m saying yes. To all of it.”
He sank to his knees in front of me and pulled me against his body. “I love you, Blair.”
“I love you, too, Sawyer.”
The End
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading the first installment of the Callahan Brewery series. I’ve had a blast writing it, and am working on the next book in the series. Jessica and Ben’s story should arrive in the spring of 2015, so stay tuned.
To stay up-to-date on my newest releases, please sign up for my newsletter at http://www.violetblake.com/contact-violet/ . I’m also on Twitter @violet_blake13, and on Facebook violet.blake13. I’d love to hear from you, so be sure to find me online!
All my best,
Violet Blake
Acknowledgements
I can’t adequately express my sincere and overabundant thanks to my tribe. I never would’ve gotten through this crazy journey without any of you!
Emily Bybee, you rock so hard. Our weekly critique chats are the highlight of every week. Thank you for talking me off the ledge (when I should’ve been drop-kicked off it a few times), and making sure I stayed on task.
Kerri-Leigh Grady, you are absolutely amazing for giving this book the final beating it deserved. You made me laugh, you made me cry, you made everything awesome. Thank you so much, chica!
Pamela, thank you a hundred times over for your hawk eye, and for helping me brainstorm this idea from the get-go. I probably wouldn’t be able to show my face in public with my original plot ideas.
This book would’nt have been whipped into fighting shape without Anjuli McReynolds, Nancy Brenker, or Patricia Eimer. You guys are too amazing for words!
And to my husband, who didn’t complain to terribly much when I got lost in my messy office trying to finish this book. I think we’re finally on for Beer:30 :)
About the Author
Violet grew up wanting to be many great things. However, she quickly found out she was too accident-prone to be an astronaut, veterinarian, or surgical nurse, and had to take some time off from college to formulate a Plan B. By the time she got to Plan X, she settled on a degree in public health. But while she was supposed to be studying for a pathophysiology test, she took up writing romance.
Career commitment issues aside, she is fiercely dedicated to her family, and those who are patient enough to overlook a few…quirks. And no, she’s not going to swap writing (Plan Z, if you’re keeping track) in for a new career any time soon. She’s run out of letters, for one. Violet loves to write contemporary and fantasy, and one day hopes to get up the nerve to dive into futuristic.
Website: http://violetblake.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/violet_blake13
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