Even a bastard like me could feel the love pouring out of these walls. Feel the comfort. The warmth. And it was everywhere—in the flooring, the ceiling, the tables, chairs, cushions,especially the decor.
Alivia hadn’t just manufactured a restaurant. She’d created a home.
Tonight was the soft opening—an evening for friends and family, social workers, and directors of local nonprofits and outreach programs, charities, and organizations. There was a red carpet and paparazzi and an overflowing of press. We wanted all of LA and beyond to know about Alivia’s, so we could reach the demographic this restaurant would be serving.
In five minutes, the dining room would be completely full.
And I was on a fucking ladder, hanging a sign above the door.
“A little to the left,” Lex said from beneath me.
Several minutes ago, while Alivia had been in the kitchen, Lex had pulled me aside and begged me to hang it—a gift to her best friend—and Lex wanted it to be a surprise. The wooden plaque had the wordsThis Is Happily Ever After, This Isn’t a Happy for Nowengraved in it.
I had no idea what it meant. At some point this evening, I’d ask Alivia, but I couldn’t even catch her long enough to give her a kiss. Since before the sunrise, my girl hadn’t stopped moving for a second, trying her damnedest to make sure everything was perfect.
“Now a little to the right,” Lex said.
I glared down at her. “What is it? More right? More left? I’m getting fucking dizzy up here.”
She whipped her long hair off her shoulder. “Shut it. The sign can’t be off-center, or it’ll throw everything out of whack.” She waved her hand to the left. “Now, that way just a smidgen.”
My cheeks puffed out as I exhaled. “You know, you’re just as mouthy as my fiancée.”
Our long weekend in Montana had concluded after I askedAlivia a very important question and slipped a diamond on her finger.
“And do you know what that means?” Lex smiled. “We’re going to be in each other’s lives forever. Now move it, mister.” Her hand was waving in the air again. “Right there—freeze. Don’t even breathe until you put that nail in the wall.”
Jesus fucking Christ.
Once the nail was in, I hung the plaque and quickly climbed down the ladder, bringing it outside to the back of the restaurant since there was no space to store it inside. On my way through the kitchen, I saw Alivia at the counter, talking to the two line cooks we’d hired, along with the five servers who would share the weekly shifts. With Alivia wanting to be on the floor to mingle with her guests, I assumed she was setting the expectations of what needed to go down in the kitchen and how she wanted the front staff to handle tonight’s operations.
My baby was laying down the law in her calm, relaxed manner. It was hot as fuck to witness her being a boss.
As soon as the crew left her to rush around the kitchen, Alivia leaned her elbows onto the counter, holding the sides of her face.
She was fucking stressed. I could feel it even more than I could see it.
I needed to get her to relax.
I needed her to take a breath.
An idea came to me, and I reached into my pocket and took out my phone, finding the app that I swore I’d uninstalled, but for some reason, it was still there. I didn’t know if she had it on her phone or if she’d deleted it, but this plan was worth an attempt.
Me
Did you ever think Whiskey35 was going to be your husband?
Smile, baby. Happiness looks so gorgeous on you.
I watched her reach into the top of her dress and pull out her cell, her face instantly grinning as she read the message.
“You’re cute,” she said as we connected eyes. “I love you.” She returned her phone as I made my way over to her. “I really need to delete this app, and so do you.”
“I was just thinking that, and I love you too.” I clasped her waist and turned toward the line cooks. “Two-minute warning. Do what you need to do to get ready, but the countdown is on, and the door will be opening in one hundred twenty seconds. We don’t run late. No exceptions.”
Alivia’s back went straight the moment the announcement left me. Her throat was moving an excessive amount, like she was swallowing every few seconds. She was rubbing her lips together nonstop.
“Are you all right?” The thin, soft material of her dress felt like silk, and it hugged every inch of her, making me want to shred it from her body so I could bury my tongue in those sexy curves.
