“Why,” he whines before drawing his head back as if I’ve insulted him. “Are you trying to tell me that it was okay at Goldie and Noah’s wedding, but it’s unacceptable at my restaurant? What’s wrong with my restaurant?”
“Of course that’s what you took from what I said. Stop making ‘missed the point’ your brand. I’m gonna need you to use the two brain cells you have left.”
“Stop talking dirty to me. You know how hard that mean-ass mouth makes me.”
I laugh, covering his mouth with both of my hands because he’s not allowed to speak anymore.
“Chase Beckett, we are not having sex in the bathroom when both our families are out there, along with your Hookers and conservatively sixty other people waiting outside to celebrate your achievements.”
He drags my hands down his face, gently biting the sides as he stares at me with a hard glare, then tilts his head. “What about just the tip?”
I giggle and accidentally blurt out “Fine” before I immediately correct myself, shoving him away. “I mean no. Oh my god. How is this my fate? Why did the universe choose this karma for me?”
He growls in a sexy, animalistic way as he pulls me toward him, scooping me off my feet and into a hug, our bodies flush.
“Because the universe knew you deserved to be loved like this. You’re my forever. Completely and holy—and I mean that with anH, not aW—because I worship the fucking ground you walk on, Evie Monroe. And I always will.”
I stare into the moldy-color eyes, which truly is the most spectacular color of green. And he stares back at me.
It’s strange to think that my butterfly effect started from a horror story.
All the way back to when my sister was hatefully conceived and then mercifully left on the steps of a police building. Had that not happened, she never would’ve wished for me, and I never would’ve been born into the most beautiful family, eventually leading me to hate every man because they never measured up to that kind of wonderful. Until him.
Because he doesn’t just make me feel safe; he allows me the space to be strong.
Chase always saysTo be seen is to be loved.And while he’s always seen me, the part that makes me feel loved is that he celebrates what I see in myself.
Chase takes my hand in his, lifting it to his lips, pressing a kiss before he smiles.
“Hey, I know how much you hate surprises now. So just a heads-up, in about ten minutes, I’m going to ask you to marry me, and you’re gonna say yes.”
I blink in shock and awe. My lips part, and then I smile, too, saying “No,” making him frown before I add, “I’m gonna say, ‘Yes, Chef.’”
It’s easy to think that after everything that’s happened, our legacy would be hate or fear, but in the end, love always wins out.
And there’s nobody in this life I love more than Chase.
Bonus Epilogue
Evie
Five years later
Emerson swings between Chase and Noah as Goldie and I trail behind in the park.
“Again,” Emerson says to her dad, beaming.
But Noah laughs. “You sure you’re not tired yet? Because my arm sure is.”
He’s teasing her, but Uncle Chase is nodding. “Yeah, what’d you put in that little pink backpack? Bricks? You’re strong, girl.”
She giggles, shaking her head and the white bows that are in it. “I already know that, Uncle Chasey. Daddy says when I grow up that I’m gonna play for the Parrots.”
“Patriots,” Noah corrects, making me and Goldie laugh.
Her daughter might look like her, but she acts just like me. A little spit ball who’s more professional wrestler than princess. My niece is amazing, what can I say?
“I still can’t believe she wanted Chase to pick her birthday brunch venue,” Goldie whispers to me. “It’s unfair that she likes him more than the rest of us. I’m the mom, for fuck’s sake.”
