I'm going to give her time to come to the decision on her own because my woman is stubborn, and pushing her will only make her push back, but I am not taking no for an answer this time. She wants us to be a family, I can see it in her eyes. Now thatLarissa pointed it out, I can see that she has feelings for me too, plain as day. I just need Shari to realise it.
There is one thing I can show her that might help the process along, though.
36
PUDDLES MCGEE IS BACK
BRAD
16th February2026
I can seehow nervous she is in her hesitant steps, her trembling fingers, and the way she keeps biting her bottom lip.Damn, but I'd like to be the one nibbling on that plump little pout.
Her boss told her to take a few days off to decompress after she filled him in on what went down with Jake two nights ago. So I figured today was as good a day as any to bring her here.
The clack of my teeth colliding reminds me to unclench my jaw. To try not to think about that fucking cunting prick again. Today is all about Shari, about us, about moving forward. I hope.
“We're at the beach?” she questions when she can hear the waves lapping on the shore behind us. She gasps as she figures it out and rips off her blindfold. “Is this the bar?”
I hum my agreement and watch her as she takes in every detail of the front of the building I've just leased. The location is perfect, right at the edge of the beach, sandwiched between aclothes shop and a small ice cream parlour. It should get plenty of foot traffic to hopefully keep us busy once we open.
Shari's eyes are wide and bright, and I can see her beautiful brain whirling through all the possible designs for the place. And that's before she's even seen the inside.
I unlock the weathered door, thread my fingers through hers, and lead her into the empty room. It smells faintly of the sea and kitchen grease since it used to be a cafe, but has been empty for months now.
She exhales a breathy, “Wow,” as she spins us in a slow circle, and I'm just thankful she hasn't let go of my hand yet. She must sense that I need her to be my anchor in this moment.
“Brad, this is...it's incredible! There is so much potential for the space and the location is amazing! But how can you afford this? Wait, that came out wrong. I don't mean it like, like?—”
I interrupt before she starts to spiral, “I know how you meant it, Blaze. And, well, my grandfather's inheritance released to me when I turned twenty-five. Let's just say he was a very wealthy man.”
“You’ve never really talked about it,” she says softly as she starts to walk the perimeter of the room, dragging one finger along the ugly floral wallpaper. “What did he do?”
“He was a property developer, essentially, but he made most of his fortune from a couple of ex-council flats that he bought in London in the early nineties. He rented them out for years, and eventually when they sold, their value had appreciated by about four-hundred percent.”
“Holy balls, that’s a lot. I thought you didn't want to use your inheritance for the bar if you could help it, though? What changed your mind?”
“Lots of things, but ultimately I don't want to keep waiting to have the life I want for myself. For Lizzie. For us.”
Her head whips in my direction at the last word. “Us?” her voice is so small, I almost don't hear it.
“Yes.Us. I've been telling you for the last nearly three years that we are inevitable, Blaze.” Sand grains crunch under my shoes as I walk towards her. “Fate, destiny, serendipity, whatever you want to call it, we’re meant to be together.”
Her eyelashes flutter rapidly, as if she's trying to blink away tears, so I decide to go all in. “I do have another surprise for you, though.”
“Anothersurprise?” She breathes a quiet laugh, “I’m not sure what could be better than this,” she gestures around us.
I take another step towards her, unwilling and unable to be too far from her. My centre of gravity. “I’ve changed my mind slightly on exactly what I want this business to be, because I think just a standard beach bar won't cut it. We won't stand out in any way and need to be more niche. So...what do you think about a beach bar that also has a reading room-slash-bookshop?”
Shari just gapes at me, and in my nervous state, I can't tell if that's good or bad.
“I’ve been brainstorming names and I've narrowed it down to three, but I can’t decide which is best. I was kinda hoping you'd help? Since I've formed this idea around you?”
Why isn't she talking?Her continued silence makes my heart drop. She must think it's a ridiculous idea. Can I never get anything right with this woman? I just want to impress her and make her happy, but I feel like I keep failing.
I try to clear the lump in my throat and backtrack, “It's cool if you think it's a stupid idea. I just thought that since you love reading, it might be fun to encompass that…” I trail off with a shrug because what else can I say?
I'm staring at our feet when her warm hands cup my cheeks and tilt my face up to meet her watery gaze.
