Chapter 26

Chapter

Twenty-Six

GRACE

"We're going to lunch," Brooklynn announces.

Lifting my head from the computer, I look across the salon to her. "The guys just texted and said they'd be going to lunch at The Tipsy Tavern. They're finished with practice, and we're invited."

I open the computer schedule tab, and when my eyes scan the document, I realize that the whole place will be clientless for the next two hours.

"How did this work out this way? Two hours, and nobody has a client?" I ask.

"Don't ask questions," June calls out in a singsongy voice. "Just nod and smile."

I laugh softly, nodding and smiling as I reach for my purse. Although I still have plenty of questions, I decide not to ask them… at least not yet.

I shrug the strap of my purse over my shoulder. I'm not sure why I even carry the thing around anymore. It's not like I have any money. I don't even have credit cards. I have my driver's license and checks for an empty bank account.

My phone buzzes on the desk. Reaching down, I pick it up and glance at the screen. For an instant, I feel panic slide up my throat. But when I see it's Otto, my entire body instantly relaxes. He is inviting me to lunch with everyone else. I text him back quickly, telling him I'll be there as soon as possible.

The girls and I gather our bags and head out of the salon. Brooklynn tells me that Lorelai will be there, too. I'm not sure why we're all meeting there in the middle of the day on a Thursday, but I can't deny that I'm excited about it.

Climbing into the back of Brooklynn's car, I feel lighter and more at ease than I have in a while. Getting back into a routine has helped me, but also the fact that I don't have to constantly live in fear anymore. I just hope that I can forget about Hayze one day. I want to forget he ever existed, but that may be too much to ask.

"I've never been here before," I mention as Brooklynn pulls up to the front of the tavern. I love the name. It's adorable. I can't wait to see what the inside looks like. With a name like The Tipsy Tavern, I have high expectations for cuteness.

Opening the passenger door, I slide my legs over the side and straighten. The sun is shining brightly, and I wonder how hot it's going to get this afternoon. Not that I spend much time outside, but I feel like it's getting hotter and hotter with each day that passes.

We gather in the parking lot and move toward the restaurant as a single unit. Brooklynn opens the door for all of us to pass through. I don't even have to look for the men. I find them instantly.

They're all in the back, sitting at two tables pushed together, drinks in hand, and chatting. I don't know if they even realize we've walked through the door, so I take a moment to watch them… to watch Otto.

He's beautiful.

I used to snort a laugh every time I read a book where the heroine described the hero as beautiful. How could a man be beautiful? I didn't think that was even a thing. I thought it was kind of stupid, except I get it now. I really get it. Because Otto Larsson is absolutely, hands down, beautiful.

The moment Lorelai calls out to Reid, all the men's heads lift. My cheeks heat as soon as Otto's gaze finds mine. I don't know why I'm embarrassed. I shouldn't be, but for whatever reason, I am.

Brooklynn hooks her arm in mine and gently guides me toward the guys' table. My feet are forced to move, but I think I would be happy standing where I was, just staring at Otto and wondering how on earth I got to be this lucky.

How can this man look at me the way he does?

I love him. It's as simple as that, and there is nobody else who I would ever want. I told myself that I was running away to save him, to ensure his happiness, except it was more selfish than that. I didn't want him to realize that I wasn't good enough for him. Because I know I'm not. Otto is everything to me.

He stands as soon as we approach and moves toward me. His lips touch my forehead before he murmurs against my skin, "Hey, honey, I missed you."

I don't know why he missed me. It's only been a few hours, but I missed him, too. Every inch of him. I missed all of him. He clears his throat and takes a few steps backward. Then, before I can say anything else, I hear singing.

It's a song I recognize. It's a song that everyone recognizes. It's "Happy Birthday." Otto stands to the side, and then I see someone making their way out of the back carrying a cake adorned with lit candles.

They are heading straight for… me.

The birthday song continues, and at the end, they say my name. My eyes well with tears. This is for me. The girls at the salon cleared their schedule for me. I can't even speak. My mouth goes dry as the cake is set down on a table, the candles burning.

"Make a wish," Brooklynn cries out.

Turning my head, I look over to Otto. He's smiling at me, huge. He leans forward, his cheek still red and angry, although the stitches are gone. "Make a wish, honey."

"I have everything I have ever wished for."

"Dare to dream, Grace."

Dare to dream.

That's beautiful.

I don't think I have ever dared to dream in my entire life. Otto makes me want to do just that. Leaning over the candles, tears rolling down my cheeks, I press my lips together, and I blow out the candles, daring to dream with my wish.

He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me onto his thigh. The group is lively, everyone talking around us. I'm not involved in any of it, neither is he. Happy to just be close to one another.

Turning his head slightly, he touches his lips to the side of my neck from behind. Goose bumps break out over my skin as I shift my attention to him almost instantly. My eyes find Otto's, and I give him a smile before I lean backward slightly and brush my lips across his own.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask.

"How happy I am," he says. "Is your birthday okay?"

Shifting around a little more, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and look directly into his eyes. "Okay? It's perfect. I've never celebrated my birthday, and this is the best day ever."

He blinks, his gaze searching mine. "Never?" he asks.

"Never," I confess.

"We'll be celebrating it every single year from now on."

Tears fall down my cheeks again. I don't try to wipe them or blink them away. I don't care anymore if I cry. Because I've never felt this happy, this loved, this celebrated. Brooklynn announces that she'll be cutting the cake and then thrusts the first piece at me.

It's lemon with blueberry and lemon icing. The frosting is buttercream with purple and yellow swirls of frosting. Happy Birthday, Grace is written in hot pink on the top. It's the prettiest cake I've ever seen in my entire life.

Then I taste it.

And it's the best cake I've ever eaten in my life. It's light and fluffy. A perfect combination of tart and sweet. I love everything about it, mostly because of the thought behind it. Someone thought about me. Someone picked it out. Someone put time and effort into it. Even if it was five minutes.

It's more than anyone else has ever done for me.

It's perfection, just like this tavern, just like these people around me, just like this man beneath me. This is my dream. I don't know if I could dare to dream anything more than this exact moment.

Focusing on the cake, I eat it in about a second flat. I'm not sure how it happened, how I could eat it so fast, but I do and quickly wish that I could have more, but I know that these men are going to finish it off, and they do, almost in a single bite each.

Otto's arms squeeze me, and I turn to him. He is smiling as I lift my eyes to meet his. "What?" I ask.

He chuckles as his gaze searches mine. "What?" I ask again when he doesn't answer me.

He lifts his hand to cup my cheek. "I love you, honey."

Leaning forward, I touch my forehead to his and close my eyes. "I love you, too, Otto. This is the most perfect birthday ever."

He grunts and then leans back slightly. I hear him clear his throat, and he stands to his feet, placing me on my own. He calls out for everyone to listen. He has something to say, but I stand in front of him, my heart slamming against my chest, wondering what he's going to say… what he's going to do. Then he begins to speak.

"It's only been a few weeks since I bumped into this beautiful girl standing here, the birthday girl," he begins.

My stomach twists, and I can't help but wonder if I'm going to throw up, cry, or if my heart is going to stop beating inside of my chest. Otto chuckles before he clears his throat, and then he swings his gaze to mine, holding it and focusing on only me.

I feel like I'm the only woman in the room.

He only sees me.

And I only see him.

Then he reaches into his pocket and takes out a small box. He sinks to his knee and opens the box. Inside is a ring—a gorgeous ring.

"From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were mine. I knew where you belonged. And it's here, with me, surrounded by our friends and family. Marry me, Grace."

Lifting my hand to my mouth, I try to cover my gasp, but it doesn't work. It's loud enough that I know everyone standing around us watching heard it. I'm not sure I care, though, and once again, tears well before they roll down my cheeks.

"Yes," I hiccup.