30. Forever My Home

The bell above the door to Cool Beans chimed, but this time, it was because I stepped into the familiar warmth of the coffee shop that was no longer my responsibility. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffees and teas and the soft murmur of conversation enveloped me like a comforting hug. It was strange to think that just a few short months ago, I"d been a mess trying to run this place, and now it was thriving.

I"d done that, and it was something to be proud of.

I watched Liam move behind the counter with the ease of a happy man, and I felt a mixture of nostalgia and excitement. He caught my eye and waved me over, a broad grin on his face.

"Willa, my favorite customer, come, sit. I want to hear all about your plans for this new adventure with Kelsey freaking Best. How is this even real life? We"re friends with the biggest pop star in the world. I know her dog."

I slid onto a stool, returning his smile. "I know right? I"m meeting Penelope here to get the list of venues they"ve already booked so I can plan out the first leg of the scouting trip."

Liam"s eyes softened, and he reached across the counter to squeeze my hand. "I"m so proud of you, Willa. You"ve always had such an adventurous spirit, and it"s wonderful to see you finding a path that"s right for you."

I felt a lump form in my throat, touched by his unwavering support. "I sincerely wouldn"t even have this opportunity, or, I mean, really this whole new life if it hadn"t been for you and George. I"m so grateful you"re in my life, and if I haven"t told you enough, I love you two so much."

He patted my cheek and swallowed a few times. "You were always a little bit mine and George"s, since the day you were born. We love you right back, kiddo."

A few blinks to suck those tears back up into my eyeballs, and I was ready to go again. "Okay, enough mushy gushy. I had an idea for the coffee shop that I was working on before you got back. Do you want to hear it?"

His eyebrows raised, curiosity piqued. "Oh? Do tell."

I leaned forward, excitement bubbling up inside me. "What if we converted the shop into a full-time cat café? We"ve already got a good partner with the cat shelter, and we"re the busiest when we host adoption events. But what if it was more? We could really create a cozy space for people to interact with the cats."

Liam"s face lit up, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Willa, that"s a fantastic idea. I love it. George and I tried to do some brainstorming on our cruise to make the shop more unique, and honestly, more profitable. This is perfect. We already have your themed drinks and pastries. Maybe we can add some cat-themed merchandise too."

We spent the next hour huddled together, scribbling notes and sketching out ideas. It was like old times, the two of us lost in our creative flow, bouncing ideas off each other. I"d missed this, missed the way it was so easy to be myself with the Guncles. I only got this at home.

This was my home, and the universe had provided a way for me to actually be comfortable here. I owed some deposits into the karma bank for sure.

While we chatted about the conversion plans, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from Trixie. I answered, putting her on speaker so Liam could hear.

"Willa, I"m so excited," Trixie gushed, her enthusiasm for everything was palpable even through the phone. "I"m starting a body-positive romance novel book club as part of the Take Up Space network. And I"m hoping, hoping, hoping, you"ll host it with me."

I did love a good book club. The spicy romance group had only met twice so far, but the third meeting might prove to be the biggest one yet. I was doing my best to make sure my new travel schedule would allow time for my second greatest love, romance novels.

"I"m always down for anything books. But what"s the Take Up Space network?"

"What? You mean Marie Manniway hasn"t already recruited you? Score one point for me. It"s a group of plus-size movers and shakers in all sorts of industries who support each other and do outreach programs to help women from all walks of life embrace and love who they are, no matter their size, shape, or what the scale says."

I felt my jaw drop, stunned and honored by the offer. Liam"s eyes widened, and he gave me a thumbs up, mouthing "do it" emphatically.

"Trixie, that"s incredible. I would be thrilled to help you host an event like that. Thank you so much for thinking of me."

We chatted for a few more minutes, ironing out the details. As I hung up, I couldn"t stop grinning. It seemed like every aspect of my life was falling into place, each piece of the puzzle finding its perfect fit.

Liam looked at me, his expression soft with pride. "Look at you, Willa. You"re unstoppable."

I laughed, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks. "I don"t know about unstoppable, but I definitely feel like I"m finally on the right track. Speaking of which, there"s Penelope. Wish me luck."

Liam came around the counter, pulling me into a tight hug. "You don"t need luck, sweetheart. You"ve got talent, passion, and a heart of gold. Knock "em dead."

Penelope sat down at one of the tables and waved me over, a warm smile on her face.

"Willa, hi, it"s so good to see you. I"ve been dying to hear about that trip to Tokyo. How was it?"

I slid into the seat across from her, returning her smile. "It was amazing, Pen. The city, the culture, the food, oh the food. But the best part was Hayes and the way everything was flabbergasting to him. Seeing him embrace the adventure, for me, when I knew it was totally weird and uncomfortable for him to be all spontaneous like that, it made me fall in love with him even more."

Penelope"s eyes softened, and she stared down at the table. "You two are so perfect together. It"s clear how much you love and support each other. I hope I find that someday too."

"Aww, Pen, I"m sure you will."

We spent the next hour poring over maps and travel guides, marking potential locations for Kelsey"s tour. Penelope had a keen eye for detail and a knack for anticipating potential logistic issues. She was hella smart. I found myself getting swept up in her enthusiasm, my own excitement growing with each new idea we discussed.

As we were wrapping up, Penelope fixed me with a thoughtful look. "You know, Willa, you"re really good at this. You might consider starting your own business, scouting locations not just for Kelsey, but for other celebrities too."

I blinked, taken aback by the suggestion. "I hadn"t really thought about it, but that"s an intriguing idea. Do you think there"s a market for that kind of service?"

Penelope nodded emphatically. "Absolutely. With your talent for finding unique, off-the-beaten-path locations and your skills at navigating different cultures and languages, you"d be a hot commodity. Plus, you"ve got the Kelsey Best seal of approval now. That"s no small thing in this industry."

I felt a flutter of excitement in my chest, the seed of an idea taking root. My own business, my own clients. It was a daunting prospect, but also an exhilarating one.

"I"ll definitely consider it, Pen. Thank you for the vote of confidence."

We parted ways with a hug and a promise to meet up again soon. It seemed like everywhere I turned, new doors were opening, new opportunities presenting themselves.

My head was already ten steps ahead, thinking about who and where this business might lead me to. I didn"t notice Hayes until I practically ran into him. He caught me by the shoulders, steadying me with a laugh.

"Whoa there, flower. What"s got you lost in thought?"

I grinned up at him, rising up on my toes to press a quick kiss to his lips. "I just had the most amazing meeting with Penelope. She had some great ideas for Kelsey"s tour locations, and she even suggested I start my own business as a celebrity location scout."

Hayes"s eyes widened, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Willa, that"s badass. You"d be amazing at that."

Seven meowed like he agreed. Wait, why had he brought Seven to the coffee shop?

He led me hand-in-hand over to the comfy cat-corner, and I was surprised to find Liam and George huddled there together, whispering excitedly.

They looked up as we approached, identical grins on their faces. George rushed over, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. Weird. I always enjoyed his hugs, but what in the world was that one for?

Hayes cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to him. He looked adorably nervous, fidgeting with something in his pocket.

"So, Willa," he said, his voice slightly unsteady. "There"s something I wanted to ask you."

George let out a little squeal, clutching at Liam"s arm. I shot them a curious look before turning back to Hayes, my heart suddenly racing.

He took a deep breath, his blue eyes locking with mine. "Willa, these past few months with you have been the best of my life. You"ve shown me what it means to love, to take risks, to chase my dreams. And I know, without a doubt, that I want to keep chasing those dreams with you by my side."

My breath caught in my throat as he lowered himself to one knee. George let out a gasp, his hands flying to his mouth.

But Hayes pulled a treat out of his pocket to get Seven to come to him. Then he picked up my cat, who had something hanging from the collar around his neck. Hayes held Seven out to me, and indicated to the small, velvet bag hanging there. "Open it."

I pulled the string tied to Seven"s collar while he squirmed, not enjoying his role in this show, except for the treats, of course. With more than a little trepidation, I turned the bag upside down to reveal a shining silver... key.

"Willa Rosemount, will you move in with me, officially?"

I felt a laugh bubble up in my throat, relief and joy and love all mingling together. Behind me, I heard George deflate slightly and Liam chuckle.

I took his face in my hands and gave him a big kiss. Seven stuck his nose right between us, purring. "Hayes Kingman, I would love nothing more than to officially move in with you."

His face split into a grin, and he set Seven down on the nearest cat-safe surface and then surged forward, capturing my lips in a kiss that made my toes curl. We stayed like that for a long moment, lost in each other, until Liam pointedly cleared his throat.

We broke apart, laughing. George rushed over, hugging us both.

"We"re so happy for you two," he gushed, his eyes misty. "But you had me going there, Hayes. Just to be clear, this isn"t a proposal, right? You"re not getting married yet?"

I shook my head, smiling softly. "No, Uncle George. We"re not quite ready for that step. But we"re committed to building a life together."

Liam nodded, his expression understanding. "That"s all anyone can ask for. Love, commitment, and the courage to face the future together."

Everett walked into the shop, and I thought, at first, he was in on this move-in proposal too. But he made a beeline for the counter, barely acknowledging us as he passed.

"I need the strongest coffee you"ve got," he muttered to Javi at the counter, rubbing his temples and looking uncharacteristically disheveled. "And maybe a shot of whiskey to go with it."

Javier raised an eyebrow but set about preparing Everett"s order. I exchanged a concerned glance with Hayes before approaching Everett.

"Hey, bro. You doing okay there, man?"

Everett sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Oh, fine, just fucking fine. Long night. And an even longer morning."

Hayes clapped him on the back, his expression sympathetic. "Juggling too many women?"

Everett snorted, shaking his head. "Nope. Just one who is driving me absolutely crazy."

Hayes clapped his brother on the back. "Oh ho, sounds like the Kingman love guru needs to take some of his own advice. You"d better figure it out before the bowl game. Everyone knows Kingmans play better..." he glanced over at me, and my insides went all flippy floppy like I was a lovesick teenager, "when we"re in love."

Everett stared into his coffee cup, his brow furrowed, as if searching for answers in the swirling depths. "The saying goes that we play better when we"re getting laid. That part I can do. I don"t know about the love part."

Everett had been the rock for all of his brothers, the one they turned to for love advice and guidance. But when it came to his own heart, he seemed lost.

But a few months ago, I had been too. Until I met the one person in the universe who saw me and loved me for me, the most authentic me.

I had found my place in the world, not just geographically, but emotionally, spiritually. And it was all thanks to the incredible man beside me, who had shown me what it meant to love fearlessly, to chase my dreams with abandon, and who showed me how real love meant support, not expectations.

I leaned into Hayes, my heart so full it felt ready to burst. I couldn"t wait for a lifetime of adventures with the one man who would always be my home.