Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Emmett waved us forward toward the front door. “Come on in. Let’s get some drinks in those hands. My personal chef has some killer appetizers already out on the backyard bar for us.”
As we followed Emmett inside, Chase came to my side, giving me a mischievous grin.
“Hey,” he whispered in my ear. “How much do you want to bet there’s some sort of chocolate cake chips and dip as one of the appetizers?”
I struggled not to laugh. “Or maybe some deviled egg cupcakes?”
“Ugh,” Chase said, but both of us were laughing like idiots now. Luckily Emmett was many paces ahead, not paying attention to us in our little world.
“I think there will at least be mac and cheese pie,” I said.
“Actually,” Chase said, “that kind of sounds like it might be good.”
“It does, to be honest.”
He beamed at me as we entered Emmett’s colossal front doors. “We should open a restaurant.”
I put my hand on his lower back, giving it a squeeze. “I’d do anything with you, Chase.”
He leaned in and pressed a sweet kiss to my lips. “And I want to do everything with you.”
“I knew it!” I heard someone call out from further inside the house, and I knew it must be Emmett’s marketing coworker.
“Let’s get this party started,” I told Chase, taking his hand and heading on in.
No fear in my heart.
No worries that I was going to do or say something wrong.
Because I really did feel like I could do anything, with Chase at my side.
EPILOGUE
CHASE, THREE MONTHS LATER
“Now this is a watch party, Adam-style,” I said, looking all around the back patio at Jade Brewery.
It was early evening on a Monday night, and I’d somehow sweet-talked Rush into being willing to close the whole patio of the brewery for our private event tonight.
It was the premiere of Adam’s episode of the Fixer Brothers TV show, and while it was tradition to hold watch parties for the TV premieres, I knew for tonight, I wanted to do it in a way that Adam would like best.
That meant not having a cram-packed room full of strangers.
We had the whole outdoor space to ourselves. Adam’s happy place was outside on his bedroom balcony, and over the last few months, he’d come to love the outdoor area of Jade Brewery, too. It had all just been renovated by the Fixer Brothers themselves earlier this year, and it felt even more serene tonight. Harlan, the head brewer, had set out pitchers of Adam’s favorite beer on each of the tables, and the rows of string lights that dotted the patio and lawn space made the whole back area feel like its own little world.
And I’d decked out every table on the brewery deck with little papers full of trivia questions, tiny Sudoku puzzles, and various Polaroid pictures that Carla had snapped all throughout the filming at Adam’s house. The TV screens on the outer deck wall were currently playing old sci-fi movies, too, until it was time to watch the Fixer Brothers show.
Only the construction and film crews were invited, as well as everyone’s partners, Emmett, and a couple of the guys from his marketing firm.
Looking around the brewery now at everyone filtering out onto the deck, it didn’t even really feel like a big party.
It felt like family.
And I knew that was the way Adam liked it.
Shawn came outside, nodding at me. “Just saw Adam out front. He’s here, and he’s got something in his hands.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”
Shawn smiled and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
Adam headed out onto the deck a minute later and I saw the large white box in his arms that Shawn was talking about. He set it down and I went over, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.
“Welcome,” I told him, holding him tight and breathing in his familiar, woodsy scent. “Was work okay?”
“It went well,” he said. “I’m glad to be here now, though. I was looking forward to this all day.”
I pulled back, looking him in the eyes. “You were looking forward to it?”
“Of course,” he said. “I couldn’t wait.”
I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m so glad you’re here. I am curious what's in the big box, though.”
“You’ll see,” he said, getting a glimmer in his eye as he smiled at me.
So I wasn’t the only one who had been planning things for tonight.
Adam went all around the deck of the brewery, his eyes going wide as he saw all of the little trivia questions and number games scattered around.
“Chase, this was all your idea? And the sci-fi movies, too?”
“It’s not a big deal,” I said. “Just wanted this place to feel like it was all yours, for one night. Thought you might be nervous, since your TV episode is airing.”