Page 92 of Only and Forever

I shake my head. “Better be the last one of the night. I’ve got people about to enter this establishment.”

She grins. “Would it bother you if those people got a show?”

“Hell yes,” I growl.

Her eyebrows shoot up. Her mouth parts. “Oh.”

“Sorry.” I rake my hands through my hair, blowing out a breath. “Got a little intense there.”

Tallulah saunters my way. I can tell she doesn’t even mean to be sexy about it, but she is. She’s wearing her practical, no-nonsense expression as she steps up to me and smooths her hands across thefabric of my light blue dress shirt rolled up to my elbows, paired with charcoal gray suit pants, brown belt, brown chukka boots. Professional but approachable.

“It’s going to go perfectly,” she says quietly. Her hands squeeze my shoulders once, hard, then fall to her sides.

“How do you know?”

She smiles up at me, rosy round cheeks, deep dimples. “Because you’ve built much more than a store, Viggo. You built a community and now you have a place for it. Believe in yourself.Theyall do. See for yourself.”

Frowning, I glance over my shoulder. Tallulah tugs up the rolling blinds, revealing the big front window, then the other. My mouth falls open.

There’s acrowdoutside. The sidewalk is filled with people.

“Told ya,” she whispers, winking. She struts to the counter, then steps behind the register. “Ready when you are.”

I hold her eyes as I take a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, I turn and face the door, take one step toward it, then another, then another, until my hand hovers over the doorknob.

I grip it tight, take one more breath, then open that door wide.

—

Ten minutes before closing, the place is still full of patrons milling around the rows of bookshelves, crammed into the club chairs, the built-in window benches, every stool at the counter.

I’m sweaty and my stomach grumbles with hunger, but it barely registers beneath the roar of my happiness, buzzing and electric, coursing through me. Tallulah looks about as worn-out as I do. But she also looks just as elated. A smile lifts her mouth as a patron talks to her, leaning their elbows on the counter.

Tallulah laughs at what they say, wiping crumbs off the counter, clearing away their mug and plate.

My eyes narrow. That smile. That laugh. They’re not supposed to be for other people. They’re supposed to be forme.

“Told ya.” My brother’s voice makes me spin around.

Ollie stands, hands in pockets, beaming as his eyes scan the place, filled with people, the success he promised me he knew it would be.

“You’re the second person who’s said that tonight, and I’m not sure whether I love it or hate it.”

Ollie wraps me in a hug. “I have a guess who else said that to you.”

I peer over my shoulder as we step apart, staring at Tallulah. That patron isstillthere. She isstilltalking to them. A frown tugs at my mouth.

My brother clears his throat. I spin back around, facing him. He’s grinning from ear to ear. “Hooo, you’ve got it bad.”

“You hush. I do not.” I tug at my collar, knocking it open one more button. I’m too damn hot. “I’ve got it just the right amount. Same as her.”

Oliver snorts. “Okay, brother. Well, I’m heading out. I just wanted to say congratulations again, and I’m so proud of you.”

I smile, reaching out, squeezing his arm. “Thanks, Ollie. For everything. Cheering me on. Coming tonight. Bringing half the soccer team.”

He lifts his hands. “Don’t look at me. Theyaskedto come. I just told them about the store. Same with Ren, Seb, and the hockey team. You shouldn’t be surprised. How many of them have you turned on to romance over the years?”

Tallulah’s words dance through my thoughts, and I smile, pride and contentment filling me.

---