Page 94 of Heartstrings & Horizons
“Thanks again, Ivy.”
“Honey, I’m hooooome,” I sing-song. As I enter the house, Goose saunters over to greet me. The smell of something I can’t quite place permeates the air. Following my nose, I walk into the kitchen to find Cade plating something that looks like…
“No fucking way. Did you make poutine?”
“Surprise! It’s probably not perfect, but I tried.”
“Are you trying to earn sexual favors? Because I hate to break it to you, but I’ll do those for free.”
Cade laughs, “I promise there was no ulterior motive; I just wanted to do something nice for my wife. I want you to know that I don’t take for granted everything you gave up to be here.”
I round the island and smash my lips down on his.
“Why are you so perfect? I don’t deserve you.”
“The feeling is mutual, baby. But don’t get too excited. This poutine could be absolutely disgusting.” I highly doubt it. It’s hard to fuck up french fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy. He takes the plates and leads me to the breakfast nook. I can sense his gaze on me as I settle into one side of the bench seats. I moan around the first bite, “Oh my god, the cheese curds are even squeaky!”
“I’m guessing that's a good thing?”
“You have so much to learn. Everyone knows the best poutine is made with squeaky cheese. It’s delicious.”
“So, how did the photoshoot go?”
“It was…” I sigh, remembering the utter bliss that washed over me while I worked, “perfect.”
Cade smiles back at me, affection evident in his eyes. “I’m so proud of you. You look so… alive when you’re behind the camera. There’s a spark in your eyes, and your whole face lights up. You’re doing exactly what you should have been doing all along.”
There’s an ache in my chest, not because he’s wrong, but for all the years I wasted appeasing my parents by following a path they laid out for me. I smile, not saying much as regret settles over me.
“So, speaking of the future, I got an interesting offer today.” He leaves me hanging for a minute, finishing off his poutine before continuing. “Connor is going to sell The Ridge. He moved away last year, and he said it’s too hard to keep up with the day to day from Lexington. I’ve basically been running the place with Liam since then, but he doesn’t have any interest in ownership — he’s too busy with Aiden.”
“That’s amazing! You should totally do it!”
“You think? It would mean taking on more responsibility, but I have to admit that I felt a jolt of electricity surge through me at the suggestion. If I’m honest, I’ve been feeling a little bit stagnant in my professional life. Having you here, watching all of your growth — it makes me want to do more. And I won't lie, the possibility of putting my own stamp on some of the menu items and adding theme nights is appealing.”
“It sounds to me like you’ve already made up your mind, babe. I’m 100% on board if that’s what you want.”
“Ok, then I guess it’s settled. I’ll let Connor know he can get the paperwork started.”
Chapter 37
Cade
? Boy Who Has Everything - Annika Bennett
Aweek has passed since I made one of the biggest decisions of my life. Connor is in town and we have a meeting with our lawyers to sign the bar over to me — officially. I’m still shocked that I’ll be the new owner of The Ridge. I kiss Paige and Goose goodbye before heading into town for the meeting, stopping to grab 2 coffees from Rosie’s, then take the short walk over to the office where I find Connor standing on the sidewalk, shouting into his phone.
“Listen, I need you to take care of it. I’m busy!” He hangs up, an apologetic look on his face when his eyes meet mine. I hand him a cup of coffee, raising mine in a mock salute before we head into the office to finalize the transfer of the deed.
My phone buzzes on the dash as I’m pulling out of the parking lot an hour later.
Liam: Connor said it’s official. Congrats!
Liam’s support means a lot to me. He’s pretty close with his brother, but I wasn’t surprised that Liam didn’t want to buy it and keep it in the family — he has enough going on with taking care of his son. A sense of pride and excitement fills the cab of my truck as I drive along the familiar streets to The Ridge for my usual Tuesday shift. I fielded a lot of questions and congratulations as the day wore on — nothing gets past anybody in this small town.
Standing outside the bar at the end of my shift, the weight of the keys in my hand felt different tonight. Heavier somehow. I glance back at the sign above the door, officiallymine. A grin spread across my face, my chest filling with pride and anticipation.
When I walk through the front door, I’m greeted by the soft glow of candles and the warm scent of a home-cooked meal. Paige barrels into me at the entrance to the kitchen, a huge smile spreading across her face. “Welcome Home, Mr. Bar Owner,” she says, placing a swift kiss on my cheek.
