Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I took one last breath and… went for it.
Chapter Forty-One - Brady
“Yep, sorry, open up!” I said, hoping like hell that my voice sounded more confident than I actually felt. But even when the nerves flared even higher, I couldn’t help but smile again. Sure, I might actually throw up or pass out or fall over dead if Joanne didn’t love it.
But Joanne would love it.
She had to.
I had poured my heart into it… and my heart belonged to Joanne.
I had to have faith.
Joanne opened her eyes and blinked, then squinted against the morning sun. Then she sucked in a sharp breath as her mouth fell open. Her eyes flicked from the new sign to my face, then back again—surprise, confusion, happiness, disbelief—all playing across her face.
“Oh my God, Brady.” Joanne’s voice was a whisper, barely audible over the passing traffic on the street behind us. “You shouldn’t have done—oh my God. Is this real? Are you serious?”
Joanne was shaking her head and her mouth was still open in surprise, but she wasn’t smiling anymore.
Why wasn’t she smiling?
“Is it… too much?”
My stomach clenched into a tight knot as I tried to read her expression.
This wasn’t how things had gone in my head when I’d imagined the scene playing out.
Should I have asked? Included Joanne in the decision? Would she understand that it wasn’t a slight against the past, but a celebration of our future?
“Shit. Joanne, I’m sorry. I know I should’ve—”
My apology was cut short, the words I’d been about to say knocked out of me as she launched herself into my arms, climbing up my body and crushing her mouth against mine.
It was a long, deep, soulful kiss, and—thank fucking God—it answered all of my questions.
Joanne loved it.
She got it.
I didn’t have to say it with words—the kiss instantly calmed all of my fears and brought the bubbling happiness I’d been filled with all morning rushing back in its place—but then Joanne broke away long enough to say it anyway.
“Oh. My. God. Brady, I can’t believe you did this without me finding out! How did you even manage—no, it doesn’t matter. It’s… I don’t even have words. It’s amazing. It’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”
“You don’t think it’s too much? I probably should’ve asked you before I picked the name, but when I tried to think of something that you might like, something that fit you, that expressed who you were—this was the first thing that came to mind, and then it just sort of stuck. Once I thought of it, I couldn’t think of anything else.”
“Chance to Bloom,” Joanne said, grinning as she said the name out loud. “It’s us, Brady. Chance to Bloom.” Her smile grew wider each time she repeated it. “No, it’s not too much. It’s perfect. You’re perfect. Oh my God, thank you so much. I don’t even know what to say. I know that Henry named it after your mother…”
My heart soared with the words, even as Joanne’s reminder choked me up.
This was what I’d been imagining, though.
Joanne’s face was glowing, the sunshine that warmed my heart every day pouring off her in waves. It was exactly the reaction I’d been hoping for, and it made all of the secret arrangements worthwhile.
“I love that my dad honored my mom this way,” I said, needing Joanne to understand. “But now… I wanted you to feel like it was your shop. I think she would have liked that. Liked you, Joanne. And the way you run the place—the way you treat people and your goodness—it honors her every day.”
Her eyes teared up, and I cupped her face, brushing them away tenderly with my thumbs.
“But now? It is your shop, Joanne. I’ve had the paperwork drawn up to make you an equal partner in the business—my co-owner of Chance to Bloom. It’s just waiting on your signature.”
“Brady, are you serious?” she whispered incredulously, her eyes spilling over all over again. “You really want me as a partner? For real, this is happening?”
“It’s real, babe. And yes, I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life, or more certain. There’s nobody else I’d want as a partner—either in this business or anything else. And… I want you as more than just a business partner, Joanne.”
Joanne beamed at me, her smile so bright I swore I could feel it.
“You’ve got me,” she said, a thousand emotions playing across her expressive face—all of them joyful. “Oh my God, Brady. This is amazing. You’re amazing. No one’s ever done anything like this for me. I love you. Did I mention that? Thank you.”
I laughed, Joanne’s joy infectious. But she didn’t get it. Not all of it. Or… I just hadn’t said it well enough. Not my strong suit, but right now, I needed to get over that limitation and find the perfect words.