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We were near to close. All the new cashiers were wide-eyed and excited to see so much business. It wouldn’t always be like this. There would be slow days, like any retail establishment, but today, it was perfect.
Right before close, the bell over the door chimed one more time, and I looked up to find Nolan Holden in my boutique.
I smirked at him and sauntered over. “Well, hello there.”
“Amelia,” he said with a smile. “I wanted to come and see the new place. Pleased to see your success.”
“Why, thank you. Having regrets?”
“A little,” he admitted with a cheeky wink. “But I can see this is probably better for you anyway.”
“I think so too.”
“Well, welcome to Charleston. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”
“Thanks, Nolan. It means a lot.”
He smiled and nodded before departing. He’d made the right choice for him, and this was undoubtedly the right choice for me. If the first day was any indication, my clothes were going to do just fine in this city.
Finally, the last person paid, and I turned the sign from Open to Closed. Sasha cheered, and the final cashier flopped down on the couch in the corner. We still had to close out the register, but it was official. I was here in Charleston. And I wasn’t leaving anytime soon.
A knock on the door pulled me from our celebrations, and I found Ash Talmadge stepping inside.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said with a smile.
I rushed to him, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him full on the mouth. “I had the best day.”
“I like to hear that.”
“Nolan showed up.”
He chuckled. “Really? Did you rub your success in?”
“A little.”
“As you should. He’s going to wish he’d gotten you into his space when he could.”
I grinned and pushed him slightly. “Nah, he’s a good businessman. I’m glad he stopped by to see it for himself.”
“That’s how he gets you,” he said with a laugh. “I know you have to finish up, but could I steal you before the party tonight?”
“That’s not for two hours.”
My family had cleared out the Hartage Boating building for the night and was throwing a huge celebratory party for the store.
“Go on, you two lovebirds,” Sasha called. “You put me in charge. I can handle it here.”
“You’re sure?” I asked.
“Positive. Get out of here.”
I held my hands up. I wouldn’t argue with her if that was what she wanted. So, I let Ash draw me out of my new boutique with the big white sign that read Ballentine in all caps. I sighed with pleasure at the sight of it.
“Where are we going?” I asked him.
“Oh, not too far from here.”
He took my hand, and we strolled down King Street as the sun fell lower on the horizon. Even though I’d spent all summer back and forth between Savannah and Charleston, I felt like our relationship was stronger than ever. Before I knew it, six months had passed. It was as if it had always been this incredible. As if we’d always been meant to be together.
Ash turned toward a more residential area, and I gave him a suspicious look.
“What is this?”
He shrugged, and we kept walking closer and closer toward the water. Then, finally, he stopped in front of a pink house. The siding was all baby pink with white trim and a white picket fence around the whole thing. It needed some love, but I could see under it all that the bones were good. Not too big, but not too small. In a perfect location.
It had a For Sale sign in the front lawn.
My suspicion grew stronger. “Ash?”
“Well, what do you think?”
“What do I think of what?”
“The house.”
“I think … it’s a house. Why are we looking at it?”
He pushed open the fence and led me up the walk. He pulled up an app on his phone and then input a code into the box at the front. The lock turned, and he pushed open the front door.
“Ash?” I repeated with slight panic in my voice. “Tell me you didn’t buy a house.”
“Okay. I didn’t buy a house.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and entered the house. It was … stunning on the inside. Maybe needed a little renovation, but the hardwood was original, and the fireplace was massive. The whole place felt like home.
“Yet,” he added.
I whipped around. “What?”
He smirked. “I mean, I haven’t bought it yet. You think I’d do that before making sure you loved it?”
I gaped at him. “But … your job is in Savannah. We don’t need a Charleston house.”
“No, we need a Charleston house,” he told me. “For when we come up for business all the time and when we come to see your family and when we want to get away from Savannah. Then, we have our own place.”
“Oh my God,” I whispered. “You’re serious.”
