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This man is my world. I drop to my knees in front of him and move my lips to his. “Yes. I will never be done falling in love with you,” I whisper against his mouth.
EPILOGUE
One year later...
“Can we get a dog?” Rhys asks with sad eyes.
I crouch down with my box cutter. “As long as it’s adogand not apuppy. Neither of us can handle a puppy right now.” I grunt, pulling up the last of the carpet padding.
“That’s fair. I think it would be nice to have the pitter patter of little feet around here.”
My eyes go wide, and I look over my shoulder at him, shooting daggers. We aresonot in a place for that mess right now. “You keep saying that shit and you’ll conjure a pregnancy. I’m not ready for that. I’m barely prepared to babysit for Birdie and Lonan when they have their baby.”
“Alright, alright... So, are you nervous about the soft opening tonight?”
A smile spreads across my face. Tonight Sugar & Ice opens its doors. Last week we did a dry run with the Minnesota Lakes. I appreciate Rhys getting the whole team to show up, though with all the drinks I poured for them at Top Shelf, they were happy to oblige. I figured it would be a great test for the staff to see if they were ready. At first, they were nervous seeing a room full of athletes, but they didn’t get flustered, everyone acted professionally, and things ran smoothly. I had the guys throw some curveballs at them with drink orders and questions about pastries. Everyone on the floor was phenomenal.
“Nope. They’re going to kill it.”
“It’s going to be a hit, I’m so proud of you.”
“Funny, I was just thinking the same about you. This house is going to help a lot of people transition into the real world after rehab. You’re one hell of a human, Rhys.”
After his first property investment with the cocktail lounge, Rhys found a hidden passion of his. He’s on track to opening six new sober-living homes within the next two years across the United States. Twenty percent of profits from Sugar & Ice go toward Kucera Housing, and we plan on having quarterly fundraising events to bring more awareness to his project. A bar funding sober-living housing?Why not?
It’s given him something tangible to work toward, and he finds the work fulfilling. He’s inspiring, I’m so proud of him and everything he’s accomplished. Today we’re helping with the demo on one of the local sober-living builds that will open next fall. We use contractors for most of the work, but when it comes to the demolition, Rhys likes to be involved anywhere he can annihilate something with his hands.
I take his outstretched hand and rise to my feet where he pulls me into his chest.
“I love you, Freya Girl.”
“I love you too. Have you spoken to Anna today?” She’s been living in the first sober house he opened and has been helping with the planning of new locations. It’s given her something to focus on, and she’s as passionate about it as Rhys. She relapsed the day she was discharged from her sixty-day program, but immediately went back in and has been sober for nine months and twelve days. Rhys keeps track.
When I suggested to him we involve her in our projects, she jumped right in, and has provided phenomenal insight to different amenities we can add to make the residents more successful, as well as helping organize events and classes. She’s even enrolled at the university to become a licensed counselor with an emphasis in addiction. She and I have grown a lot closer.
“Yeah. I made a reservation for us to grab dinner with her next week.”
“Awesome. I want her to help me with choosing paint colors for the kitchen on forty-second. Ooh, we can turn it into a girls’ day! I’m going to book us manicures and blowouts.”
“I could go for one of your blowouts.” I laugh and kiss his lips speckled with sheetrock dust.
“Oh, forgot to tell you. Guess who’s announcing his retirement tomorrow?”
“On the team? Who?”
“Sully. It’s gonna be his last season.”
“No shit!? Who’s going to be captain?”
“They haven’t released it yet, I’m sure there’ll be a lot of meetings to figure it out before the time comes.” He claps his hands together, wiping them on his jeans. “All right, Hellcat. That’s enough teardown for today. We gotta get home so you can start getting ready.”
The soft launch tonight is invite-only. Mostly neighboring ad executives and creative agencies. Our close friends, which includes the entire Lakes team. Obviously, we invited Citra, since we have two small batch kegs of a special brew especially made for Sugar & Ice.
It’s magnificent.The exposed brick and dark walls are moody and intimate, perfect for the speakeasy vibe. It looks like it came right out of the 1920s. It was easy coming up with a password for guests to get in:Hat Trick Swayzein honor of the love of my life who made it all come true for me. Sugar & Ice is better than I ever could have imagined. The space was meant to be. Like Rhys and me.
* * *
“So how long did the renovations take? This building used to be such an eyesore but it’s incredible in here!”
