Page 47 of The Havenport Collection

Cecelia

I woke up hungover and depressed to the sound of my phone ringing.

Who called this early? Whoever it was, I hated them and would never speak to them again.

I was sober when I went to bed. What happened?

Being in your thirties sucked. It was going to take me a week to recover from my whiskey adventure yesterday.

It was Nora calling. Of course it was Nora calling.

“Hello.”

“Good morning, bestie.” She sounded really chipper, and it made me more irate.

“Nora, I was asleep.”

“It’s nine a.m., kid, get your ass out of bed. You have things to do today.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. You are going to shower, get dressed, and come meet me at the diner. We have a lot to talk about.”

“We talked plenty yesterday. Please let me wallow in my depressed hungover state.”

“Nope. Don’t make me come over there and drag you myself. You know I’m super strong since I started doing those Krav Maga classes with Yael.”

Shit. I knew she would do it too. Nora was an incredible friend, but she would not hesitate to walk in here and throw my sorry ass in the shower. “Okay, fine. Give me thirty minutes.”

“Let’s make it an hour so you have time to do your hair and put on makeup, okay?”

“Fine.” I didn’t want to put on makeup for breakfast at the diner, but it was easier to just go along than to fight with her right now. Besides, gallons of coffee and some bacon sounded pretty amazing right now.

“Great!” she trilled. “I love you to the moon and back! See you in an hour.”

After a shower and an attempt to mask my poor life choices with makeup, I stumbled into the diner. Maybe Jackie could get me that coffee in an IV.

The doorbell jangled but I didn’t hear anyone. The diner was completely empty. That was weird. The place was usually packed. I doubled back and looked at the door. There was a huge “closed” sign hanging there. I was so confused.

I started to leave when I heard Jackie’s voice from the kitchen. “Cecelia, sweetie, we’ll be right out. Have a seat at your regular booth.”

Weird…they were expecting me.

I walked around the counter to my regular booth and was greeted by a familiar face. Liam. Oh, shit.

My eyes were probably the size of saucers. I was not ready to see him right now.

He stood up. “Cece, I just want to talk to you for a few minutes. Sit down, please.” He looked rough. Like he hadn’t been sleeping either. He had dark circles around his eyes and his beard was in desperate need of a trim. He still looked stupidly handsome, which annoyed me.

I debated leaving. But Nora had clearly set this up and was colluding with Jackie and Joe who had obviously closed the diner for me. I owed all of them to at least sit and listen. “Fine. But I need coffee first.”

As if being summoned by a genie, Jackie appeared, pot in hand. “Good morning, sweetheart. And Liam, so nice to see you! Joe and I had a fabulous time at bingo night last week.” She threw him a very unsubtle wink.

Liam gave her a megawatt smile and thanked her profusely for the coffee.

As soon as she had disappeared into the kitchen, he started. “Cece, I am so sorry. I was such an idiot. I know you are mad, but I can’t let you take that job and leave town without at least knowing how I feel.”

I was stunned. “I didn’t take the job.”

“You didn’t?”

“No. You were right. I hated it. They offered me the job on the spot but I turned it down.”

He stirred his coffee. “That’s interesting.”

“Yeah. I’m done with corporate America. I want to try some new things.”

He smirked. “Is that so?”

My all-business tone was wavering. “Yes.”

He leaned forward and grabbed my hand. I had to hold in a sigh. My body missed him, and this tiny bit of contact was already making me feel so much better.

“I was an idiot. I was afraid of my feelings for you. And I didn’t want you to leave town without knowing.” His blue eyes shone as he talked, and all I wanted was to wrap him in my arms and get lost in him.

“Okay.”

“I know I am the last person you want to see right now, but I wanted to show you this.” He slid a manilla folder across the table.

I opened it, and it was filled with official looking paperwork. I skimmed the first page. “These are incorporation papers.” I kept reading. “For Quinn Beverages.”

“I took your advice. I talked to my brothers, and we decided to start our own distribution company. To help Binnacle, but also other small brewers who are trying to get on their feet.”

“This is great,” I said, flipping through the paperwork.

“It’s all because of you. You inspired me. I was a jackass who thought I knew everything, but your ideas and perspective are fresh and creative. You have completely changed my business in just a few short months.”

This was not where I expected this conversation to go. But I was happy for him. Despite what had happened between us, I wanted him to succeed.

“And we would love to be your first client, if you are interested.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you are the local Havenport marketing guru. I hear you do great work.” He winked. “And we could use your help.”

I flushed. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

He grabbed my hand. “Cece, we both know how passionate you are about helping people grow their businesses. You did incredible things for the brewery and for me.” How did he know? How did he know what I was thinking? I hadn’t told anyone.

“Well, I am considering staying here and possibly working with some local businesses on marketing projects.” I held my head up high. I had survived this pleasant, but awkward conversation, and now it was time to gracefully exit. I stood up, and he grabbed my arm.

“Please don’t go yet. I’m not finished.”

He let my hand go and started nervously running his hands through his hair.

“Cece, I am in love with you. I think I’ve been in love with you since the day you showed up at the brewery.

This was never casual for me. I know you have a lot to figure out, but I want you to stay here with me so we can figure it out together.

The brewery is not the same without you.

My apartment is not the same without you.

Hell, this town would not be the same without you. ”

He continued, “I realized that I do need people. And that I need you so badly. I love the brewery, but I love you more. I don’t want to be successful if I can’t share it with you.”

His words melted my icy heart. “I am in love with you too, Liam.”

He looked up at me, surprised. “What?”

“Yes, you dumbass. I love you too. I am crazy in love with you, and the thought of leaving town makes me want to throw up. I am going to stay here, regardless of what happens between us. This place is crazy, but it’s my kind of crazy.

” I took a deep breath. “And I want to be with you too. This wasn’t casual for me either.

As much as I tried to fight it, I fell for you. ”

He stood up abruptly, spilling his coffee all over the booth. Next thing I knew he had yanked me up and was kissing me senseless.

I tried to break away. “Liam, we have a lot to talk about.”

“Yes, we do. But let’s make out first.” And he lowered his mouth to mine, giving me what I had been desperately craving for the last week.

Jackie and Joe burst out from the kitchen, overcome with nosiness. “Joe, they are kissing,” I heard Jackie squeal.

“About damn time,” Joe replied.

I smiled at Liam, who called back, “Guys, she loves me too.”

“Of course she does, sweetheart. We knew it would work out. Now get back to kissing. I gotta text all my friends about this.”

“So how did you get Jackie and Joe to close the diner?”

“I asked. Nora said they owed her favors, whatever that means.” He shivered. “And they were very happy to kick everyone out for ‘true love’ as Joe put it.”

I smiled. I loved this wacky town.

“So how about we move this conversation to my apartment?” he asked, squeezing my ass.

“That sounds sensible,” I replied with a sexy smirk. “You have a lot of groveling to do.”