Page 50 of The Havenport Collection

Bonus Epilogue

Cecelia

I was really getting the hang of event planning.

It was fun to think up new concepts and bring them to life.

Tonight was no exception. I had convinced Liam to hold a big New Year’s Eve party at the brewery.

It was a great opportunity to test out some of the new equipment we had purchased and see how people responded to some of the other changes.

It hadn’t been hard to convince Liam. We had been drawing bigger and bigger crowds as the weeks passed.

Slowly, the taproom was becoming a favorite hangout spot for a diverse crowd of Havenport residents.

We added a game area and purchased a bunch of classic board games.

It was not uncommon to see multiple generations doing battle over Monopoly or checkers.

Burt held court at the chess set, always attired in a festive bow tie, and fended off challenges from some members of the Havenport High chess team.

Thankfully, Liam had listened to me and started producing some more non-alcoholic beverage options, so with several flavors of Karl’s famous root beer and the ever-changing array of food trucks in the parking lot, kids and parents were happy.

The brewery was still growing like crazy, and we had put together our strategic plan for next year.

I was actually going to transition to more of a consulting role so that I could take on additional marketing clients.

I had initially been hesitant, but Liam encouraged me to go for it.

I was working with Fran at High Tide, Nora at her store, and had some other small local businesses lined up for the coming months.

I was nervous—this was far from the “traditional” career I had envisioned for myself—but it felt like the right move.

Working at the brewery had helped me develop new skills and gain confidence in what I had to offer.

I wanted to use these skills to give back to Havenport and the people who had become my friends.

The party was raging. Everyone had come out.

The senior citizens, who had become brewery regulars thanks to the success of the bimonthly senior nights, commandeered half the bar, drinking and telling loud stories.

Emily was here with Derek, and they had a babysitter for the night, which probably meant I would be calling them an Uber for their ride home.

My mom and the Quinns sat at a table in the corner.

The Captain was continuing to recover, and Mrs. Quinn was cracking the whip to make sure he followed all the doctor’s orders.

Unlike all other Binnacle events, this one had a formal dress code.

I was not ashamed to admit that I pushed for this just to see Liam in a suit.

And damn, he did not disappoint. I couldn’t stop staring at him.

His beard was trimmed, and he was rocking the black slim-cut suit Nora insisted he buy.

His hotness was blinding on a good day, but all suited up?

I could barely contain my raging hormones.

I could not wait to get him home tonight and peel that suit off him.

Nora had also taken it upon herself to dress me up like a doll for the night.

And I was loving the emerald-green dress she’d found me.

It had a high neckline, long sleeves, and draped dramatically in the back, making me feel both covered up and sexy at the same time.

She even found a gorgeous gown for Maggie and demanded she come.

Although I knew she was sad, she seemed to be having a good time.

We had grown closer in the last few months, and she had fully become part of our little friend circle, or our coven, as Nora liked to call it.

Nora was here as well, studiously avoiding Luke Kim, who was clearly obsessed with her.

I knew I would eventually get the story, but she continued to be cagey about it.

All the people I cared about were here. My family, my friends, and all the crazy people of this quirky town.

It had been a strange, yet wonderful year and I was looking forward to what the next one would bring.

I looked across the room where Liam was standing with his brothers, and he smiled at me. I never got tired of seeing that smile.

Liam

I felt sick. The room was spinning. I was stone-cold sober and yet I felt like I’d been on a six-day bender. It was almost go time. I just needed to get myself together. But the panic was all encompassing.

All around me, everyone I knew and loved was partying the night away, ringing in the New Year at my brewery.

It was Cece’s idea to throw a big New Year’s Eve party.

It was winter wonderland themed, and true to form, the place looked magical.

There was a giant fire roaring in the fireplace, and every inch was decorated with greenery and gold twinkly lights.

We were making use of our newly granted liquor license, and Sarah, the new bartender we’d hired, was mixing drinks and pouring beers.

The taproom was packed, and the patio was busy as well.

People were warming up around the outdoor heaters and enjoying the music coming from the new professional sound system.

The event was an epic success and the perfect way to end one of the most intense and incredible years of my life.

I hardly recognized the place these days.

Cece had breathed new life into my business and things continued to improve.

We had a strategic plan in place for the entire next year and I finally had a little room to breathe.

Things were growing and improving every day and I was so excited for the future.

As soon as I realized that I needed help, from Cece and from others, things started to really grow and change rapidly.

Trent saw me panicking and pulled me into my office. “Dude. Are you okay? You don’t look good.”

“I’m okay.”

“Tell me the truth.”

“Okay, fine. I am going to propose to Cece at midnight.”

“What?”

“You think I shouldn’t?” I had wanted to wait longer. She had just moved in with me after all. But I had reached a point where I couldn’t not ask her to be my wife. I couldn’t wait another second to reach for this dream. It was clear we were forever, and forever needed to start now.

“No. Of course not. I just thought it would take you longer to do it. Shit, I’m totally losing the betting pool.”

“What?”

“I’ll explain later. So what’s wrong?”

“I’m fucking nervous, dude. What if she says no?”

Trent gazed at me with pity. “Not possible. Look around. This woman did all of this for you. She is epically, madly in love with you and will probably say yes before you even ask.”

I nodded at him. He was kind of making sense.

“So calm down and enjoy the party. You will want to remember this night so you can tell your grandkids about it someday.”

He had a point.

“Okay.”

“You got a ring?”

“Yup.” It was burning a hole in my pocket.

It was a vintage Art Deco sapphire Nora and I had found at a jewelry store in Boston.

She wisely suggested we couldn’t shop anywhere it town, because the town would never keep it quiet.

And yes, of course I consulted her best friend.

In addition to having excellent taste, Nora knew Cece better than anyone, and had been a champion of our relationship from day one.

Although she still scared me, I had grown to appreciate her brand of fierce friendship.

She had even been welcomed into the Tuesday night club, despite the fact that she still intimidated the guys.

Since Cece’s dad was dead, I decided to pay a visit to Mrs. Leary and ask her permission.

She had cried and hugged me for almost an hour.

Then we took a walk to the cemetery where Mr. Leary was buried, and we talked about Cece, how much I loved her, and my plans for the future.

It was unconventional, but beautiful at the same time.

I rejoined the party. It was fifteen minutes to midnight.

Perfect timing. Everyone was dancing and having a blast. My dad had recovered and gone vegan after his heart attack.

He was looking quite dapper in his suit while he twirled my mom around the dance floor.

Even Declan was here, dressed up, his hair neatly pulled back into a man bun, and attempting to talk to people.

I caught Nora’s eye and she gave me a thumbs-up behind Cece’s back.

Cece looked incredible. I know Nora pushed her to buy something extra special for tonight.

She wore a floor length green dress that hugged all her curves and made her hazel eyes shine.

Her hair was up in some kind of twisted style, and her subtle makeup made her skin glow.

Nora also insisted that I wear a matching tie and pocket square.

Normally I hate getting dressed up, but I was feeling good. I was ready for this.

Five minutes to go. “The Way You Look Tonight” came on and I grabbed Cece for a dance. I saw Nora strategically position herself nearby, ready with her phone to take photos.

“Are you okay, Liam?”

I smiled down at her concerned face. “I’m amazing. I am holding you in my arms, and celebrating with all my friends and family in my thriving business. It’s been a great year and I know the next will be even better.”

I pulled her closer as we danced. Our bodies fit so perfectly together, and I knew it was because we were made for each other.

I subtly touched my pocket to make sure the ring box was still there and braced myself for the biggest moment of my life so far.

Everyone was chanting as we counted down to the New Year.

“Five.”

“Four.”

“Three”

“Two”

“One.”

“Happy New Year.” People shook their noisemakers and I heard the pop of a champagne cork.

Outside everyone was wildly waving sparklers.

I leaned in and kissed Cece as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

It started soft but intensified quickly.

As much as I wanted to see where this kiss was going, I had business to attend to.

“I love you so much,” she whispered in my ear.

I kissed her cheek and stepped back.

I reached into my pocket and dropped down to one knee.

I could hear gasps around the room as people noticed us in the middle of the dance floor.

I could feel everyone gathering around as the crowd hushed.

“Cecelia Leary, when you walked into this brewery and asked me for a job, my life changed. You are the most incredible woman I have ever met. You challenge me and encourage me, and you make every day of my life better than the last. I know I am not worthy of you, but I want to spend the rest of my life making you deliriously happy.”

She looked at me through tear-filled eyes.

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She hiccupped between sobs. “Oh my God, yes!”

I slipped the ring on her finger and stood. She threw her arms around my neck, pulling me close and holding me tight. I felt my parents and my brothers encircle us. Pretty soon we were enveloped in a gigantic family hug that included Cece’s mom and sister.

I was the luckiest guy in the world. Not only did the woman of my dreams just agree to marry me, but I was surrounded with love and support from my family, friends, and community.