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Reaching the bar, I opened the door and walked inside.
What the hell?
There were chamomile flowers everywhere. On each of the hightops. On the bar. It was like KC’s had exploded chamomiles. Which I appreciated, obviously, them being my favorite and all. But it was exceedingly odd.
Also odd, I spotted Charlee and Lucas at the bar. I thought they were having dinner with her parents tonight. Next to them sat Natalie and her boyfriend. They also had other plans and. . . what the hell was going on?
And where was Nate?
Slowly, I walked up to the bar toward an empty seat next to Charlee. I was about to ask her what was going on when I saw him. Behind the bar.
“I took the liberty of making you the very first Zoe Girl. Hendricks, a splash of St. Germaine, fresh lemon, topped with champagne.”
He put the delicious-looking and sounding drink on the bar in front of me.
“Nate?” I asked, spotting Owen. He was looking at me expectantly. They all were. “What’s going on?”
The flowers. My friends. Nate behind the bar.
And then it hit me. “You’re managing KC’s?”
Excitement bubbled inside me at the implications of such a move. He must have talked to Owen. Took the job.
“Something like that.”
He used to say that a lot when we texted. It was code for, “I can’t really say.” But if he truly was managing KC’s, why not just say yes?
“You’re not the new manager?”
“No.”
“Then. . .”
Natalie looked as if she were about to burst.
“I’m the owner.”
I met Nate’s eyes once again. Did he just say. . .
“The owner?”
“The owner.”
Wordlessly, Owen confirmed it, looking much the same as Natalie. As if they were all waiting for me to hear the news.
That news being. . . Nate. Owned. KC’s Taphouse.
“Are you kidding me?”
He came around the bar toward me, which was when I realized he wasn’t kidding. In front of everyone, he grabbed my cheeks the way I’d always imagined he would the first time we met in person—a fantasy I’d told him about.
Holding me in place, he kissed me.
Hard.
Picked me up off the stool. I wrapped my legs around his waist as the entire bar erupted in hoots and hollers. When Nate finally pulled his head back and looked into my eyes, I didn’t need any words.
His actions said it all.
