Epilogue - a few months later
Holly scanned the interior of the new restaurant in front of her. It wasn’t exactly like Holly’s Hideaway had been, but she had the feeling it would be even better because this restaurant would be co-owned with her sister. She hadn’t been entirely sold on the idea when Mandy first proposed it - she was still working on her trust issues - but as she continued to lay out the reasoning, Holly found herself getting excited. Not only would it mean that she wouldn’t have to work all the long hours herself, but it would also allow her to take on more catering jobs if she wanted. Mandy might have been a little slow when she first took the job at Becca’s, but food service had turned out to be a natural skill for her. Plus, Mandy had used the money she’d saved to go in on the costs with Holly which left more of the insurance money for Holly to use in other ways.
“Oh, Holly, this is gorgeous,” Tiffany said as she, Israel, and baby Samuel entered. Holly and Mandy were doing a soft opening tonight for their friends just to make sure everything was ready to go before they threw the doors open for real.
“Thank you, but the interior was all Mandy’s design.” Holly hadn’t been sure about the rose and gold colors that Mandy had chosen at first, but she had to admit now that she saw it all together that it did seem to elevate the atmosphere of the restaurant.
“I knew I liked that girl,” Tiffany said with a soft smile. Holly knew she was thinking back to Sylvia. Tiffany had also liked her and had felt guilty she’d convinced Holly to take a chance on her, but Holly knew it wasn’t her fault. The whole town had been convinced Sylvia was a saint, and the weird thing was that her charity work for the foster care system had been real. Unfortunately, she’d amassed such debts trying to live a lifestyle she couldn’t afford that she had allowed herself to fall for Frederick’s charm and his con. Holly almost felt sorry for her, knowing how charming Frederick could be, but the woman could have put a foot down like Holly had.
The front door opened again and Chance, Merribeth, and their three kids walked in. “Whoa, this place looks great,” Merribeth said, setting down Eliza’s carrier so she could examine the place more closely.
“It really does, Holly,” Chance echoed. “I bet you get even more business than you did before.”
“I hope so. I think starting with a new name will definitely help.” The group who had been harassing Holly before the fire hadn’t been heard from since, but the internet was an unforgiving place and the old bad reviews had been nearly impossible to take down.
“I have no doubt, and Family Fusion is a great name.”
The door opened again and Becca and Colton entered. Holly had hoped he and Ashley would hit it off after their Valentine’s pair up, but it turned out he had eyes for Becca and she for him. She still couldn’t believe Sylvia had rigged the drawing to put her and Frederick together, but she was glad something good had come from that night. She just hoped Ashley found someone too. The girl was an amazing person and she deserved to find happiness too. Holly was very glad that Ashley, Pierre, and her other former employees had been willing to come to work for the new restaurant as well.
“Is this everyone?” Becca asked, looking around.
“Almost. We’re waiting on Mandy and Dougie. Dougie should be here any minute, but I have no idea where Mandy is. She ran out a few minutes ago, hollering that she had to grab something and would be right back.”
The door opened again and Dougie entered, brushing a dusting of snow off his jacket. “Whew, it has gotten cold out there. I hope the dinner you have planned for tonight is warm because I’m freezing.”
Holly crossed to him and wound her arms around his neck. “It will warm you up, and if it doesn’t, maybe this will.” She pulled him down for a kiss that sent a warm tingling all the way to her toes.
“That does appear to be working,” he said when the kiss ended, “but I might need a few more.”
“Hey, there are children present,” Chance said with a laugh as he covered Lucas’s eyes.
“To be continued, then,” Holly whispered and gave Dougie’s hand a squeeze.
Behind them, the door opened again, and Mandy entered, waving a newspaper in her hands. “I got it.”
“Got what?” Holly asked. “Are you telling me you went out in that weather for a newspaper?”
Mandy smiled and unfolded the paper. “Not just any paper. The New York journal which just happens to have a story about the mayor having to step down from his office in disgrace.”
“What?” Holly hurried over to Mandy and read over her shoulder. “After the story of his illegitimate daughter uniting with her half sister to open a restaurant hit the news, other women began pouring forward with their claims of relationships. Forced to admit to more than forty affairs, Brad Bingman has decided to step back from public office and do some soul searching on his life.”
Israel let out a low whistle. “Forty affairs? That’s crazy. One wife is plenty.” He laughed as Tiffany swatted his arm playfully.
Holly looked at Mandy. “I don’t understand though. How did they even find out about our restaurant? Dad’s PR rep left town ages ago.”
Mandy smiled and shrugged. “I guess a little birdie let the news slip to a few friends who happen to be journalists.”
“You didn’t.”
“I didn’t want to take the chance he might do something to ruin this. Besides, I think a little reflection on his life choices will be good for him.”
Holly chuckled and shook her head. It was clear that a little of that New York toughness ran in Mandy’s blood as well. “All right, I guess we have a double celebration tonight then.”
“Actually, it might be a triple celebration,” Dougie said.
She turned to him in confusion. “What do you mean? Do you have something to celebrate too? Did you get a promotion?”
“No, but I’m hoping I’ll have something even better to celebrate.” He pulled something from his pocket and dropped to one knee. “Holly Bingman, I have loved you for a while now, and I don’t want to risk losing you again. I can’t imagine my life without you beside me. Will you agree to marry me so that there’s no chance we get paired with someone else at the Valentine’s Dance this year?”
A shocked laugh spilled from Holly’s lips. She hadn’t even thought about the Valentine’s Dance, but it had raised so much money last year that Chance had agreed to make it a yearly tradition, and it was coming up soon. Holly hadn’t planned to put her name in the buckets this year anyway, but she certainly wouldn’t be allowed to if she was engaged, and she loved Dougie. After all, he’d been her saving grace the last few months, but she had not been expecting this.
“I think this is where you say yes,” Merribeth said loudly.
“Yes, yes. Of course yes,” Holly said, laughing as Dougie smiled up at her and slid the ring on her finger. Cheers erupted from their friends as he swung her around, but she paid no attention to them. Her focus was on the man in front of her, the man who had saved her business and her happiness, the man who had helped her learn to trust again, and the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with.
As he pulled her into another kiss, she sent a prayer of thanksgiving to God. He’d allowed her to go through some tough challenges, but he’d also given her the right friends to make it through and she had no doubt the best was yet to come.
The end!