“We can change it to whatever you want, but it stuck with me,” I whisper into her ear.
“You bought this building?”
“I have an investor.”
“Why?”
“Open the door, baby. You’ll see.”
Her hand trembles in mine as she twists the handle and nudges it open. The smell of new construction assaults us. Paint, drywall, sawdust, grout, all of their smells mingle together in the newly renovated space.
“Oh my God,” she gasps, now clutching my whole arm.
“Welcome home, beautiful.”
“You bought me a bakery as a welcome home present?”
“No, I bought this as your wedding present then decided it wasn’t nearly romantic enough. It’ll have to do as a welcome gift.”
She swivels in all directions, her eyes scanning rapidly, her lips parting in awe. Walls that once separated this building are open to make it one large workspace. The old bathroom that was on her side has been renovated for her personally. The other bathroom was enlarged to accommodate separate men and women’s facilities. I took every conversation and observation Dad, Miller, Evin, and I had with Darby into consideration while in the construction phase. The walls are painted a warm blue-grey, and the white cabinetry and open shelving are topped with the grey-veined marble Darby once mentioned she had in Charlotte. The industrial appliances were supplied by Brasher and resemble what they have in their kitchens. The prep tables are larger, and the small sitting area she once had is twice its size to accommodate more people.
It’s ready for her to move in and add her own special touches and decorations to make it hers. Runner scoots by, sniffing at the new tile, wandering the room. He finds the bed I placed in the back corner and plops down.
“I can’t believe this,” she marvels, eyes still sweeping around. “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“Believe it.”
“But why?”
“Because DG Creations was technically established in Charleston, and you needed a place to reflect that.”
“But I have a kitchen at the resort.”
“You have a small space for limited quantities. This is where you’ll spend the majority of your time. It’s built for you to have staff and also serve as a training facility if needed.”
Her nose scrunches in confusion, and she opens and closes her mouth a few times, still surveying. “Is Brasher your investor? This had to cost a fortune.”
“Not exactly. Evin is the investor until I buy him out.”
“Why is Evin involved?”
“It goes back to him and Stephanie brainstorming last summer. He knew about Brasher’s resort expansion, knew Mr. Baldwin wanted to sell, and he saw an opportunity. After Stephanie witnessed you and I that morning on your porch, she saw the bigger picture that included me in your life. She worked the legal side of things and made this possible. When Evin shared with me, I purchased the building. I bought it for you.”
“We weren’t even together! There’s no way you could have known what the future held for us.”
I wrap my arms around her waist and hold her so she can’t squirm away. It’s my turn to cock my eyebrows with an amused grin. “We were together, and I knew exactly how things were going to work out.”
She’s not nearly as amused. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard!”
“Depends on who you ask. I think it was brilliant.”
“I work for Brasher Resorts.”
“No, you work with Brasher Resorts. You’ve proved your worth to them a thousand times over. They’re not going to do anything to jeopardize that partnership. But in the off chance you want out, this will always be yours. In the meantime, they’re paying rent for you to keep creating masterpieces for their resort.”
“They’re paying for me to have my own space outside of their building?”
“Another perk Stephanie worked out.”
“I can’t believe this.”
“I told you thirteen years ago I’d build you a bakery. Hopefully, it’s up to standards.”
“Pierce, I love it, but I think I’m in shock.” One side of her lip quirks, and her eyes gleam the shade of copper. “You built me my bakery,” she repeats, her voice husky and filled with emotion. “Guess this explains all the questions and unusual interest in my workspace over the last few months. I can’t believe I didn’t catch on.”
I skim my mouth across hers, kissing the corner of her lips and walking her backward. “There’s one more surprise.”
“Is this where everyone jumps out cheering?”
“Fuck no, and in case they got any ideas, I changed the code on the lock so they can’t get in.”
My foot kicks open the door, and I spin her to the room. This is the only place where I added personal items.
She walks to her desk, zoning in on the frame I took the risk of putting there. It’s at her and Evin’s graduation. I’m holding her in the air, and we’re smiling at the camera as our parents took endless pictures.