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Epilogue
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2024-10-14 11:32:17Epilogue
Danielle
About a year later…
“I finalized the menu for the bakery,” I tell Logan, watching him put another log on the fire. He comes back to the couch, picking up the papers from the coffee table, and sits next to me.
“Are you warm enough?” he asks, reaching for another blanket.
“I’m fine,” I tell him, though I know he’s going to keep pampering me like crazy. He’s been at it all week, and I don’t think he’s going to stop any time soon. “The temperature did plummet fast today.”
“Yeah. But it’s supposed to warm back up soon.”
“I’d like that.”
“Gotta love the spring weather in the Midwest. It was hot two days ago and back down to freezing today.” Logan pulls my legs into his lap and starts rubbing my feet. I lean back, closing my eyes. “That feels good.”
We got married in October, much to my own mother’s dismay. It wasn’t enough time to plan a big fancy wedding, but that’s not what we wanted anyway. Just a week or so after Logan proposed, we started looking around for places to have the wedding. We joked about having our reception in an old barn, back when we were pretending to be engaged. After I had a real ring on my finger, it started to sound like what we actually wanted.
And then it just so happened that the newly restored venue in a century-old barn had a cancelation, and we were able to snag a date the first weekend in October. The weather was perfect; bright, sunny, and a crisp sixty-five degrees.
“Are you going into work tonight?” he asks, looking over the menu.
“I should if we want to make sure we’re ready to open next week.”
“You’ll be ready.” He moves his hands up my leg, and I know it won’t be long until those fingers are inching toward my core. Which is fine by me. I’ve had the sex drive of a teenage boy lately, and Logan is very eager to please me. “Don’t wear yourself out.”
“I’m fine,” I tell him. I just got over a nasty cold, and he’s been babying me like crazy. “We’re fine.” I rest my hand on my stomach, hoping to feel our baby kick again. I felt her for the first time just yesterday, and I can’t even describe how incredible that feeling is, and how excited I am for Logan to be able to feel her too. I’m only seventeen weeks along and am just now starting to show.
We haven’t picked a name yet, but our little girl will be the fourth granddaughter in the Dawson family. Mrs. Dawson jokes that it’s making up for the years when it was all boys, though now Jackson is outnumbered. He loves his baby sister dearly and is a good big brother.
“This looks good.” Logan glances at the menu again before lying down with me on the couch.
“I’m nervous.”
“You’re going to blow everyone away.”
“I hope so. At least it’s already an established bakery. Fingers crossed I make it better and not worse.”
“You will,” he says, and I know he fully believes it. A few months ago, Mia Harris, an elderly woman who’s owned a bakery on the main street in Eastwood’s downtown for years, decided to put the store up for sale. It’s in the building right next to the spot my grandma wanted to open her own shop.
It’s a bit of a risk, but Logan and I decided to buy it. I might stick one of my pies on the counter for people to sample, but I’m more interested in the business side of it than the actual baking side. I spent the last few months coming up with a solid business plan and already have a few contracts lined up with other venues in the area.
This is the last thing I thought I’d be doing with my life. Owning a bakery. Getting married to my best friend. Deciding to start trying for a baby on our wedding night.
It wasn’t easy getting to where we are. There were lots of good days and just as many bad. I made mistakes along the way. But I learned and I grew, and every time I failed, every time something didn’t go as I hoped and planned, I reminded myself that I’m lucky to get to fail.
Because I’m alive, and I’ve made a promise to both myself and Grandpa to never take a single day of my life for granted.
Logan’s lips land on mine and my heart feels so, so full. I have so much in my life to be thankful for, and I know, no matter what gets thrown at us, we’ll get through it.
Together.
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Cheap Trick Chapter Thirty-one
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Cheap Trick Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Twenty-NineDanielleI lean against the metal gate, watching the horses run around the pasture. The chickens are already fed, and the goats are grazing near the barn. It’s a little after eight in the morning, which is still early for me but not as early as Grandpa got up to feed the animals.I can handle eight AM. Well, when the weather is nice, that is. I’m already dreading having to trudge out here in the rain and snow.Logan was still asleep on the couch when I came out here, and I silently go back into the house, not wanting to wake him. He’s been my rock the last few days, and I really don’t think I could have gotten through this without him.I’m making breakfast when my phone rings, and I hurry to silence the call. It’s a local number, but since I don’t know who it is, I don’t answer. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message. And I really don’t feel like talking to anyone right now anyway.Looking around the kitchen, I feel an emptiness in my heart. I want it to go awa
Cheap Trick Chapter Twenty-eight
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Cheap Trick Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-SevenDanielleI open my eyes and roll over. I don’t know what time it is. Or what day it is. All I know is Logan is in bed next to me, and his slow and steady breathing is the only thing keeping me from falling apart. Everything happened so fast.We got to the hospital. Grandpa seemed like he was going to pull through. And then he was gone.I slowly get out of bed, needing to use the bathroom. Logan hasn’t even gone home yet since he got back to Eastwood. Everything was so perfect before, and I would give anything to go back to our last night in Hawaii.After using the bathroom, I go downstairs, following the sound of the TV. Mom is in the living room, drinking wine and watching a baking show. It’s almost four in the morning.“Mom?”“Oh, Danielle, honey. You’re up.”“So are you. Did you get any sleep?”“A bit here and there.”I cross my arms over my chest, chilled even though it’s warm in the house. Usually, we’d turn the air conditioning up before going to bed. I hate
Cheap Trick Chapter Twenty-six
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Cheap Trick Chapter Twenty-five
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Cheap Trick Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-FourDanielleI look at myself in the mirror as I wash my hands, and for the first time in a long time, I don’t pick apart my appearance. Having my hair and makeup professionally done helps, but mostly…I look happy.Because I am.So incredibly fucking happy, and nothing can dampen my mood. Want and desire swell inside of me, and I’m going to go find Logan and take him up to our room. He said he was going to take his time with me, but I want to do the same to him.Tie him up. Tease him. Make him beg for more.I dry my hands, smooth out my dress, and go back to the reception hall. Logan is at the table, with his back to me. A smile pulls up my lips, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop smiling.Logan turns around, almost like he can sense me coming. He’s on the phone, and something isn’t right.“What’s wrong?” I ask, rushing over to him.“I’ll call you back,” Logan says to whoever he’s talking to.“Logan?” I’m getting a little freaked out. “What’s wrong?”“That was
