The Smitten Spa & Grill celebrated its grand opening on the last Saturday in August. Julia wore a lime green Lilly Pulitzer summer shift that contrasted well against the pale greens and earthy browns of the spa. She wore a light cashmere wrap over her shoulders. She’d bought Zak a navy Hugo Boss suit, and he looked better than any New York businessman she’d met. As she straightened his tie, she kissed his cheek. “You look gorgeous.”
“Enjoy it, because tomorrow it’s jeans and a T-shirt.”
She giggled. “Fine by me.” She stared out the window of the restaurant toward Smitten’s Main Street, where flower boxes brimmed with summer blooms. Tourists sprinkled the town sidewalk, and she felt a fresh wave of satisfaction at the committee’s work.
“I have to admit it, Julia. You girls did it. We have more tourists walking our streets than we’ve had in years.”
“Sometimes all it takes is a little faith.” She smiled broadly at him. “And maybe a good verbal whack upside the head now and again.”
“Are we ready to open the doors?”
“Not just yet,” she moaned. “Let me live in the moment where it’s just you and me and we’re not surrounded by sawdust and dirt.”
“We’ve been working toward this day for nearly two months! All our friends and family are waiting out there to watch us succeed.”
“I’ll miss our cozy spa and grill where it’s just us. Now we have to let people in, and it won’t be the same.”
“Even if both the restaurant and the spa are filled with patrons and we’re making money hand over fist, it will always be just you and me here anyway,” he said with a fist pump to his heart. “That’s where we’ve been blessed.”
“I’m so glad you had faith in me when I didn’t.”
“You had faith in me when I didn’t. We’ll just keep returning the favor to each other.”
Zak pulled open both doors together. “Welcome, Smitten, to the grand reopening of Smitten’s only spa and grill!”
Julia’s knees went weak as she caught sight of her brother in full uniform. “Greg?”
Greg hugged her and lifted her off the ground. “I’m home, little sis. I needed to make sure this guy acted honorably.”
She grasped her brother around his neck and held on tightly.
“I’m so glad you’re home!”
“I had to come home for the wedding. All of them.”
Zak bent on one knee in front of her. “Julia Bourne, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
A roar went up from the crowd, and Julia’s hand trembled as she held it out and said, “Yes, yes, a million times yes!”
“But it has to be after ours.” Julia’s mother held out her hand. A new sparkling diamond glimmered on her ring finger.
“Mom?”
“Your dad and I decided we’d get into the spirit of things and recommit our love.”
Julia swayed on her heels and felt the world spinning around her as she tried to take it all in. Her parents’ love story was something she’d never understand. But then, she didn’t need to. She only needed to know that her path would be different. But she would learn to bake a pie—and if there was ever a man worth getting into an apron and stilettos for, it was Zak Grant.