Two years later…

 

Opal’s was officially open!

My dad and I had worked so hard to get this restaurant up and running. He called himself a silent partner, but I knew without all his business sense, his savvy, and charm, this place would only be walls with no personality.

Opal’s felt like home. I could feel my grandmother here. I hope with all my heart that I have made her happy.

I looked to the front, where the tables and sitting areas were full. I’ve been cooking again, and it feels unbelievable. But I made a promise to Gideon and to Greyson that I would always put them first. That means I’m an owner, and I don’t overextend myself. Tonight, my job was to be a good hostess, even if I wanted to run the kitchen. I’d hired the most amazing executive chef, sous chef, staff and crew. In no time, they had become invaluable and irreplaceable. 

Lucky for me, Gideon and I shared the staff between our restaurants.

For tonight’s opening, I was dressed in a sapphire blue cocktail dress with short sleeves. My heels were sensible since I knew that I would be walking around and mingling a lot tonight. My parents were here. Clara and Aunt Rosemary were here. Celeste, Jessa, and Nathan were here, too. Jamie was at the bar, without Victoria. Hmmm.

But I was looking for two special Alexander men. I spotted them at a center table, both handsome as ever.

Greyson is two, will be three in a few short months. He is a remarkable little creation. He’d been struggling some with talking but was seeing a speech therapist twice a week for that. He’d reached so many milestones for a little boy born two months early. Galen and Maxi would be so proud. His grandmother certainly is. I wished she was here for the opening, but she had been feeling under the weather and was home tonight.

I made my way over to them, and Gideon stood to kiss my cheek. I hugged them both close and my joy was complete. So very complete.

“Can I sit with you two handsome guys for a few minutes?”

“What do you say, Grey?”

His beautiful blue-green eyes opened wide and twinkled at me as he opened his mouth and uttered, “Mah-mee!”

“Greyson? Gideon, did you hear him? He just... Oh, Greyson!”

“He’s been working very hard on this, making sure he said it to you tonight. It was important because we have something to ask you.”

I sat back in the chair at the table, and it felt as if the three of us were the only people in the room. This moment felt so important, and I just wanted to savor it as the three of us get ready to move our future forward, from simmering to boiling over.

“Grey, what do you want to ask Bethany?”

“Fam-mee?”

Family.

“See, Greyson needs you as a mommy, and me? Well, I need you to be my wife.”

He pulled out two things from a bag under the table. One was a bundle of papers that required my signature.

A petition for adoption.

We had been working to complete his petition, but I saw now those papers had been amended.

“Greyson wants to know if you will agree to be his forever mommy.”

“Mah-mee?” he asked, and nodded his head up and down.

“Mommy always, Greyson,” I promised him, as Gideon handed me a pen, and I signed.

Gideon placed the pen and papers on the table, then stood and set Greyson on my lap. He grabbed the black velvet ring box and lowered himself down on one knee in front of me.

This time, there really was a hush over the room.

He cleared his throat and took my hand. He looked to my family for approval, and my father nodded his head yes.

“Bethany, you changed my life the moment you walked into Simmer. Everything became brighter, sweeter. You made me whole. We stumbled and lost our way. It was three of the loneliest years without you by my side. But here we are. I couldn’t ask for more, but I am going to ask you to make Greyson and me complete. Be our family. Will you marry me?”

He opened the box, but I didn’t have to see a ring to give him my answer.

“I will marry you, Gideon Dean Alexander. Yes, I will be your family. I will love you both for eternity.”

Clapping and cheers erupted all around us. Gideon stood and I did too, hoisting Greyson on my hip. He put his arm around us, and all I heard were three precious words from my son.

“Fam-mee, Mah-mee. Fam-mee.”