Page 51 of Heart Strings

“Listen, I bought the space and renovated it—not because I want you stuck here, but because I saw how much it hurt you to give it up. It’s all yours, Gracie; it’s in your name. Your legacy.”

Slowly, I step back and gesture towards the entrance. “It’s the grand opening today. Want to see what we’ve done with the place?”

Tentatively, Gracie steps forward without saying a thing, her hand clutching mine tightly as we approach the front door. As we enter, she’s greeted by a burst of applause from a crowd gathered inside—the local community, friends, and a few faces from her past who appreciate what the bookstore has always meant to the neighborhood.

The interior is modern and inviting, with bookshelves lined neatly along the walls filled with an eclectic mix of titles. In the back, a small café area is set up, complete with cozy seating and the smell of fresh coffee brewing. Everything is modern, functional, yet warm and welcoming.

But in the back in a comfy nook, is our trusty sofa. I kept that for nostalgia’s sake.

Gracie walks through in a daze, touching the spines of books, greeting people with a stunned smile. She meets the three staff members I’ve hired to help run the place, each one eager and enthusiastic about this new beginning.

As she takes it all in, tears start to slip down her cheeks, and suddenly, she whirls around and throws her arms around my neck. “Connor, this... this is incredible. How did you... why did you do all this?”

I hug her back, feeling a swell of happiness at her acceptance. “Because I love you, Gracie. And I know how much this place means to you. You’ve given up so much for others; it was time someone did something just for you.”

We pull apart slightly, and I wipe the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs. “You deserve a place to write your own story, on your terms. This is just the beginning, Tink.”

Gracie looks around again, her eyes now sparkling with tears of joy rather than sadness. She takes a deep breath, seemingly absorbing every detail, every face in the crowd.

“Thank you,” she whispers, her voice choked with emotion. “This means everything to me.”

The pride I feel right now doesn’t compare to the love I feel for this woman who has come to mean so much to me. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to express just how much I love her, but I guess I have the rest of our lives to do it.

“I’m glad, because you mean everything to me. I wanted to do this for you, to support your dreams like you’ve always supported mine.”

We stand there for a moment, embraced in the middle of her new beginning. Eventually, Gracie pulls back, wiping her tears with a laugh. “I can’t believe you did all this without me finding out.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” I confess with a grin. “A good one, I hope.”

“It’s perfect,” she says, her eyes bright as she takes my hand. “Let’s go meet everyone. I want to thank them too.”

We spend the next hour mingling with the guests, Gracie introducing me as her partner and the force behind the surprise. The pride in her voice, the way she looks at me, it reaffirms everything I’ve done, all the decisions that led us here.

As I stand there, in the heart of her new beginning, I feel a deep sense of peace. We’ve turned a page, starting a new chapter together, and I can’t wait to see where this story takes us.

Epilogue - One Year Later

Gracie

The morning sunlight filters through the half-open blinds, casting gentle patterns across the sheets of our bed in Connor’s cabin by the lake. It’s our sanctuary, a place far removed from the bustling streets of New York where we now live most of the year.

Here, surrounded by the tranquility of nature, every stress seems to melt away, especially now during the Christmas holidays when the world slows down a little.

I’m drifting back from the edge of sleep when I feel Connor’s lips against my neck, soft and warm. A contented sigh escapes me as his kisses stir me from my dreams. His presence, always so strong and comforting, pulls me further into wakefulness.

“Morning,” he murmurs against my skin, his voice low and husky.

Turning within his embrace, I face him, my heart swelling at the sight of his sleepy smile. “Morning,” I reply, stretching up to press my lips to his. His arms tighten around me, pulling me closer as we kiss, the world outside forgotten.

As we part, I reach up to touch his face, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw. But then my breath catches in my throat. There, on my finger, glints a ring I hadn’t noticed before—a beautiful, simple band that catches the morning light just so.

My eyes widen as I pull back slightly to look at it, then back at him. “Connor, what is this?”

He smiles, his blue eyes shining with something I recognize as a mix of nerves and excitement. “I was wondering how long it would take you to notice.”

“Is this… are you…?” I can’t quite finish the question, my mind racing.

Connor takes my hand in his, the ring sparkling between us. “Gracie, I’ve been waiting for the right moment since we got back here. But every moment with you feels right, so I couldn’t wait any longer.”

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