“Oh, I’m glad you reminded me. Kurt wanted me to announce that the grand opening is next Saturday. However, he and Dillon want to have a special pre-opening party on Friday night for friends and family only. You’re all invited.”
“Have they finally decided on a name?” Sarah asked.
Joss snorted and Isabella laughed. “They have but they refuse to tell us,” Joss grumbled.
“They refuse to tell you because you’ve hated every name they’ve presented so far,” Piper said.
“Oh, come on, even you agreed that Brew-Ha-Ha was a stupid name,” Joss countered.
“Yeah, but you also hated Lick-Ers and The Keg Stand, and I liked both of those,” Piper pointed out.
“And I explained why. Those names scream white trash beer joint. The new bar needs a name that sounds reasonably sophisticated, and Lick-Ers most definitely ain’t it,” Joss argued.
* * *
Friday before the grand opening…
Kurt and Dillon were there to greet us as Max opened the door to the bar.
“Welcome to The Last Call,” Kurt said.
“Ooooh, is that the name of the bar? I love it,” I told them.
Dillon elbowed Kurt. “See? Told you they’d like it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Kurt muttered as he leaned in to kiss my cheek. “The ladies are at the bar patiently waiting for Dillon to give them the grand tour,” he told me. “I have cigars,” he said to Max. Max gave me a kiss, and we headed our separate ways.
The bar looked amazing. Other than the wood floors, the place looked nothing like Dragonfly. The bar itself was made of silver metal, as were the stools surrounding it. The walls were a deep silver-grey and the three floor-to-ceiling windows were painted black. Photographs of martini, margarita, and other glasses I couldn’t even begin to name adorned the walls. The place was elegant and sophisticated.
We ended on the back patio with the guys after we finished the tour with Dillon. The inside was impressive, but the patio was a show stopper. It had the most amazing view of the lake. Six black rattan loveseats with silver-grey cushions lined the inner wall of the patio with two matching rattan chairs on either side. In the middle of each trio sat a coffee table made of the same metal material as the bar. Seven foot kerosene heaters warmed the entire area.
Piper and I took a seat on one of the loveseats, while Joss and Isabella grabbed the chairs on either side of us. I relaxed and took it all in as they chatted about the bar.
Look at how far we’ve come.
Piper was no longer that selfish, insecure girl I knew in high school. She’d grown into a beautiful, strong woman who was going to be an amazing mother. Gage was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Thank goodness she was now comfortable enough in her own skin to realize it. Joss handed Emma over to Piper as they laughed at something Isabella said. I knew that Joss was going to take to motherhood like a match to a flame. After her neglectful childhood, there was no doubt in my mind that her children would know nothing but love. Kurt, the sweet boy who’d helped me survive some of the worst years of my life, had turned into the most amazing man and father. I couldn’t be more proud of him.
“What are you smiling about?” Isabella asked. She looked rested and happy.
“I take it things are good with Dillon and the kids?” I asked.
“Things couldn’t be better,” she responded with a smile. Dillon walked up and she turned her attention to him while I resumed crowd watching.
It was rare to have all of us in the same place anymore. With spouses and kids in the mix, life had gotten so busy.
I spotted Sarah and Cas in the corner kissing. They were obviously still basking in the sweet glow of matrimony. Adam, Tut, Benny and Garrett stood at the outer patio rail, each with a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. Benny was now working full time at MMG. Max said that having him there felt like old times.
Earlier, I spotted Bobby and Sally sitting at the bar with Harry and Polly. Sally seemed subdued and Polly and Harry made the cutest couple ever. When Max announced his decision to pull out of LASH, Bobby stepped up and bought him out. Shortly after that, Cas and Garrett made Bobby an equal partner in the company. Max missed the excitement of LASH, but he seemed content with his decision.
Speaking of Max, where is he?
I excused myself and slipped inside. Max was standing next to the bar talking to my dad and Nexi. Nexi had on a skin tight royal blue dress that barely contained her breasts. For as long as I lived, I would never understand what my father saw in that woman.
“Hey, there,” I said as I wrapped my arms around my husband’s waist.
“Hey, honey, I was just about to tell Max that Garrison’s is being turned into a bowling alley,” Dad said.
“Did you hear that?” Max shouted to Gage. “Garrison’s is being turned into a bowling alley!”
“I fucking love bowling!” Gage exclaimed.
Yes, life was better than good. It was great. We were all healthy, happy and together in one place celebrating our good fortune.
Dillon called everybody inside, while Kurt climbed up on top of the bar.
“Take it off!” Piper yelled.
“Only if Gage joins him!” Joss called back.
Kurt held up his hands and waited for the laughter to die down. Once it did, he held up his beer glass and made a toast, “To The Last Call and new beginnings.”
“To The Last Call…And new beginnings,” we all cheered.
The End
Acknowledgements
To my amazing husband and children – Your love and support mean everything to me.
To my editors, C Brose and Petra Gleason – As always, thank you for making the process both seamless and painless. Love you both.
To my friend and PA, Natalie Weston – Thank you for being in my life, for putting up with my goofiness, and for loving me regardless of how many times I tell you no. I love you beyond words.
To my betas, Lyndsey, Danielle, Natalie, and Nicola – Thank you for taking the first look and for loving this book as much as I do.
To Mayra Statham, the winner of the book title contest – Thank you for picking the perfect title for the last book in the series!
To my Hellions – Thank you for your endless support, for pimping me to the moon and back, and for loving me regardless of my quirkiness. You are the BEST!
Bloggers and fellow authors – Thank you for reading, reviewing, and sharing my covers on your pages as well as on Facebook. Your support means the world to me.
Other Books by RB Hilliard
His End Game
Not Letting Go
One More Time
Right Side Up
Keep It Simple
Utterly Forgettable
Fractured Beat
RB Hilliard’s Links
Goodreads – http://bit.ly/1zO9bmy
Amazon Author Page – http://amzn.to/1Anwjr3
Twitter – twitter.com/Rbhilliardb
FB – http://on.fb.me/1Anx1oi
Instagram – rbhilliard
The Last Call (MMG Book 5) Page 20
