by Locklyn Marx
They spent the night talking and chatting with their friends, eating the hors d’oeuvres that the new kitchen staff had prepared. At Lindsay’s urging, Chace had finally taken a good look at the restaurant, and started making the hard decisions it was going to take to make it a success.
He’d fired Carmela, and had a long discussion with Dolores about what he expected of her. The fact that he’d let Carmela go must have sent a message, because Dolores immediately snapped into line. He’d hired two more kitchen staff, chefs from Hyannis whose food was amazing.
Business had already started to pick up.
Lindsay felt Chace’s arm encircle her waist as she looked out among their friends, family, and community. Everyone seemed happy and relaxed, chatting and eating. Even Lindsay’s mom, usually so high-strung, looked like she was having a good time.
“Attention, everyone,” Chace said, banging his fork against his water glass.
Everyone turned to look. “I want to thank you so much for coming here tonight, for supporting me and The Trib.”
The guests clapped and cheered.
“This last year and a half has been a hard one for me. But I’m learning as I go, mostly about the power of forgiving other people, and the power of forgiving yourself.”
Lindsay knew how hard the words were for him to say, and she squeezed his hand, letting him know she was proud of him.
The crowd was at rapt attention, listening as Chace talked.
“My father always used to say that when people came to your restaurant, you wanted them to feel like they were family. I was never very good at that kind of thing, I’m trying. I’d like to think that if he were here, he’d be proud of me.” His voice caught on the last word, but there was a smile on his face.
The crowd clapped again, and Bo yelled from the back, “We love you, Chace!”
Everyone laughed.
“The other thing that’s happened to me this past year is that I’ve found the love of my life.” He looked down at Lindsay, and she melted as his eyes met hers. She thought about that day he’d found her in her driveway in the dead of winter, her groceries spilled around her. She thought about that split second decision she’d made to let him in, thought about how close she’d come to saying no.
It was crazy, when you thought about it, how differently things could have turned out. But that was what life was – just a bunch of split second decisions that slowly added up to create a life.
“Lindsay, I feel as if, in some ways, you taught me what it was like to be happy again.”
Everyone awwwed.
“And that’s why,” he said, kneeling down on one knee. “I’d like to ask you right here, right now, to give me the honor of spending every moment making you as happy as you’ve made me.”
Lindsay’s heart pounded in her chest as she looked down at this wonderful man, kneeling in front of her.
He pulled a small box out of his suit pocket, then turned to the crowd. “Bo was holding this all night,” he explained. “I didn’t want to lose it.”
He opened the box, and Lindsay gasped. The ring was beautiful, a gorgeous square cut solitaire with a white gold band. But it wasn’t just the ring that made her choke up. It was everything. Being here, with her family and her friends, and the man she loved.
“Lindsay,” Chace said, “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said. She was crying now, tears streaming down her face. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
She was dimly aware of everyone clapping in the background, and her mother saying, “Oh, thank God.” But then it all faded away, and it was just her and Chace.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered, wiping a tear from her cheek.
“I’m crying because I’m happy,” she said. “I love you so much.”
“I love you so much, too.” He kissed her tears away, then smoothed her hair back, the way he’d done a million times before.
“Everyone’s staring at us,” he whispered. “It’s kind of weird.”
She laughed, then wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. She thought about second, third, fourth chances, and about how she was glad she’d taken a risk and put her faith in happy endings.
“You saved my life, Lindsay,” Chace whispered into her ear.
She pulled back, leaned her forehead against his. “No,” she said. “You did that.”
Chace pulled her close one more time. And as the room filled with happiness and love and good wishes for the first time since his dad’s party a year and a half ago, Chace whispered into Lindsay’s ear one more time.
“No,” he said, “We did it.”
And then he kissed her again.
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