The name had been Quinley’s idea because a haven was a place of safety and refuge—like the cabin they’d shared that fateful week. Or in this case, a restaurant geared for people like him and Gemma’s son and everyone else where they could eat knowing their allergies would be taken seriously.
They’d addressed a huge issue with visitors from other countries as well, that of sourcing real food without the outlawed additives banned overseas. That had taken some doing, a lot of research and forming connections with people like Rhys Lachlan who was able to then connect him with others able to help them getrealfood and not chemically laden food.
The last six months had been a lot. A lot of work, a lot of headaches and a heck of a lot of negotiations.
A lot of fun and laughter as he and Gemma slowly convinced Quinley that good food could be both healthy and delicious, while Lachlan and Quinley had convincedhimof the advantages of being a penthouse restaurant with breathtaking ocean views they couldn’t get anywhere else in town to draw an even broader crowd .
Elias had readthatparticular contract so many times he could recite it verbatim, because he’d looked for any loophole or unfair term that Lachlan might use for revenge since Elias and Quinley were officially a couple as of the night of Mia’s birthday.
Tonight was Haven’s soft opening, a showcase for family and friends to come and enjoy and see why it was so important to him and to so many others. To see his dream—his and Quinley’s—come true.
Quinley had handled the advertising campaign leading up to the opening like the pro she was, hyping up social media, setting up ads, and doing all the things she was so very good at doing.
Her advertising business had taken off as well since the pictures of her and Rhys at that charity event had softened negative feelings toward her. Obviously if Lachlan had forgiven her, there was more to the story, they said.
Rhys had thrown some advertising contracts her way as well, which had sent yet another message to the public: there were no hard feelings. At least where he and Quinley were concerned.
Quinley’s relationship with her father? That remained strained as the man found his business struggling when more and more of his clients didn’t renew contracts and moved to Quinley’s company instead.
She’d had to find office space of her own so that she could hire help, but the transition had been as smooth as it could be under the circumstances.
Regardless, Quinley had invited her mother to join them tonight along with Ana’s parents, and he hoped they followed through on the request. Quinley had invited her father as well but shrugged off her care of whether or not he attended.
Lachlan’s request to house Haven atop the new hotel had practically guaranteed Lachlan sainthood in the public’s eyes. Elias knew the man had caught flack for it from his own family, proving that billionaire families did hold grudges.
The one thing Eliashadn’tagreed to was Lachlan investing in the restaurant itself. Leasing the space was one thing, but the restaurant, the name? That belonged to him and his brothers, and the investor Quinley had introduced Elias to, because the former professional hockey player had as many allergies as Elias and was therefore as invested in the outcome.
So between his brothers’ surprising but welcome support in putting up a third of the investment, his third and the investor’s third, Lachlan providing the space, and with Gemma acting as chef, they’d done it. They’d actually succeeded, and Haven was born.
Elias finally spied Quinley and quickly made his way toward her.
“There you are,” Elias drawled in a low voice as he slipped his arms around her from behind. “I’ve been looking for you. Please tell me you’re not thinking of jumping balconies to escape opening night.”
A laugh burst from her as she draped her arms over his while he nuzzled his lips into her neck and felt her shiver of response.
“No more balcony hopping for me,” she said, her tone light and loving. “But I will admit that I was just standing here thinking what a difference a few months can make.”
He nipped her ear and got another shiver from her before turning her around, trapping her body to his by placing his hands on either side of her hips. “A good difference?”
“The best,” she said, smiling up at him and looping her arms around his neck.
“I hope that’s not true.”
His words drew a frown from her, and he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. “I hope every day is better than the one before it.”
Her gaze, her entire body, softened against him.
“I love you, Elias.”
He kissed her again, holding the words between them to absorb them, seal them for all eternity. “I love you more. Quinley…I know we said we’d take things slow but that doesn’t mean we can’t take the next step.”
His words drew an inquisitive smile from her as he’d known they would. And because he knew his entire family and whomever had decided to show up from hers were slowly congregating inside the restaurant and probably watching them, he slowly released her and got down on one knee.
“Elias,” she whispered, her eyes flaring wide.
He smiled up at her and pulled the ring box from his pocket. “Don’t jump,” he told her firmly, “even if you don’t say yes.”
“That’snotfunny,” she said, the words emerging choked with tears and pitched with laughter.
