I swivel around on a smooth wooden bar stool while Ryan spins all the way around on the chic metal one next to me. We are in a large warehouse in Oxford, hopping from barstool to barstool to test which ones will go perfectly at the winery.

"This wood hurts my bottom. I liked the velvet ones better," I announce after wiggling around. Ryan nods before saying, "The velvet ones would go nicely with the dark stain you picked for the bar." I release a long sigh and decide I don't want to test out any more bar stools today. They are all starting to blend together and I know I need to make a decision before the store closes in twenty minutes. Two sales associates with pleading expressions have already come by to see if we need help and I am sure they are hoping they won't have to stay late on a Sunday to put in our order.

"Okay, let's go take a picture of the velvet ones so I can show my mother what I chose and then we can go check out," I tell him and he nods in agreement. He grabs my hand as we hop off the stools and we swing our clasped hands while we cross to the other side of the furniture store.

"Are you enjoyin' making the executive decisions about the winery?" He asks as we cut a path through the couches.

"Seeing that I don't get to make many decisions on my own, I am very much enjoying being the boss. I think my mother wants me to become overwhelmed durin' all this so she can say I told you so before stepping in and taking over. But I refuse to get flustered," I say triumphantly.

Ryan shrugs, "I don't know, I hear her telling everyone she knows that you're officially a business owner. I think she wants all the townsfolk to see you making decisions and acting important."

I frown, "What she tells the town and what she tells me in confidence are usually two different stories. As long as the town thinks I am taking charge all will be well. But if she's the one secretly pulling the strings then all will be grand."

"Well, you are doing great so far. I question your hiring skills but other than that..."

I laugh, "I needed help with all the paperwork. Annabeth has the experience. I just have to make it through eight more months of wedding hell and I'll like my secretary again."

We make it over to the tall dark wooden bar stools with the maroon velvety cushions and I snap a picture. I wave to the anxious sales associates and they practically sprint over. I order seventeen stools to be delivered next weekend and I have never had paperwork processed so quickly. I'm tucking the receipts into my purse when Ryan asks, "Now that that's done, wanna go get a drink?"

"Like you ever have to ask that," I reply back with a smile.

*****

It's busy at Mel's when we arrive but we manage to squeeze into two spots at the bar. Loud country music is spilling out of the speakers above us and pool balls are being clunked together behind us. I have to stand on the footrest of my stool to wave the bartender over and after a few minutes of impatiently waiting, I contemplate showing some skin to get some attention. The bartender finally sees my urgent call for alcohol and we quickly order two beers with an order of onion rings. I sit back into my seat before glancing around the crowded bar and am relieved not to see anyone I know. I want to enjoy the evening out with Ryan before I lose him to work for the week.

The bartender clunks our pint glasses down and Ryan hands him his credit card for the tab. After taking a long drink of my frothy beer I ask, "Ready to go back to work tomorrow?"

Ryan puts his glass down and nods, "Yeah, I forgot to tell you they are bringing in an agent from the east coast tomorrow to help me with the money laundering case I've been working on."

"Oh yeah? Anyone you know?" I ask.

"Dunno yet. The Captain didn't say much, just that I would be receiving help. It would be nice if it was someone Austin and I knew though. A familiar face from back home."

"What if it's someone you didn't like?" I tease and Ryan shakes his head, "Anyone will be better than who they have me with now. I think the hardest thing they've ever had Meyers do is flag license plates."

The bartender drops the basket of onion rings between us and I snatch one up. I wait for it to cool down for a moment and say, "Hollis just isn't a place for criminal activity. Big wigs at the F.B.I are hardly needed."

He laughs, "I've worked on a high profile drug case, a twisted murder case and now a money laundering case that runs across two continents all here in Hollis." He tosses a small ring into his mouth and I frown, "I like to believe that Hollis is a safe haven so let's keep it that way."

"Oh I'll always keep you safe darlin'," he replies with a smile. I am about to ask him another question when I am interrupted by a hand snatching up one of the onion rings.  I look over and watch Austin stuff it into his mouth.

"Hey, I'm not sharing," I snap as he goes for another one and I swat his hand away. Ryan looks over to him too as he asks, "What brings you on down to Mel's?"

"I needed a stiff drink. I was with the Hamilton's all day discussing Paris," he says as if Paris is such a rough topic of conversation. He snags an empty barstool behind us and drags it over so he sits between Ryan and me.

"Our mother will not be pleased with a destination wedding," I tell him after he orders a gin and tonic. He rubs his hands down his face, messing up his perfect blonde hair and replies, "Do you know how hard it's going to be to make both Margot and mother happy?"

"Happy wife, happy life. Isn't that how it goes?" Ryan says with a smile playing on his lips.

"Unhappy mother, duck for cover more like it," Austin argues. He pulls another ring toward him and ignores my evil eye.

"Why don't y''ll get married in Paris and have a big ol' reception here?" Ryan asks. Austin looks to him like the idea never crossed his mind. He snaps his fingers and then pulls his cellphone from his pocket. He pulls the phone up to his ear as he walks to where it's quieter. Ryan looks back to me and says, "What about you? Will I have to deal with foreign countries when we get married?" I nearly choke on my beer. He has hinted at marriage in the future but has never asked anything so direct before.

"When we get married? Not if we get married?" I ask jokingly.

"Sawyer, you know I want to marry you. But you also know I have to wait until both Annabeth and Austin's weddings blow over."

I shake my head, "Not to ask me you don't."

"You're the maid of honor in one wedding and a bridesmaid in another. I'm the best man for Austin, I just think we should let these weddings pass before getting our families all spun up over another," he says. I reluctantly nod in agreement.

I haven't even met his parents yet but I am getting antsy for an engagement. He did ask me to go to Nashville over the Holidays to meet them but with the winery opening on New Years' Eve, I knew I'd have too much to do to get ready. That and I wasn't particularly thrilled with the idea of spending my Christmas with Chase and Essie.

"I know. I'll try and be patient. Knowing you want to marry me is good enough...for now." I give Ryan a sly grin and Austin comes back over to us.

"Margot is actually thrilled with the idea of two wedding celebrations. She said now she can get two gowns," Austin says with a shake of his head.

"Mother might actually go for it," I tell him and he shrugs. He grabs his gin and I can tell he's over discussing his wedding plans. I don't blame him.

With Annabeth being pregnant and on a specific timeline, Margot so graciously decided to wait at least a couple months after Annabeth's wedding to get married. She knew Annabeth wanted to be married as quickly as possible after the baby came so when Annabeth decided to have her wedding in the fall, Margot decided to have hers the following spring.  It worked out perfectly for them but now I am stuck in never-ending wedding planning hell. The next year of my life will be dedicated to both A.B and Margot so I get why Ryan is suggesting we wait until after all their hoopla dies down.

"Who wants another?" Austin asks as he downs the last drops of his drink. Ryan and I both raise our hands and we spend the rest of the evening discussing everything except Austin's wedding.