Epilogue
We’re having breakfast the next day—all eight of us crammed around the kitchen island, drinking coffee and tearing into croissants with cheese and ham. The smell of freshly brewed espresso and pastry fills the air as everyone chats, laughter mixing with the clatter of cups against saucers.
I’m mid-sip of my coffee when I realize Adam and I are drawing attention. Of course, we haven’t told anyone anything—except for Millie, who cried happy tears when I confessed everything to her last night, and Peter, our wingman extraordinaire. But the rest of the group is still completely in the dark about us.
That is until Adam’s thumb brushes absently over my hand where it rests on the table—a small, easy gesture, but it immediately sends a bloom of arousal through my core. When I glance up, I catch Chara watching us, her eyes widening. Her brows shoot up, her gaze snapping between Adam and me.
Shit.
I pull my hand away quickly, but not quickly enough. Chara’s expression shifts from confusion to dawning realization—and then to that smug, sisterly ohhhh face that makes my stomach twist.
Meanwhile, the others are too caught up in their conversation to notice. Peter’s arguing that DJing is the ultimate midlife crisis move for men, while Tina lists worse ones, like getting into motorcycles or singing in an amateur rock band.
I lean toward Adam, lowering my voice. “Ease it on the touching, cowboy, or everybody’s going to find out.”
Adam’s mouth curves as he takes a sip of coffee and leans in, his breath warm on my ear. “Do you want to keep it a secret?”
I blink. “No. Not really. I mean, if you do—”
“Me neither,” he says, and with that, he leans in to kiss the tip of my nose.
That’s when everybody notices, and the room instantly goes quiet.
“Wait—hold up—did you just kiss him?!” Tina blurts, pointing between us with wide eyes.
“Yup,” Chara says, her face perfectly blank, like she’s known for ages and definitely didn’t just figure it out two seconds ago.
“What is happening?” Sean asks, looking genuinely scandalized.
“Oh god,” I mutter, rubbing a hand over my face. “Please calm down.”
“I think they hooked up last night,” Amira says, one brow arched in amusement.
My cheeks heat instantly. “How do you know?”
She shrugs, completely unfazed. “You disappeared for half an hour and came back in different clothes.”
“T.M.I., Amira,” Chara groans, covering her ears with both hands. “T.M.I.!”
“Holy shit,” Tina says, turning to gawk at Adam. “Wait—you’re not straight?”
Adam shakes his head, calm and patient, as if he’s answering nosy questions from a boyfriend’s parents. “Nope. Dated girls in high school, but it was just for appearances.”
“Cool,” Tina says, then pauses, frowning suspiciously. “Wait… Is that why you came here? To hook up with Sam?”
“Tina!” Amira says, scandalized. “That’s so rude.”
Adam chuckles. “That’s okay. And no.”
But before he can say more, Peter cuts in with a knowing grin. “Well…you sort of did, didn’t you?”
“What?” Millie and I blurt out together.
I glance at Adam, and he snorts, rolling his eyes before wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me into a half-hug. “Don’t listen to him.”
Peter leans back, arms crossed, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “He only decided to come after finding out Sam broke up with his boyfriend.”
“Wait, you didn’t know before?” I ask, turning to Adam, and he shakes his head.
I look between Millie and Peter, my frown deepening. “Seriously? Don’t you guys talk? That was, like, eight months ago!”
“You’re joking, right?” Adam says, eyes flicking from me to Peter, looking bewildered.
“God!” I throw my hands up and then point between Millie and Peter. “You two need couples therapy!”
For a second, the room is silent—and then everyone bursts out laughing.
THE END