Epilogue
Three months later
Sadie smiled at the trio of customers as she handed their orders out the service window on the food truck. “Thanks so much for coming to our grand opening. Please let us know how you like your sandwiches.”
Joan’s familiar warmth brushed against her as she held a wrapped sandwich out the window. “One Irish Spring.”
“Thank you,” the businessman said as he took it. “The names of your dishes are catchy.”
Joan gave Sadie the adoring grin she loved. “They were all this beautiful lady’s idea.”
“Variations on warm and chilly things,” Sadie said.
“Let us know if you have any critiques. We just opened, so we’re looking for feedback.”
The man thanked them both, pulling at the white deli paper.
Mouthwatering scents of freshly cooked ham and crisp veggies filled the truck. Sadie took a big gulp of water, then leaned out and checked the sky over Friendship Park. A rare overcast day in Vector City. No rain in the forecast that afternoon, so hopefully customers wouldn’t stay away. She had to hit the sidewalk to drum up business.
“Doing great, Team Hot and Cold,” Joan said as she stood at the flat-top grill.
“We’re looking good, too,” Mark added from where he was dropping ingredients for his green chutney into the blender.
Their vertical-striped aprons went with the rest of Hot and Cold’s theme of pinks and pale blues. One of the many decisions they’d made over the past few months. Lots of trial and error and taste testing of sandwiches. Lots of design ideas for the truck.
Joan held her palm over the caramelized onions atop a thick slice of sourdough bread and three-cheese blend. She gave it an easy blast of fire to melt it into yummy gooey-ness.
The rear door opened, and Perry climbed inside. “Hey, Per,” Joan said.
“Péricles!” Mark called.
Sadie greeted him as well. Perry scooted behind her with a file folder tucked under his arm. He pointed to the licenses taped to the service window. “Good visibility on those. How’s it been going?”
“Pretty good,” Mark said. “People seem to like the food so far.”
“I’ve only gotten positive feedback,” Sadie said. “My friend Amit stopped by earlier and said it was one of the best BLTs he’s ever had. And he’s my former boss, so I can attest that he doesn’t give compliments lightly.”
“Good.” Perry flipped through his papers. He’d jumped into budgets and timelines like a champ and had kept them on task. He’d be a real asset for future investments and projects. Sadie and Joan were hopeful it was occupying him enough not to miss his former way of making a living. He really did enjoy all the office work nobody else wanted to do.
“Are your parents coming today?” he asked.
“Maybe,” Sadie said. “They hate driving into the city.”
Joan spatula-ed the November Rain off the flat-top. “They’re still not keen on supporting the woman who caused their daughter to quit her stable job and follow a wild whim.”
“They don’t know you well enough. Yet.” She smiled at Joan. “But they will.”
Because Joan wasn’t going anywhere.
“Let me meet them,” Mark said. “Parents love me.”
“Mark does way better with parents,” Joan said.
“Mark’s not the person I love.” Sadie blew him a kiss. “Though I do love you, Markie.”
“Back at ’cha, Sades,” he said with a wink.
She’d grown to love Joan’s twin like her own brother with his hilariously crude sense of humor. And grown used to his stopping by at all hours to hang out. It was clear Mark and Joan were so close because they were lonely. Their old friends—not that they’d really been friends—had disappeared. Greta had only recently started talking to Joan again.
“Nyah’s coming tomorrow,” Sadie said. “And a bunch of my friends are planning on it this weekend. So we’ll get some good customers to provide honest input.”
Joan passed the sandwich out the window, then did a double-take. Her hand flexed.
Sadie followed her line of sight. Zee stood beneath a nearby tree, hands in their wide-leg trouser pockets.
“Really?” Joan muttered. “Today?”
“What?” Mark left the prep counter to join them. He fisted both hands. “Our pal’s making sure we’re staying on the up-and-up.”
“We should go talk to them. They could be checking to make sure everything’s up to code or whatever.”
“Or that we’re not flash-frying difficult customers,” Mark said.
“Or maybe to congratulate you,” Sadie pointed out. Those two could be so dramatic.
“I’ll watch the window,” Perry said, even though he’d pinned himself against the sinks.
“Come on.” Sadie waved for him to join them. “I’m sure Zee wants to say hi.”
He stared at the nearby panini press.
Realization dawned across Joan’s face. “Perry! You still haven’t turned in all your shit to the Supers?”
“Per,” Mark said. “You promised.”
“I’m working on it,” Perry said.
Their deal with the Supers ended up being conditional upon the three of them turning in their Villain gear and computers and only using the warehouse to park the food truck. Mark and Joan had done their part months ago. It hadn’t been easy, but it was a necessary concession to wipe the slate clean.
“Damn it,” Mark said. “You could mess this whole agreement up.”
“ I’m working on it, ” Perry gritted between his teeth.
“Why don’t you work on profit and loss statements?” Joan said. She tossed a cleaning rag at him.
“I am.”
Mark and Joan shook their heads and hopped out the back. Sadie gave him a look that said Try harder and stepped onto the curb. She’d learned Perry did things when he was good and ready.
Every time she saw the exterior of the truck, happiness welled in her chest. The bold colors, the sharp magenta-and-azure logo she’d designed, the Progress Pride flags and rainbows painted here and there. She was so proud of their hard work, and glad to support the woman she loved.
Zee ambled away from the small crowd at the line of food trucks. They shared a hello with Sadie. “I like the new hair,” she said.
“Thanks.” Zee ran a hand over their shaggy raven-black ’do.
The two of them never acknowledged Sadie knew Zee was Race, and that was why they randomly showed up to have short, awkward conversations with the former Villains. She liked Zee, and got the sense the Super liked her.
“Checking on us again?” Mark said.
“Just here for lunch,” Zee said. “I heard your sandwiches aren’t half bad.”
“They’re great,” Sadie said. “Our hot sandwiches are toasted and topped with cold toppings to give them a little extra crunch. A local bakery supplies us with the sourdough bread. You can have the option of vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, too. We use a panini press for those so there’s no cross-contamination.”
“We’d be happy to sell you a sandwich,” Mark said. “At full price.”
Joan snorted, and even Zee looked slightly amused. “Of course,” they said. Their gaze settled on the sky-blue food truck. “Perry didn’t want to chat with me?”
“He’s watching the truck,” said Mark.
“Funny how he never seems to be available when I’m around.”
“So weird,” Joan said, making an exaggerated shrug.
Sadie gently pushed one of her arms down. “We have the necessary paperwork in order if you want to take a look.”
Zee’s smirk deepened. “Food truck permits are a bit low on my priority list.”
“We’ve done everything right thanks to Sadie,” Joan said, squeezing Sadie against her. “We really couldn’t have done this without her.”
They shared a smile that spoke of the gratitude and love and respect they had for each other. Because man oh man, her love for Joanie Maloney grew more every day.
“She knows all about branding and customer service,” Mark said. “And licenses and shit like that.”
Joan grinned at her. “It’s good practice. Sadie’s going to open a coffeehouse. She makes the best coffee drinks.”
“Once Hot and Cold is stable,” Sadie amended.
Leaning slightly toward Zee, Joan said, “She’s doing it with her own money.”
“That’s good,” Zee said.
“It’s important to me,” Sadie said. She understood how Hot and Cold had to be funded, but Sadie’s Café needed to be legit from the get-go.
“We’re finding lots of ways to save money,” Joan said. Her grin widened. “We moved in together last month. What would’ve been her rent money goes straight into savings.”
“And we’re growing vegetables on the balcony since this jerk pigeon didn’t follow me from my old place.”
“We’ll be using them in our recipes,” Joan added.
Sadie struggled mightily not to kiss her. “We’re figuring everything out.”
Joan’s way of helping with the start-up of Sadie’s Café was to keep paying all the utilities for the apartment that was formerly just hers but was now filled with Sadie’s patterned throw pillows and clothes. Their shared office (sans a keypad on the door) was cheerful and comfy thanks to Sadie’s furniture. Its closet now housed Joan’s impressive sneaker collection. And besides, it just made sense, with Sadie basically living there since Trick and his associates had been locked up. They hated spending a single night not tangled together.
It was also good to be there when Joan had bad dreams so she could hold her, reassure her everything was okay. Joan claimed the dreams were just weird visions of people she knew staring at her, but there had to be something deeper at play. Communication was still a work in progress.
“If you need assistance with getting a loan or insurance…” Zee’s smirk reappeared. “I have some friends who might be able to put in a good word for you.”
“That would be amazing,” Sadie said. A recommendation from a Super would definitely help.
Zee nodded at Joan and Mark. “You’ve managed to keep these two in line. It’s the least we could do.”
“Hey, we’re trying,” Mark said.
“We’re doing a damn good job,” said Joan. Sadie gave her a side hug in support.
“You’ve been behaving,” Zee said. “From what I can tell. But I’ll still be watching.”
“Creepy,” Mark mumbled.
“Give me a reason not to.”
He cocked an eyebrow at Zee. “You couldn’t look away if you tried.”
The Superhero took it in stride. “I would love to occupy my time in better ways.”
Sadie subtly tapped Joan’s hip. Joan did the same. What was going on with those two?
“I imagine you have oodles of free time now that the city’s been rid of Supervillains,” Mark said.
“That doesn’t mean there aren’t things that need to be addressed,” Zee said.
It seemed so quiet in Vector City these days. Almost too quiet. People were still wondering if and when Spark, Ice and Breeze were going to resurface.
Mark waved at the food truck. “Do you want a sandwich or not?”
“Excellent customer service,” Zee drawled.
The two of them started for Hot and Cold. Sadie gestured with her chin. “What do you think that’s about?”
Joan studied her brother making a pretend annoyed expression. “He does like to tease the Supers.”
“But he’s like, teasing . And look at Zee. I think they like it.”
Zee’s amusement was evident. They even tilted a little toward Mark as they verbally sparred.
“Huh.” Joan’s brows met in the middle. “They do flirt more than either of them will admit.” She laughed and added, “I don’t know if he could actually go for a Super, no matter how hot they are.”
“I went for a very hot Super,” Sadie said, patting Joan’s butt.
“Emphasis on hot .” A whisper of heat seeped off her into Sadie’s side.
“You are very good at using that talent to its full extent. Particularly with your mouth.”
Sparks flickered in Joan’s amazing amber eyes. She leaned in and gave Sadie a perfect kiss. “God, I love you,” she murmured.
“Love you, too.” Sadie rested a hand on Joan’s chest. “I’m so proud of you. And Mark.”
“’Cause you’re stuck with him.”
“You Malone twins are a package deal.”
Joan looped her arms around Sadie. “So are we.”
She looked into those eyes filled with love, and yes, a few horny sparks. But also truth and honesty. Pure Joan Malone.
Sadie nestled her arms around Joan and agreed, “So are we.”
* * *
That’s not the end of Joan and Sadie’s story.
Things are a little too quiet in Vector City. And do you really think a former Villain can just walk away? And what’s up with Perry and the Supers?