Epilogue
MATT
The delicious scent of fresh-brewed coffee drifts out of French Press and I inhale sharply, humming my approval.
“It smells delicious! Right?”
I glance behind me at the tall woman with the dark curly pixie cut and thousand-watt smile. “It does. Are you headed inside?”
She nods, so I grab the handle and pull the door open, waving her in first. Her grin is wide and genuine as she floats past me. “Why thank you.” Her voice is sultry and smooth as silk, like a radio announcer or an audiobook narrator.
“You’re welcome.” It’s what I would have done for anyone, but it’s nice to get a genuine thank you, anyway.
We both step up to the counter, and I realize that not only is she tall, she’s significantly taller than I am, and that’s saying a lot.
Yes, she’s wearing four-inch ice-blue heels—which are fabulous with her coordinating ice-blue pencil skirt and flowy cream and blue patterned blouse—but even out of the shoes, she’d still be slightly taller than my five feet eleven.
I scan the café for Jake and Lee. For a Sunday, it’s not as crowded as I expected it to be, so I find them easily, tucked into Jake’s favorite love seat.
I wave at them, and Jake waves back, but Lee is fixated on the woman in line, barely containing her intense interest.
Xan is working, and I give them a wave, too. They nod and then smile at the woman in front of me. “Welcome to French Press. What can I get for you?”
She considers the menu. “Would it be possible to get a latte with coconut milk, a shot of vanilla, a squeeze of honey, and topped with toasted coconut?”
I somehow manage to contain the snort that desperately wants to escape my body. Jesus, that drink gives Lee’s favorite a run for its money.
“Absolutely. What name should I put on the cup?”
“Oh, you’re a doll. Thanks. And it’s Marti with an i.” She pays for her drink and steps to the side, glancing around the café.
I step up to the counter as her gaze connects with Lee’s, and even out of direct line of sight, I feel the impact.
Jake is glancing between the two women like he’s at a tennis match.
Then he looks at me, eyes as big as his grin.
Xan clears their throat, and I force myself to stop gawking. “Hi, Xan.”
They grin and glance at Marti and Lee but turn their attention to me. “What can I get you?”
“It may be hot outside, but I’m gonna go with my usual anyway.”
Xan rings it into the computer. “One sixteen-ounce dark roast drip coffee with two added shots of espresso.”
“Thanks.” I tap to pay and walk over to Jake and Lee. “Hey, guys.”
Jake takes my free hand, pulling me onto the cushion next to him, even though there isn’t enough room. I end up sitting half in his lap, but he doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, he wraps his arms around me and gives me a very loud, very forceful kiss on my cheek. “Hello, love.”
“Hey yourself.”
He leans in as he pulls me sideways so his lips are next to my ear. “That woman broke Lee. Look at her.”
There’s amusement in his voice and he’s teasing, but he’s not wrong. Lee keeps stealing glances over the rim of her mug. Marti, for her part, appears to be enjoying the attention—and returning it. “Hey, Lee. You can go over and say hello.”
Lee snorts. “Yeah. I know that.” But she doesn’t move, and I’ve never seen her quite so off her game.
Xan calls Marti’s name and hands her the latte she ordered. Marti says something to him, gives him some money, turns to Lee and winks, then sashays out of the café. Jake groans. “Lee, you should have gone over and said something!”
She elbows him in the ribs, and he oofs from the impact. Xan walks toward us with a plate and sets it down in front of Lee. “From Marti. She says she hopes she sees you here again sometime.”
We all stare at the slice of chocolate cake with pink strawberry frosting, and a huge chocolate-covered strawberry on top. Lee lifts her eyes from the cake to stare at Xan. “Did you pick this, or did she?”
Grinning, they hold up their hands as if they’re warding off any blame. “She did. I just delivered it.”
Lee breaks into a huge grin as she snatches up the dessert plate and fork and tucks herself into the corner of the love seat, all but inhaling the cake. Laughing, Xan returns to work, and I glance at Jake. “I think we’ve lost her.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t think we ever had her.” He nudges my side. “What’s in the bag?”
“Oh! Here!” I’d almost forgotten I’d made something for him.
Jake eyes me warily. “Did I forget an important date? It’s not my birthday. And it’s not yours. You said it’s in August.”
“Right. The fourteenth.”
He relaxes, obviously relieved he hadn’t missed it.
“And we’re still two months out from our six-month anniversary.
” He makes eye contact with me, trying to imbue his gaze with intent.
Either that or he’s constipated. For my part, I try not to laugh, and somehow succeed.
His gaze gets even more intense. “We will be celebrating that at Nonno’s. ”
I give him a salute. “Yes, sir.”
He snuggles into my side and opens the bag, pulling out a fairly decently wrapped box, if I do say so myself. “No bow, and I didn’t use a ton of tape, so you should open it easily.” I didn’t want him fighting to get it open.
He shakes it next to his ear, but it doesn’t make any noise. Then he carefully hefts it. “It’s kind of heavy. Dense?”
“Why don’t you open it and find out what it is?” I nudge his shoulder with mine.
He scoffs. “Where’s the fun in that?” He turns to me and glares. “Are you one of those not-fun people who opens gifts without trying to guess what they are?”
It’s said so accusatorily that shame sweeps through me, and I haven't even done anything to deserve it. “No?” He glares at me some more. “Okay, maybe. But I get too excited to guess.”
That makes him go all gooey-eyed and he makes duck lips at me. “Awww. Matty, that’s so cute!” He leans in and kisses me, and I relax into him. Sometimes I still can’t believe this is my life now.
Next to us, Lee chokes on cake or coffee, and we both glance at her.
She’s coughing and grinning, so it can’t be anything bad.
She gestures to the counter, and we both look.
There’s a tallish man in a short-sleeved, cream-colored button-down shirt with what appears to be embroidered dicks on both front panels.
I think they’re supposed to be mushrooms. The shirt is unbuttoned and left untucked over a white T-shirt.
The pants are olive-colored chinos that are rolled up above his ankles, and he’s wearing white socks and black low-top hiking shoes.
The whole ensemble is interesting and very much something you might see on the streets in Europe where everyone isn’t obsessed with sweatpants and athletic shoes.
Jake leans into Lee. “What has you grinning?”
“I was thinking about how you two met the first time.”
I laugh and nudge Jake. “You mean how the now love of my life came at me in this very café, finger wagging, attitude pointy as hell, telling me he knew all about what I’d done, even though I had no clue what that was?”
Jake makes that sappy face again and shoves off Lee to lean into me. “Aww, babe. You remember!”
I laugh and throw my arm around him, pulling him into me. “Of course I do. Everything about you is unforgettable.”
“Lee, do you hear how wonderful my boyfriend is?” Then his expression changes to confusion. “Wait, we skipped the part about why you’re grinning. Seriously, is it the embroidered dicks?”
She shakes her head but gestures at the guy in line. “That’s other Matt.”
Now I’m confused. “Other Matt?”
Jake slaps a hand to his chest. “Shut up!” He immediately turns to stare at the guy in line, so I do too. After Jake’s not-so-quiet outburst, he’s now staring at us. Actually, everyone is now staring at us. Other Matt waves at Lee, who barely gives him an up-nod in acknowledgement.
“Can someone please explain?”
Jake points at the guy in line. “That’s Asshat Matt!” It’s only when he struggles to unwedge himself from between me and Lee that I realize he’s trying to get to Other Matt. Asshat Matt? The guy in line. I look past him to Lee. “That’s the guy who keeps stealing the credit for your ideas?”
She snorts. “Only the ones I accidentally mention in front of him, yeah.”
Like a cork from a champagne bottle, Jake pops out from between us and tries to get past our legs in what I can only imagine will be a repeat of storming across the café to berate the guy. I grab his hand and yank him down onto my lap. “Oh, no you don’t.”
Jake gestures at him, and now Asshat Matt is frowning at us in confusion. “Babe, he’s right there!” He glares at the other Matt. “The idea stealer.” He gives me a very serious look, and I desperately want to laugh, but I don’t. “He needs to know he’s not going to get away with it.”
“Why?”
That stops him mid-tirade. “Excuse me?”
“Why? Why does he need to know? Or more specifically, why does he need to know that from you? Isn’t it up to Lee when and where to make him aware of that?”
He pauses, thinking about it, then deflates. “Yes.”
I turn to Lee. “We could also include you in the conversation like you’re here and a grown-assed adult with the ability to think, feel, and express yourself.”
I grin, and she pats my hand. “All true. Though watching Jake freak out like this is very entertaining. Almost as entertaining as how uncomfortable it’s making other Matt, now that it’s clear he knows we’re talking about him.
” She glances his way and grins. “I’m kind of enjoying that, if I’m honest.”
“Ha!” Jake leans into me, and I relax my grip on him, now that I’m mostly sure he’s not going to fly off across the café to shout at the guy. “Fine. Sorry, Lee. Not my place to defend you.”
She leans in and kisses his cheek. “It’s okay, babe. You only do things like this out of love.” She gestures to the box sitting on the coffee table. “Why don’t you open that instead?”
Jake turns to where she’s pointing, and his entire face lights up like a kid getting a present. Okay, he is a kid getting a present. “Oh! I forgot about that!” He kisses my cheek. “Sorry, love.”
“It’s alright. I figured you’d get to it sooner or later.” Jake leans over and grabs the box. This time, he skips the guessing part and carefully opens the tape on one end. “Oh my god, do you save the paper or something?”
Jake’s mouth falls open and his eyes widen, like this is an amazing idea he’s never had before. “I am now!”
“No. No you’re not. Just open the damned box.”
“But the anticipation! I don’t want to rush through that excited feeling!”
Something inside me melts at that point. Jake’s enthusiasm and genuine pleasure at the little things are part of what I love about him. I don’t want that to ever change. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
He kisses me on the nose and continues to very gingerly open the gift. When he finally unwraps the box and lifts the lid, his eyes get all misty. He presses his hand to his chest. “Oh my god! Matty!”
He turns and kisses me so hard, my lips might be bruised. But I'm not complaining. “Do you get it?”
“Yes!” It’s said in the tone typically reserved for the word duh. “Our apology date night. Right? When I made that kisses mug.”
Lee clears her throat. “Care to elaborate for the rest of the group?”
Jake turns and puts on his I’m going to give you every detail face.
“So, I told you all about our apology date. And how Matty took me to his studio and showed me how to make a mug. And I had to explain that no that wasn’t a euphemism for anything.
I really made a mug.” I snort, and he grins at me, but continues.
“Anyway, I put all the words and symbols for kisses all over the one I made, and when I went to paint it, I chose red, white, and pink because those are the colors of love, and Valentine’s Day, and I wanted to think about those every time I drink from it.
” This is news to me, but I don’t want to derail him at this point to ask about that.
“Look what Matty made me!” He pulls the gift out of the box.
“A red, white, and pink mug that says Mugs! And look at all these little mugs all over it!”
Lee’s brows shoot up, and it makes me laugh, but Jake doesn’t see the humor. “Lee, c’mon! Mugs!” She shakes her head. “Mugs. And kisses? Mugs and kisses? Instead of hugs and kisses?”
“I get it. I was just wondering which of you has been learning lame puns from Uncle Tink.”
Jake sticks out his tongue at her, then turns to me. “Thank you. I love it so much. And thanks for keeping me from repeating my mistake with Asshat Matt.”
I cup his cheek with my hand and pull him in for a soft kiss. “That first time wasn’t a mistake, because it meant I met you.”
His eyes get all misty again. “Well, I’d have preferred to make a better first impression.”
I shake my head. “Nah. It was perfect. You looked hot all fired up like that. But also, when we finally did meet for real, I already knew you were loyal, passionate about your friends, and willing to go to war for them. And if I could get you to feel that way about me, there wouldn’t be much more I could want.
” I kiss his soft, sweet lips. “I love you.”
“Baaaabe. That is soooo sweet!” He flings his arms around my neck and practically strangles me. “I love you too.” I hold on tight, and I never plan to let him go.