Chapter 12
Chapter 12
“What’s with Antoinette’s new look?” Cassie asked as she tucked into her flourless raspberry and chocolate cake at the Cozy Cottage Café a few days later. It was a stormy day, and it was nice to be safely tucked inside the welcoming café as the wind whipped the rain up outside.
“I know, right?” I replied, my own mouth full of my favorite orange and almond syrup cake.
“Who’s Antoinette?” Paige asked, appearing by our table, dressed in her Cozy Cottage red apron with white polka dots, her dark hair swept up into high ponytail.
“She’s a new member of the sales team. She’s taken to wearing, ah, rather conservative clothes to work, lately,” Cassie explained tactfully.
“Yeah, like she ran away and joined a nunnery or something,” I added, discarding Cassie’s tact and saying it like it was.
Ever since Antoinette had first turned up in the office with her new look, she had been sporting a new and wonderful version of the same outfit each day: a baggy, full-length dress in a muted tone, flat nondescript shoes, and her hair pulled back in a severe bun. I had to hand it to the woman, she’d got an idea in her head and had run with it. The woman had commitment.
She had been just as attentive as she’d been at our meetings before this odd transformation, taking copious notes, asking questions, and complimenting me on everything from my presentations to my administration skills.
She was still a one-woman cheer team.
“Huh. I wonder why? Anyway, you haven’t told us about your date with Nash, Marissa. That’s what I want to hear about,” Paige said with her eyebrows raised in expectation. “We need all the details, and fast; Bailey and I are swamped today. Sophie called in sick.”
“Pull up a chair, then.”
“I can give you precisely two minutes.” Paige plunked herself down, and I launched straight into it, telling my friends about the picnic and the concert, about how Nash liked my “rain hair,” and all the amazing kissing we had done on his sofa, surrounded by the dogs.
Once I had finished, I let out a contented sigh. It really had been an epic date.
“So, you’re totally over the dog-slobber thing?” Cassie asked.
Dog Slobbergate felt a million years ago. “Absolutely.”
“You really like this guy, don’t you?” Paige asked, trying—and failing—to suppress an eager grin.
I shrugged, wanting to appear relaxed, while inside my heart rate kicked up a notch. “Yeah, he’s pretty cool.”
“‘Pretty cool’? Just look at you, you’re in love.”
I scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve only been out with him four times.”
“That’s enough,” Cassie said. “When you know, you know. At least, that’s how it was with me and Will. Am I right, Paige?”
Paige nodded, a goofy grin on her face. “Yeah, it’s true. I always thought it was just something people said, but then, with Josh, I knew they were right. It felt . . . different.”
“So?” Cassie led.
Was Cassie right? Was I in love with Nash? If I wasn’t, I was well on my way to being so. I looked up at my friends’ expectant faces. “I don’t know. Maybe soon?”
Paige clapped her hands together. “Oh, the Last First Date Pact is weaving its magic once more. This is meant to be.”
I shook my head. “Don’t you have a café to run?”
Paige rolled her eyes. “Okay, we get the hint. We won’t push you any further.” She stood up and tucked her chair under the table. “Just, I want you to know I’m incredibly happy for you.”
I grinned at her. They were right, it did feel different with Nash. It was calm, easy, as though we’d known each other our whole lives, when in reality it had only been a few weeks.
I knew I was all in, boots and all.
And I was pretty darn happy for myself, too.
Two coffees, one slice of flourless raspberry and chocolate cake, and one slice of orange and almond syrup cake later, Cassie and I stood up to leave. As we headed to the door, we waved at Bailey and Paige, both working behind the counter, looking like a couple of glamorous TV chefs in their matching aprons.
“Actually, Cassie? Do you mind if you go back without me? I need to talk to Paige and Bailey about something.”
With Nash’s unstinting encouragement, I had decided today was the day: I was going to ask if I could sing at the café.
“That’s very mysterious of you. Okay, see you back in the office. Remember, we’ve got that team catch-up at eleven.”
With Cassie gone, I waited behind an older man who was taking his time deciding whether to have a slice of the rhubarb and strawberry pie or a slice of the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Eventually, his decision made—a slice of each—I had Bailey and Paige to myself for a moment.
“How are the Cozy Cottage Jams going?” I asked as my heart hammered in my chest.
“Oh, so great! We’re selling out most sessions. Want to come this Friday? Hey, bring Nash! We’d love to meet him, right, Paige?” Bailey asked as she rearranged some sugar cookies on a plate by the cash register.
“Oh, yes! Great idea. The famous Nash, who Marissa may or may not be falling for,” Paige teased, waggling her eyebrows at me.
I shook my head good-naturedly. “Sure, although that’s not why I wanted to talk about it.”
“Oh?” Bailey raised her eyebrows.
“I . . . ah, I wanted to ask you a favor.” My hands began to sweat. Wow, I was nervous!
“Anything,” Bailey replied.
I bit my lip. Okay, here goes nothing. “Can I perform one night? You know, just a song, maybe when you have someone else, too?”
“Really?” Paige asked with a surprised smile. “You have a beautiful voice, but I had no idea you wanted to perform.” Paige had heard me sing at karaoke a few times, usually when we were a little trashed, which everyone knows is a prerequisite for karaoke singing.
“Really.” I held my breath, awaiting their response.
I watched as Bailey and Paige shared a look. What did that mean? Was it a good look? Were they wondering how to let me down gently? I noticed Paige gave her a small nod.
Bailey turned to me. Her expression went from confused to happy. “Of course, you can! We could make it an open mic night. It’ll be fun.”
Paige put her hands to her mouth. “Oh, my gosh! This is going to be so amazing!”
My grin was as wide as my teenage jeans used to be. I leaned across the counter and gave them both an awkward hug. “Thanks, guys. I promise I won’t let you down.”
After bidding them farewell, I walked out of the café, a mixed bag of heightened emotions: excitement, trepidation, mind-crippling fear. But above all, proud of myself. I had taken the first step to overcoming my fears and doing something I’d always wanted to do.
And it was all because of Nash.
On my way to work the following morning, I decided to share my exciting news with Nash in person. Knowing he started work early, I arrived at the building site with two take-out coffees at just before seven thirty. Putting the cups on the ground by my feet, I sent off a quick text, asking him what he was up to. I got one back almost immediately.
Working. Rather be with you. xx
After I’d stopped grinning for a full two minutes, I replied.
Come out to the sidewalk then. xx
Almost as soon as I’d slipped my phone back into my purse, Nash appeared from the side of the plastic-wrapped building. Wearing his hard hat, shorts, and work boots, he looked good enough to eat. He collected me up in a hug, and I breathed in his wonderful Nash scent.
“Hey, you,” he said, still holding me close and giving me a kiss. I kissed him back, thankful the building was now enclosed so we didn’t have an audience of gawping workmen.
“I wanted to give you this,” I said, leaning down to pick up the coffee and handing it to him.
“Thank you.”
“And, I have some news.”
He took a sip of his coffee and waited.
“Bailey and Paige said I could perform at the café. They’re having an open mic night soon.”
“That’s awesome!” He collected me up in another hug, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around.
“Your coffee!” I squealed, but loving his reaction nonetheless.
He placed me back on the sidewalk. “It’s fine.” He showed me his coffee cup, lid still on, with miraculously no spillage.
“You’re a magician.”
“I can handle my woman and my coffee,” he said with a glint in his eye.
I chuckled. “That you can.”
“So, when’s the big performance?”
I pressed my lips together as the nerves jangled inside. “Not for a few weeks, so I have plenty of time to choose my song. I’m going to need to practice. Like, really practice.”
“You’re going to be great. Hey, let’s go to a gig on Friday night to check it out.”
“My friends will all be there,” I replied uncertainly. Things seemed more serious when you met one another’s friends.
“I’d like to meet them.” Nash smiled at me.
There was a loud clanging sound emanating from the site, making me jump.
“I’d better go and check on that,” Nash said, pulling me in for another kiss. “Thanks for the coffee and your news.”
“You’re welcome. On both counts.”
He took a step away from me, turned, and said, “It’s pretty cool to have a girlfriend who sings.”
“A . . . a . . . girlfriend?” I stuttered as the air was sucked out of me. I blinked at him, my mind racing.
“Yeah. A girlfriend,” Nash confirmed with a smile. His face changed when he took in my expression. He took a step closer to me. “Or not? Whatever. We don’t have to label this.” He put his hands on my arms. “Breathe, breathe.”
I took a series of deep breaths, calming my nerves. It was one thing for me to begin to feel like Nash was the guy for me, it was quite another for him to say it out loud.
“Another freak-out?” Nash asked gently.
I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak, willing my heart rate to return to normal.
“You okay now?”
“I’m your girlfriend,” I said with a small smile.
“If that’s okay with you?” he asked uncertainly. “Just, I can’t imagine wanting to date anyone else.”
“Me neither,” I almost whispered.
He nodded as a small smile crept across his face, our eyes locked. “Good.”
“Good,” I confirmed. “I would like that.”
“To be my girlfriend?”
“Yes, to be your girlfriend.”
We stood on the street, grinning at one another for a long moment until another loud crashing sound broke the spell. “I’ll call you.”
I watched him walk back into the plastic-wrapped building and took a moment to collect my thoughts. We were “official” boyfriend and girlfriend.
And it felt darn good.