Epilogue
Epilogue
“NOW THAT’S WHAT I call a public display of affection.” Paige giggled as she held her phone aloft for us all to see.
“Are we still talking about this?” Marissa folded her arms across her chest. “Who knew an architect getting the girl would be newsworthy?”
“It is because it’s so romantic,” Paige protested, her hand on her heart. “Bailey turning up to tell Ryan she loves him, and Ryan dropping everything to go to her? I could swoon. Seriously.”
“And you’re just being weird because he’s your brother,” Cassie added.
Marissa harrumphed. “I guess. But I am happy for you two. I just don’t need it thrown in my face again and again. Know what I mean?”
I squeezed Ryan’s hand, and we shared a secret look between ourselves. It had been two wonderful weeks and three incredible days since that day at the ground breaking, and I still had to pinch myself whenever I looked at him.
Ryan Jones was mine, all mine.
The story of how he had left the “ground breaking” for the new art museum to walk off with me—into a purely imaginary sunset, since it was only about one-thirty in the afternoon—had hit the local news two weeks ago. Although it was hardly headline stuff, I guess the local rag ran it because it was nice to have a feel-good story for once. A ray of light in a quagmire of terribleness.
All of us—me, Marissa, Cassie, Paige, and our respective Last First Dates—were at the Cozy Cottage Café. Well, the new part of the Cozy Cottage Café. You see, back when I had stood in the courtyard after Cassie and Will’s wedding, I’d had an idea. An idea that had me so excited, I thought I would pop. The perfect solution for the café.
Paige had squealed with delight when I’d shared it with her, even after I suggested we back away permanently from the catering business, leaving it up to the likes of Fake Jamie and his vengeful bent to dominate all he liked.
My idea? Well, what was the thing most people thought of when they thought of the Cozy Cottage Café? That’s right; cake. From Cassie’s flourless raspberry chocolate cake to Paige’s carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, from Marissa’s orange and almond syrup cake to my Cassata alla Siciliana . Really, we’re all about cake, people.
To distract myself from the emotional rollercoaster of my love life in the week following Cassie and Will’s wedding, I’d called Addison over in Orlando to discuss my idea. She’d leaped at it, telling me the place needed to be loved and to have life breathed back into it. When I told her my plans for the courtyard, I swear I could detect an emotional quaver in her voice.
And so, Cozy Cottage High Tea was born. We specialize in cakes, with an assortment of sandwiches and pastries on the side, served with a choice of tea, coffee, or even a glass of sparkling wine.
And who better to celebrate the opening of the new branch to the café than my best friends, the women who had supported me and one another through the pact to find our Last First Dates?
And, even though we had all questioned it at some time or another, the pact had worked, for each and every one of us. Cassie had Will, recently returned from their honeymoon in Fiji, Paige had Josh, Marissa had Nash.
And me? I may be biased, but I had the best one of them all.
Ryan wrapped his strong arm around my shoulders and kissed the side of my head. “This is perfect.”
I smiled up at him. “No, you’re perfect.”
His low laugh reverberated through me. “Maybe you’re right, but it’s only because I’m with you.” His eyes teased, and my heart contracted.
I let out a contented sigh as I looked around the courtyard with its glass roof, allowing the sun to stream in. We had large plants in the corners, a hedge running around the edges. Paige and I had bought some comfortable wicker tables and chairs, we’d had cushions made of the same material as our Cozy Cottage aprons; pink with white polka dots. So girly. We wanted our customers to feel comfortable as they indulged in their high teas with our wide selection of delicious cakes, courtesy of Nona’s recipes. Naturally.
“Bailey, this looks so wonderful.” I turned to see Meredith standing in the archway, her face lit up as she smiled.
Josh bounded across the floor to greet her with a kiss. “Hey, . Glad you could make it.”
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” She patted his arm. “Now, Bailey, I’ve brought some friends with me. Do you have a table for six?”
I let out a light laugh. “Of course, we do.”
“Although you’ll need to book next time, . Paige tells me this place is going to take off,” Josh added.
“I’ll be back in just a moment,” Meredith said.
I glanced up at Ryan, who smiled at me, his arm dropping to his side.
“I’ll come with you, Meredith. I need to go to the kitchen, anyway.”
We walked through the old florist shop, which we’d furnished with more tables and comfortable seating for our high tea customers, and out into the café.
“Thank you so much for coming. And for . . . you know.”
“You and that nice man, you mean? The one who looks like someone from the movies?”
I nodded. “Thor,” I said with a smile.
“That’s the one.” She returned my smile. “Bailey, I said it before. You deserve to be happy. He seems like a good person.”
My smile spread across my face as warmth spread through me, the way it always did when I thought of Ryan. “He is. He’s the best.”
“I’m glad. And I think Daniel would have loved what you’ve done with this place.”
I nodded. “I think he would have, too.”
Meredith gave my arm a pat before she slipped through the door to fetch her friends. I traipsed across the busy café and out into the kitchen, where Sophie was putting the final touches to three cake stands, filled with all our favorite flavors in cupcake proportions.
“They look amazing, Sophie. Thank you.”
“No problem,” she replied with what looked like a forced smile.
“You okay?”
“Sure.”
Unconvincing.
“What’s up?”
She let out a puff of air. “Don’t worry about it. I’m being selfish, that’s all.”
My brows pinged up. “You? Sophie, you are one of the least selfish people I know. Look at how much you’ve done for the Cozy Cottage.”
She shrugged. “I guess. It’s just, well, you’ve all found your perfect matches. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super happy for you, but I’m still languishing in terrible first date territory. I mean, I went out with a guy last week who rated me out of ten before I’d even had the first sip of my drink.”
“Ouch. Can I ask what number he gave you?”
“Seven point two. Who knows how what the point two was for.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think you ever need to know that, honey. What you do need to know is that you’ll find him, one day.” My mind instantly flashed to Ryan—not only because he’s my perfect match, but also because Sophie had had a crush on him. I’m sure she’d like to be in my place right about now.
“Well, if this mystical ‘one day’ could hurry up, that’d be nice,” she said with a laugh. “I guess I’ve got a date on Friday with a guy I’ve been flirting with a little. Andrew’s his name. Maybe he’ll prove to be the one for me?” She nodded her head at the cakes. “Are you ready for me to take them out?”
I laughed. “I think they’ll riot if you don’t.”
She scoops up one of the cake stands. “I’m on it. Kayla’s just out back. She’ll bring the pots of tea.”
Kayla had worked at the café a long time ago and had recently come back, seeking forgiveness. I remembered chatting with Paige one day when Kayla had had a fit over the gluten in our food. She’d got it into her head that the gluten could seep through her skin and give her celiac disease. I know, right?
Anyway, it turned out she’d been under a lot of stress at the time with her getting cancer treatment and her flunking out of college. Lately, I’d become all about second chances, and Kayla re-joined our little Cozy Cottage Café family last week. Despite my nervousness, she had been amazing ever since, and we’re glad to have her back.
Although, I’ve got to admit, I got her to help with the gluten-free options on our menu a lot more than the other staff. Just in case.
“What can I bring out?” Paige asked from the doorway.
“Here.” Sophie handed her one of the cake stands.
“Hey, Bailey. Hey, Paige,” Kayla chirped, her warm grin in place.
“Great to see you, Kayla. I’ll help you with the tea,” I said.
Sophie and Paige led the way with two of the cake stands as Kayla and I followed, balancing large pots of tea and elegant bone china cups and saucers on our trays.
As Sophie placed the tiered cake stands on the tables, all my friends exclaimed how gorgeous they looked. Marissa said she felt like the Queen of England, and Cassie grinned, going straight for her perennial favorite, the flourless raspberry chocolate cake.
Meredith and her friends arrived, and I seated them, handing them their high tea menus.
On my way to the kitchen to fill their orders, Paige followed.
“I bet Fake Jamie will be spitting tacks when he finds out what we’re doing. Though I doubt high tea is his thing. Not rock and roll enough for him, I bet.”
“You know what? He can try to beat us all he likes. But you and me? We’re all about cake. Do you know what I say?” She shook her head. “Bring. It. On.” I grinned at Paige, and she returned it tenfold.
Fake Jamie could do what he liked. I couldn’t have cared any less.
Once back in the courtyard, I stood with Paige in the archway and looked around the room at the gorgeous décor, the room filled with people I knew and loved. Everyone was eating the cakes we’d made from my darling Nona’s recipes. All happy and chatting with one another, the atmosphere filled with talk and laughter.
Ryan got up from one of the tables and walked over to me. He slipped his arm around my waist, and I smiled up at him.
“You’ve done an amazing job. You should be so proud.”
“I am.” I pushed myself up onto my tippy-toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
“What’s that for?”
“For being my Last First Date.”
He raised his eyebrows, his lips curving into a smile. “Is that so?”
I nodded, never surer of anything in my life.
“Well in that case, I guess you’re my Last First Date, too.”
“You know you have great taste, right?”
As he smiled back at me, our eyes locked. I knew I was home—with the man I loved, in the place I loved. I may still think of Dan, and I still remember him with love. But he was now in my past where he belonged.
This. This was my present and my future.
The Last First Date pact had worked for its final member, and I was the happiest café owner in the world.
THE END
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