Epilogue
Epilogue
“Where should we set up, Sophie?” a guy with curly brown hair and an open face asks me.
I point to the other side of the room. “Over there, please.”
“You got it.” He throws me a smile before he carries his large case to where I pointed.
I let out a contented sigh as I hold my warming Earl Grey tea in my hands. It’s winter time, and I need what I can get to keep myself warm. I glance at the fireplace and write a mental note to get one of the guys to collect some more firewood. We need to keep everyone nice and toasty. This place is famous for its warm welcome, after all.
I feel a couple of hands snake around my middle and a head come to rest on my shoulder. “This place is better than ever.”
His breath tickles my neck, and I spin around in his arms to face him. “Hello, there, Doctor Christie.”
“Oh, say that again. I like the sound of that on your lips. And speaking of which…” he leans down and kisses me, right on my aforementioned lips.
“You know I’m holding hot tea here.”
Jason beams back at me. “So, you’re saying if I kiss you again, you’ll be worried about spilling your tea?”
I laugh, and the happiness I have felt every day since Jason and I declared our mutual love bubbles to the surface. “Well, that and the fact we’re at my workplace.”
“All the more reason to kiss you, as far as I can tell.”
“All right, you two. Break it up.”
I drag my eyes from Jason and shoot Alex a contented smile. “Hey, Alex. You’re back!”
Jason releases me from his grasp and we both greet him, me with a hug, and Jason with a handshake. I smile to myself as I think about how Jason had once been jealous of Alex, before he found out he was my sort-of cousin. If only I’d known how he felt about me then, I wouldn’t have had to keep my love for him under wraps. My life would have been much more straightforward.
“How was your trip? You’ve got a great tan,” I say.
“It was amazing,” Alex replies. “I’ll show you some photos tonight at the M.M.M.”
“You’ve been roped into the Mandatory McCarthy Meal, have you?” I ask.
“Oh, yes,” Alex replies. “Your mum made it pretty darn clear if I was in Auckland, I was coming to dinner.”
“It’ll be good to have you there, man,” Jason says.
I hear the front door open and turn to see my two best friends stream in.
“OMG, Soph! I can’t believe we’re here.” Erin collects me in a hug, and I breathe in her floral perfume.
“You belong here, girl,” Darcy says. She greets Jason with a quick hug and then eyes Alex and says, “Alex.”
“Darcy,” he replies in an equally cold tone, although I think I detect a hint of humor in his voice.
Erin and I share a look. Really, whatever it was that happened between them, it was freaking years ago. #MoveOn
“Babe, we are so proud of you,” Erin says.
“Full-time Manager of Cozy Cottage High Tea,” Jason says. “Atta girl.”
“Thanks.” I glow at all my friends. Darcy, Erin, Alex, and of course, my love, Jason. They’re all here for the grand re-opening, and I could not be more excited.
It’s been almost five months since we closed, the day I thought my life would never be the same again. And it hasn’t been, but in the very best way. Not only do I now have Jason, but thanks to an extremely well-timed and high-profile piece published in the city’s largest paper the weekend High Tea closed, Bailey and Paige gave in to pressure to reopen. Apparently, High Tea’s customers kicked up such a fuss, Bailey joked they needed to reopen just to shut them all up.
They invited yours truly to be at the helm, full time. No barista duties at the café next door. No working for nothing at Baby-ness, which is what I’d been doing for the last few months.
Sure, Caitlin had taught me a lot, and I actually ended up enjoying my time at Baby-ness, even growing to appreciate the importance of the breast pump market. But now, at High Tea, I get to live my dream. And I’m going to work my butt off to make this the best darn high tea experience in the city.
“There you are, mo stoirín ,” Mum says as she, Dad, and all my siblings and their families come streaming through the door.
“Hey, everyone,” I say as I greet them all. “Thanks for coming.”
“We’ve told everyone we know about the re-opening. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ll be booked up to the end of time, dote ,” Mum says.
I laugh. “I hope you’re right, Mum.”
As my friends and family mingle, Sean puts his hand on my arm. “I’m really happy for you, Sophie.”
My eyebrows ping up in surprise. Sean had been less than thrilled that I took the job at Caitlin’s business. “Thank you, Sean. That means a lot.”
“As the bard himself oft said, ‘to thine own self be true,’ and you are doing just that.”
I grin at him. “Methink’st that bard of yours knows a thing or two.”
He returns my smile. “That he does, Sophie. That he does.”
With everyone happily mingling and the musicians setting themselves up, I walk out into the kitchen to do one final check before we open. Paige and her husband, Josh, are chatting with Bailey and Ryan, each of whom are holding a newborn baby in their arms.
“Oh, you two! They’re beautiful.” I peer at one baby’s wrinkled little face and tickle her tummy. “Which one is this?”
“That’s Tabitha, and Ryan’s got Tilly,” Paige says with a grin.
I smile at Ryan and stroke Tilly’s head. “Well done, they’re so gorgeous.”
“Thanks,” Josh replies with a beaming “new daddy” smile.
“Are you ready, Sophie?” Bailey asks.
I think of my friends and family, all here to support me. I think of Jason, whose faith in me has been unstinted, much like his love. “This is what I’m meant to do.”
“I think you’re right,” Bailey replies.
“Before we open,” I continue, “I want to say thank you so much for the opportunity. I cannot tell you how good it is to be back.” I beam at Bailey and Paige, and they both smile back.
“That article caused such a furor! I can’t tell you how many people complained that we’d closed,” Paige says. “It turns out your ideas were just what the place needed. We’re the ones who should be thanking you, Sophie.”
“I told her that,” Jason says, standing in the kitchen entranceway, and as our eyes meet, warmth spreads through me, filling my heart to the brim.
He walks over and puts his arm around my shoulder.
“Oh, you two look so good together,” Paige says. “See? Another couple for whom a dating pact worked.”
I shake my head. “Jason and I aren’t a product of the No More Bad Dates Pact.”
Paige shrugs. “Sure. But would you be together if you hadn’t gone in on it?”
I look up at Jason and smile. In a weird kind of way, I guess the No More Bad Dates Pact worked out pretty darn well for me. Sure, no one ever officially vetted Jason, although Darcy certainly tried her best once we announced we were together. I told her it was a little too late for that, considering we’d fallen head over heels in love, and anyway, we all know Jason is one hundred percent my perfect match.
I’d wanted a Happy For Now, but I ended up finding my Happily Ever After.
THE END