Epilogue
Bennett
It’s been years since I made dumplings, but Zoe thought it would be a fun thing to do before the small New Year’s gathering we’re having tonight. So here we are, making more memories at my kitchen table. She’s wearing the hoodie that she first borrowed from me back in October.
“Yours are so much neater than mine,” she says.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “They’ll all taste the same.” Then, because I know she’s looking, I use my right pinky finger to pull up my left sleeve.
“You’re trying to distract me.”
“I was doing no such thing.”
A total lie, of course.
After I finish the next dumpling, I plant a kiss on her lips.
We’ve spent every night together for the past two weeks.
Mostly at my house, though we’ve also spent a couple of nights at her apartment.
If all goes well, I hope she’ll move in with me permanently when her lease ends in eleven months, but I haven’t brought that up yet.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself…but I’m sure about her.
We spent Christmas Eve with my parents—and without Clifton. When we arrived at their house on the twenty-fourth, my mom didn’t try to show Zoe more pictures from my childhood, but I suspect those albums will make a reappearance at some point.
On Christmas Day, we took our time getting out of bed, then spent the rest of the morning by the Christmas tree.
She insisted I wear the Santa hat. In the afternoon, we went to her parents’ house.
Eddie had accidentally let it slip that Zoe was seeing someone, and when her mother badgered her for information, Zoe gave in and told her about me.
Since my parents got the whole story, I guess she decided that her parents would get the whole story, too.
I think she counted on her mother considering me good marriage material, and her mother does seem to like me, despite the drama of our story.
On Boxing Day, I suggested we take down the trees, but Zoe asked to leave them up until New Year’s.
She also asked if we could have a small New Year’s Eve party, since none of her friends had plans.
So tonight, I’ll meet her friends properly, i.e.
, not at 11 p.m. after flying in from Vancouver.
I’ve also invited Gil, who has nothing else to do tonight, much to my surprise.
Once we’ve finished making the dumplings and cleaning up the mess, we take a little kissing break by the fire. I sit on the couch, and Zoe sits on my lap and wraps her arms around me. It feels so natural to be with her like this, to enjoy life’s small pleasures together.
“I love you.” I kiss her cheek, then make my way to her mouth.
“I love you, too.”
Before Zoe, nobody had said those words to me in years. It’s not something we say in my family, though my parents do make me feel loved.
But now, to my amazement, I’m interested in romance again. I still have some work to do on myself—to ensure I can be the best partner possible for Zoe, as she deserves—but I know I can manage it.
Yes, I’m very glad I changed my mind.
Our friends begin arriving at eight o’clock. Gil is first.
“I can’t believe Bennett’s allowing me to meet you,” he says to Zoe.
I refrain from rolling my eyes and settle for a glare, which doesn’t bother him one bit. He just laughs.
Although Gil might have a reputation for sleeping around, the reason I didn’t let him meet Zoe earlier had nothing to do with that. I trust my friend—I knew he wouldn’t make a move on her, even before we were really together—but I didn’t want to deal with his incessant teasing.
I wouldn’t be shocked if he tries to charm one of her friends, though.
I’m about to start cooking the dumplings when the doorbell rings again. I follow Zoe to the door. She greets Karina, who’s wearing a long black jacket and carrying a bottle of wine. Zoe takes the wine and gives her friend a hug, but Karina doesn’t return it.
She takes a step toward Gil and jerks her chin up. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Thank you for reading Revenge of the Sunshine!