Epilogue
Avril
I’m wearing Ben’s shirt and nothing else when I wander into the kitchen.
He glances at me, then does a double take as he sees what I’m wearing. “What are you doing? People are going to be here any minute.”
I check the clock above the door. “It’s going to be thirty minutes at least,” I say. “A lot can happen in thirty minutes.” I start to unbutton his shirt.
“Avril!” His voice has a high-pitched edge I haven’t heard before, and I stifle a laugh. A buzzer goes off and Ben races to the ovens and pulls out a tray of god knows what.
I lean over the kitchen counter and pull up his shirt, exposing my bare ass. “We haven’t even been dating two minutes and already you don’t want me.” Obviously I’m teasing him. He wants me pretty much constantly and the feeling is entirely mutual.
“Bloody hell, Avril. Now I’m hard with the rest of this lunch to prepare. Please take your pretty arse out of here and get it dressed.”
I stand and turn to face him. “I could go down on you while you work if you like.”
He chuckles. “I’ll take a rain check on that. Maybe when the stakes are lower and I’m making omelets, not a five-course meal.”
“The stakes aren’t that high. It’s just friends and family coming to lunch.” It’s cute how he’s taking this so seriously.
“I just want them to like my food.”
I wrap my arms around him. “Your food is incredible. Of course they’re going to like it.”
“You have to say that,” he replies. “But I really want them to like it.” His phone starts to ring. “Can you get that?” he asks.
“Sure,” I say. “It looks like it’s the Delancy Vet.” Wasn’t that the place where we took the abandoned cat we found when I first moved in?
He nods. “Oh yeah. I meant to talk to you about that. Can you answer?”
“Talk to me about what?” I say, as I accept the call.
“Ben East,” he says into the speaker in that professional, businesslike mode that gets me so hot. Although Ben doesn’t have to do much to get me hot.
“The way you say that gets me so hot…” I whisper, and I start to unbutton the shirt I’m wearing again.
“I just wanted to confirm your time of collection as ten thirty Monday morning,” the speaker on his phone blares out. “We’ve completed all our tests now, and she’s had the vaccines.”
I’m super-confused.
“Ten thirty works. I’ll see you then.”
The phone goes dead and Ben acts like he didn’t just take a call from a vet talking about a ten-thirty appointment. He turns to the refrigerator and takes out some celery.
“Wanna tell me what you wanted to talk to me about?” I ask him.
“Oh yes. That was the vet. Ivy’s owner never claimed her.”
“Ivy?”
“The cat you found?” He puts down his knife and turns to me. “I know you don’t want children anytime soon, but I was wondering how you felt about a cat?”
“You want a cat?”
“Not just any cat. The cat that was outside the building. I figure we can give it a good home. And it seemed to like us. But if you’re not into it, then—”
He’s so earnest, so sincere as he talks. He’s really thought about it. About giving this homeless creature a place to live and human parents to love it. How could I say no? He’s so freaking adorable.
“I’m into it,” I interrupt. “Just when I think you can’t get any hotter, you go and suggest adopting a fluffy white kitten.”
“Is that a yes to the kitten?” he asks.
“It’s a yes, and I want to jump your bones for suggesting it.”
He grins, takes the dishtowel from his shoulder, and thwacks me with it. “You’ll get plenty after everyone’s left. Until then, go get a cold shower, get dressed, and then come back and help me.”
I roll my eyes and head out of the kitchen. He doesn’t know it, but I just have to get dressed. I wanted to distract him from his cooking. He takes it so seriously. He’s worried he’s going to start school at Easter and everyone’s going to know more than him.
Of course that’s not true, but ever since he got accepted into their executive program, he’s been poring over recipe books and testing all different types of ingredients. It’s good to see him so passionate about something.
And of course, he’s passionate about me.
Ben’s love is something he doesn’t ever let me forget.
I feel like a queen on the arm of a king.
He packs me lunch every morning and always slips a note inside.
He tells me that I look beautiful when I’ve just woken up and I know half my mascara is across my cheek.
And he lies next to me while we watch romantic movies and reality TV.
He’s really more than I could have dreamed of in a man.
He’s perfect. For me.
I pull on my jeans and the Empire State Building t-shirt that I bought from a street vendor this week and pad back to the kitchen to embark on some sous chef duties before welcoming our guests.
We’ve only been an official couple just over a month, and this is the first time we’re hosting anyone.
Or I guess it’s really Ben hosting. This isn’t my place, after all, even though I’ve stayed here every night since the night we confessed we loved each other.
And now we’re getting a cat.
Thank god Boston’s off the table. I can’t be a cat mom and be traveling all the time.
“What can I help with?” I ask as I enter the kitchen.
“That was quick,” he says as he glances up. “I like your t-shirt.” A knowing smile spreads across his face.
“It reminded me of us, so I had to buy it.”
“You see the Empire State Building every day. You can see it from every window in our apartment.”
“Our apartment?” I ask him.
“Yes. You can’t miss it.”
“I wasn’t…I mean, it’s not really our apartment. It’s your apartment.”
He freezes over his cutting board. “Is that how you feel? That’s not how I feel.”
I shrug. “I don’t know. A little, I think. It’s early days, and there’s no rush, so…”
“There are no early days with us. This is our life, and I want to be living it how we want to be living it. If you’re not happy living here, then let’s find somewhere else.”
“Am I living here? Or am I just staying here?”
“Avril, you are one of the most straightforward women I know. Say what you’ve got to say.”
I exhale. “Okay. I feel like an overnight guest, and I don’t like it. I want us to live together.”
He nods. “I want us to live together too. Shall we look for a place together? You want me to move in with you and Poppy?”
“I like this place,” I say. “And I love that you love the kitchen here.”
“We can change the kitchen wherever we go. Tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen.”
Because that’s who he is. He makes impossible things happen. He just can’t help it.
“I like that this place is where our love story began. It’s a beautiful apartment…”
He chuckles. “But what? Don’t start mincing your words now.”
“I want to redecorate. I’d like to bring some of the traditional feel back and get rid of the man-living-on-his-own vibes.”
“Hey, I had a decorator do this!” He grins at me. “But seriously, if you leave my kitchen untouched, you can do whatever you want with the rest of the place.”
“But I want your input.”
“No you don’t. And anyway, my input is if you’re happy, I’m happy.”
“You’re right. I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want your input.”
“There’s my girl.” He grins at me like he’s the luckiest man on the planet. And I’m pretty sure that makes me the luckiest girl on the planet. I stand on my tiptoes and reach up for a kiss. Just as our lips meet, the door buzzer goes.
“I’ll get the door.”
“Our door. You’re living here now. You’re not an overnight guest.”
Everyone’s arrived at once. Deacon, Aurora, Poppy, Worth, Sophia, and Bray. Our cobbled-together New York family.
Worth took Ben out for a drink when he found out we were dating. Ben didn’t tell me everything they talked about, but I get the impression Worth told him, in a very understated way, that he would personally murder Ben if he hurt me. It’s the most rattled I’ve ever seen Ben. It was kinda cute.
I got Sophia to talk to Worth afterward, and he seems to be a little more relaxed now.
But Worth’s always been more than a brother to me.
He’s been a father, mother, protector, benefactor, and best friend all rolled into one.
Nothing’s going to change that. I’ve just got more people in my corner now.
“Something smells good,” Aurora says.
“Ben’s cooking,” I say. “It’s going to be delicious.
” I don’t even know what he’s making, but I know that it’s Worth, in particular, he wants to impress.
He hasn’t told anyone that he’s going to culinary school, and he doesn’t want Worth to think he’s lazy by following his heart.
He’s got to get to know my brother a little better.
I know Worth won’t think that. Ben is anything but lazy.
“I’m going to go and check on things,” Worth says. “Is it through here?”
“Maybe just leave him to his cooking,” I say, but then Sophia asks me something about the view, and I’m not sure if Worth found his way to the kitchen.
I get everyone drinks, and I start talking to Poppy and Aurora about the design for this place and how I might use the designer we used for Hotel on Ninth Street.
“Did you get the paperwork through for the Fifth Avenue hotel?” Aurora asks. She knows we’ve been waiting for it.
“It came through yesterday,” Poppy says. “It’s gone to Worth’s lawyers.”
“That’s great,” I reply. “I can’t wait to get working on it. I have a site meeting on Monday to kick off the design process.”
“Even before you’ve officially bought it?” Aurora asks.
Poppy rolls her eyes, and I playfully nudge her. “Yes. I’m manifesting it happening.”
“You’re not a little bit disappointed it’s not in Boston?” Aurora asks.
Poppy shoots me a look.
“Not at all. I’m actually really pleased to be spending more time in New York. Now that I’m going to be a mom.”
Aurora squeals, and holds her big pregnant belly. “You too?”
“Cat mom,” I say, clinking my glass against my sister’s. “Don’t worry. You’re not going to be an aunty anytime soon. We’re adopting a cat.”
Worth comes out of the kitchen and asks people to help take food to the table. We all trail in empty-handed and out with a dish or a bowl. Everything is being served family-style and there’s food for at least thirty people. It all looks delicious.
Ben and I sit at one end of the table, and I glance at our friends and family gathered around. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so lucky. So happy. So completely loved.
I turn to Ben. “You know I’m going to say yes when you ask me to marry you.” It’s become the thing I say to him every night before we go to bed, but repeating it now feels right. I want him to know how completely into him I am, and always will be.
“Good,” he says, instead of saying, “Marry me,” which is how he always responds to me telling him that. Then he pushes back his chair and stands.
My heart begins to race in my chest, like galloping hooves on grass.
“Some of you around this table I’ve known a lifetime.
And all of you will be in our lives for the rest of them.
Avril and I haven’t been a couple very long, but we’ll be together forever.
I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.
I can’t comprehend anything better, anything more fulfilling, more satisfying, than a life with Avril.
So, I want to start that forever as soon as possible. ”
He gets down on one knee and pulls out a red velvet ring box and opens it. “Will you marry me?”
We had an unconventional start, but there’s nothing but pure, traditional love between us.
“I thought about all the ways I could ask you. I could write it in the sky. I could light it up on the Empire State Building. But really, all I care about is you and me and everyone who loves us being bonded together forever.”
He always knows exactly the right thing to say. The exact right way to say it. And of course, an understated, traditional proposal in front of our family and friends is the only way I’d want to get engaged.
“Eternity with you sounds like the best way to spend the rest of time. Yes, Ben East, I’ll marry you every day of the week. Never stop asking me.”
“Only if you promise never to stop saying yes.”
“That’s the easiest promise I’ll ever make,” I say.
People clap and cheer around us, but I’m just focused on my husband-to-be.
“You didn’t even look at the ring,” he whispers as he stands and holds my head in his hands.
“I didn’t need to see the ring. I didn’t even need to be asked the question in order to spend the rest of my days with you.”
He presses his lips to mine, and it feels like the rest of the room drifts off and it’s just Ben and me, the Empire State Building in the background, and the promise of a fluffy white cat in our future.