Chapter 50
Lauren pulled back from Mike and gave him a playful cuff on the shoulder. “Now look what you’ve done. I’ll have to fix my lipstick before we leave.” She slipped out of his embrace and turned toward the mirror above the table in her entryway.
Mike came up behind her, circling her waist with his arms. “I’ve got a suggestion. Whenever I pick you up for a date, I’ll want to kiss you, so why don’t you stop wearing lipstick? You don’t need it, anyway. You’re stunning without makeup.”
Lauren reached into her purse and pulled out a tissue and a tube of lipstick. She reapplied a soft pink shade that enhanced her full lips without looking overdone, then blotted carefully. “I’m not going out without my lipstick,” she said.
“Does this mean I can’t kiss you when I arrive?”
Lauren caught his eye in the mirror and smiled. “Of course not. It just means I’ll wait to apply it until after I’ve greeted you.”
Mike pulled her against him and brushed a series of light kisses along her neck.
“We’d better not start this,” she said, laughing, “or we’ll be late for dinner at Eric and Mandy’s.”
Mike dropped his hands and grinned. “I can’t wait until they realize we’ve already met.”
“It’s uncanny, isn’t it?” Lauren asked. “Kathy and Mandy have been trying to introduce us for months.”
“And we’ve been almost running into each other for weeks.”
“I still can’t believe we missed each other at the New Year’s Eve party.”
“We could have ended up on a Zoom call together for a collaborative project,” Mike stated, “and recognized each other that way.”
“I’m glad it happened the way it did. It’s so much more romantic. Kathy and Mandy are going to swoon when I tell them how you stepped up to the microphone and sang to me.”
“And Eric,” Mike replied, “is going to tease me about that for the rest of my life.” He smiled. “But I agree. That night was magical.” He took her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm. “It was always meant to be you.”
Lauren swayed back on her heels. “You’re doing it again,” she said. “Making me weak in the knees.”
“Then I’ll save that for later,” he said.
“We’ve got to get going.” He turned toward the sofa, where Buddy and Pumpkin were curled together, watching them.
“Be a good boy,” Mike said, pointing at Buddy.
“No tearing up Lauren’s place like you did mine on New Year’s Eve.
This is a test. If you pass, you get more time with Pumpkin. ”
“Look at how sweet they are together,” Lauren said. “I think they’re going to be just fine.” She checked the mirror one last time, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Mike escorted her to his SUV. They held hands on the drive to Eric and Mandy’s house, arriving at six on the dot.
“That’s Jake’s car,” Lauren said as they pulled into the driveway. “He and Kathy are already here. They’re never early for anything. It must be because she’s so eager to introduce us.”
Mike turned in his seat to look at her. “This is going to be fun.”
“I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they realize we’re a couple. Kathy and Mandy will be overjoyed.”
“We’re going to hear a lot of ‘I told you so’s.’”
“I’m prepared to acknowledge they were right all along.”
He reached for her hand. “Let’s give them the good news.”
Lauren and Mike stood in front of the door. He pressed the bell. Melodic chimes sounded inside. He leaned toward her.
“You’ll mess up my lipstick,” she murmured as she tilted her face to his.
He pulled Lauren into his arms, their lips meeting. Heels clicked on the wooden floor in the entryway. Lost in their kiss, neither of them heard a sound.
“Mandy,” Kathy called as she moved toward the door, “one of them is here.”
Mandy appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a tea towel. “Good,” she muttered. “I’ve been worried all day that one of them would cancel and ruin everything.” She joined Kathy and pulled the heavy door open. Both women stopped short, standing frozen for a stunned beat.
“What is happening?” Kathy squealed.
Mike and Lauren slowly pulled apart, exchanging a conspiratorial smile before turning to their hosts.
“It turns out,” Mike said calmly, “we’ve met.”
“No … how …?” Mandy stammered.
Eric and Jake stepped into the entryway and lined up behind their wives, drawn by the commotion.
“Since when?” Kathy asked, recovering. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“In Raleigh. Over Christmas,” Lauren said.
Mike nodded.
Kathy’s eyes widened. “So, this is the guy? The one from your chance encounter? The one you couldn’t stop thinking about?”
“I’m afraid so,” Lauren said.
Kathy pressed her hand to her forehead. “I have been trying to set the two of you up for weeks.”
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” Mandy said, throwing up her hands. Then she stepped aside. “You’d better come in. I need all the details, and I need them right now.”
“We’ll be happy to fill you in,” Mike said. “It’s hard for us to believe, too.”
“We’ve got appetizers and drinks on the deck by the fire pit,” Mandy said. “I’m not serving dinner until we know everything.”
The three couples moved through the house and out onto the deck. Eric handed out drinks. “I wish we still had champagne from New Year’s Eve,” he said, “but I want to make a toast, anyway.” He raised his glass. “To completely unnecessary matchmaking.”
“Hear, hear,” Jake said.
Mike and Lauren smiled at each other as everyone took a sip.
“Okay,” Mandy said, motioning toward the chairs and sofa surrounding the fire pit. “Everyone sit. This story sounds like it’s going to take a while.” She passed around appetizer plates and napkins, followed by a wooden charcuterie tray of cured meats, cheeses, grapes, and crackers.
As everyone settled in, Lauren and Mike told the tale of delays, detours, missed connections, and the night that finally brought them back together. They interrupted each other with small details, filling in gaps and laughing at the near misses that had kept them apart.
“Awwwww …” Mandy drew out the word when they were done. “I knew it. I was sure you two would hit it off.”
“And to think you almost connected all those times,” Eric added.
Mike stood and raised his glass again.
“I’d like to propose another toast. Here’s to no more ‘almosts,’” he said. His gaze locked on Lauren. “It was always you.”
THE END