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“I’m proud of you, hun. But, for the sake of the night, let me buy you a drink.” Stella motioned to the bartender. “We’ll take two New York Sours, please. And another glass.”
“Coming right up.” The bartender slid a clean pint glass over to Stella, who filled it from the pitcher Avery had ordered.
“So, what is a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?” Avery asked, taking a drink of her beer.
“Wait, so Quinn gets all these interesting and fun questions, and I get that shallow-ass bullshit? Red flag, Greene, red flag.” Stella smiled at the bartender who had just set down the two drinks.
“When you’re right, you’re right. Let’s see… What would you do differently if you could redo one day in your life?”
Stella sipped at her drink and a layer of light foam coated her upper lip. “Okay, this is a hard one. Hear me out. My first thought was that I’d have left my damn number two years ago.” Avery nodded, loving that they were on the same page. “Except I don’t think I’d change that part.”
A bundle of confusion appeared between her eyebrows. Okay, so not exactly on the same page. “Explain, please.” Avery motioned her to continue.
“If I had left my number, we would have had a higher conflict of interest at the show's start. The reason things worked out was because we were still relative strangers. Yes, I started falling for you on the show, but so did half of America. I liked getting to know you, even though I was wrecked a few times. No, what I would have changed was getting your number after the show ended. I could have saved myself a lot of trouble that way.”
“I wasn’t sure I agreed at first, but hearing your answer, I see your point.” Avery let the tart cocktail sit on her tongue, enjoying the complex flavors as they developed.
“Where do you see yourself in five years?” Stella asked.
Laughing, Avery rolled her eyes. “Is this a job interview?”
Stella hung her head. “You’d think I would know how to talk to people better. It’s my job, after all.”
Taking down the rest of her drink, Avery slid her arm around Stella’s shoulders, pulling her closer. “At least you’re cute. Do you want to get out of here?”
She was sure Stella could feel her heart pounding through the lightweight button-down shirt she was wearing, but if she could, she didn’t say anything, just nodded into her arm.
“I’d like that very much,” Stella whispered.
After they paid, Avery held the door open for Stella to leave the bar. The warm night allowed them to walk arm in arm down the street. Occasionally, their area was lit up by a car driving by, but both were quiet and lost in past and present memories.
Stella’s hand rested on Avery’s arm as they walked. Avery had practiced what she would say, but the closer they got to the hotel, the more tongue-tied her execution became. The dark shirt and only occasional light hid the worst of her pit stains, but she felt a drop of perspiration slide down her back.
Breathing heavily, she didn’t recognize the panic attack until she registered Stella’s fingers gripping her arm.
“In… Now out… Concentrate on the counts.” The words didn’t have much meaning, but the sharp pain caused by the pinch at her wrist helped ground her. “There you go.”
The ringing in her ears retreated. “Sorry,” she whispered, shaking her head.
“Never apologize for something you can’t control.” Stella searched her eyes. Seeming satisfied with what she saw, they began walking again. “Want to talk about it?”
“Not yet,” Avery said, hoping she hadn’t ruined everything.
“Okay. I’m here if you need me.” Stella let the topic drop, which Avery was grateful for.
Under the hotel’s shadow, Avery nodded to the person who opened the doors, feeling more confident.
“I’ve already checked in.” Avery gently pulled Stella to the bank of elevators.
“Oh, really?” She smirked. “Was this where you were with Quinn this afternoon? Sneaking around on me already?”
“It sure was. Don’t tell Amy, okay? She terrifies me.” They shared a chuckle as Avery pushed the button for their floor.
Keeping her arm on the elevator door for Stella to walk in first, the nerves she had been feeling slowly dissipated the closer to their room they got. Only nervous anticipation was left when she stuck the keycard into the slot.
Swinging the door open, she again let Stella walk in first, taking sight of the decorations she and Quinn had painstakingly put up. There was champagne waiting after a discreet call to the hotel staff, chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of wine since Stella could only drink a few sips of champagne before her stomach started rolling, and finally, a bunch of electronic candles. Some batteries had crapped out, but there was still enough to create a shimmering glow.
Stella stepped into the room, not saying anything, just taking in the sights. Avery got in position when her back was turned.
Turning her head, Stella gasped when she saw Avery down on one knee, holding out a ring nestled in a red velvet box.
“Stella. My life changed when we entered this room. I didn’t know it then, but I’ve known it a thousand different ways since then that we are meant to be together. How else could we have run into each other all those times, from the bar to the show to finding each other again at the coffee shop. Fate willed us together, and I’m not one to tempt her. Will you please marry me?”
The seconds between ending the sentence and hearing the response were the longest of Avery’s life. It started as a whisper; she couldn’t hear Stella’s words until they were crescendoing to a peak.
“Yes. Of course. Damn you, I was going to ask tonight. But yes.”
It took a moment to register Stella had her own ring out. They slipped them on and sealed their dual yeses with a kiss that sealed their new chapter—together.
THE END
