I stay in the kitchen and don’t take a break, just to be safe.
In the lull between the lunch and dinner rushes, Brenden wanders in seeking to fuel his caffeine addiction. As he helps himself to the coffee pot, he asks me how I am. And when I say I’m good, he grins at me like a lunatic. There’s no way he could possibly know about the huge step that Riley and I took in our relationship last night when we said we loved each other, but he has an annoying ability to pick up on my happiness, even when I’m sure I’m not outwardly displaying it.
“Okay, yeah, I’m better than good,” I tell him when he won’t stop grinning at me. “Riley and I... we talked things out. And we’re really good. I only wish I didn’t have to worry about Christy trying to corner me again.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” Brenden sing-songs. “I kicked her out.”
“You what?” I ask in disbelief.
He nods, setting his full mug down on the counter. “Yup. I’m not going to let a guest harass my employees. So I refunded her and told her to get the hell out.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I say, though a warm feeling is swelling up inside my chest at knowing he did. For me.
“Well, okay, I didn’t actually swear at her. But I wanted to. And I waved sarcastically at her as she walked out with her bags.”
“I—”
Words I don’t know how to say catch in my throat. I feel bad about my personal drama affecting his business, but I truly appreciate that he cares enough to have my back like that.
“What if she leaves a bad review?” I ask.
He shrugs that off. “I really don’t give a shit.”
“Thank you,” I finally manage to say. Though it still doesn’t feel like enough. So I take a couple steps toward him and put my arms around him for a hug. “You’re a really good friend.”
He cheers and says, “I knew I’d get you to call me your friend eventually.”
“Shut up,” I tell him. But I let him hug me back for a little bit longer before I pull away.
When I’m done with work for the evening, I find a text from Riley letting me know she’ll meet me outside. I don’t see her on the porch, but as I turn toward the parking lot, that’s where I find her. She’s leaning against the side of my car, wearing a mint green sundress with her red cowboy boots, and looking like everything I was foolish enough not to know I wanted a couple months ago.
But I know now.
“Ready to go home?” she asks when I reach her.
It takes all my self-control not to pull her close and kiss her for all I’m worth right here where anyone could see. “Yeah, I really am.”
Her smile grows. “Me too,” she says.
Like my home is hers. Like maybe our home has nothing to do with Nashville or Mayweather, but our home is simply each other. And I love that.
EPILOGUE
RILEY
SIX WEEKS LATER
“RemindmeagainwhyI’m here?” I ask my brother as we unroll our yoga mats side by side on the green.
“Because you love me,” Andrew replies.
Feigning confusion, I tell him, “Um, no, that can’t be it. I’m gonna need a better reason.”
He rolls his eyes at me. “Because Toby’s sick, and I wanted company.”
“Now, see, that might be a good enough reason if it weren’t eight a.m. on the only Saturday morning Addison has off this month. I could still be in bed with her right now.”
Now Andrew glares at me, and although I know it’s not a serious glare, he looks intimidating enough that I feel bad for anyone he decides to pull that face on for real. “First of all, I’ll remind you again that I’m your brother and you love me. Second, I’ll reiterate one more time that I’m your brother, and therefore, I don’t want to hear about what you and your girlfriend do in bed. Keep your domestic bliss to yourself.”
