Page 69 of The Other Room

My cheeks hurt from smiling as I glided behind the bar at JJ’s. Maybe it was the mind-blowing orgasm Matt had given me in the shower this morning... or the four I’d had last night, but even though I knew those had cranked up the dial on my happiness, it was the fact that Matt had told me he loved me that took it up to an eleven.

No. A hundred.

Actually, there wasn’t a level on the happiness dial high enough to handle how incredible I felt knowing that Matt was mine. That he loved me. That I wouldn’t have to spend my life pining away for a man I couldn’t have. A man I thought would always be just a friend. But after what we did last night, and all the incredible things he’d said, we had blown out of the friend zone and straight into happily ever after.

Happily ever after.

Now there was a concept I didn’t think would ever apply to me. Sure, I was happy enough, nothing to complain about, but I never expected my life could turn into a bona fide fairytale.

“Two margs, Jo,” Sheena, our newest waitress, called from the corner of the bar.

With a happy sigh, I twirled around and floated over to the margarita glasses.

“What’s gotten into you today?” she asked, peeking up from the iPad she was punching her order into. “You’re like a freaking ray of sunshine.”

“Nothing,” I sighed. “Just a good day.”

“I’ve been working with you for a month. You don’t glow. You’re glowing. Giggling, glowing, and humming. You’ve been like this for three hours. Something is up.” She arched a dark brow, and her gaze followed me as I swayed over to the ice bin.

“Nothing at all. Just a good mood.” I smiled over my shoulder at her.

Her eyes bulged and a sly smile stretched across her face. She glanced over both shoulders then leaned over the bar. “You got laid!”

“What?” I gasped, standing up straight. “I did not!”

With pursed lips and a knowing smile, she nodded. “Yep. You’ve got the sex glow.”

Damn it. I did have the sex glow. Something I usually pointed out when I saw it. Hell, it was me who’d figured out Jake and Cassie had gone for it last year because they were glowing like freaking lanterns. Today, though, the one lit up like an LED was me.

“Busted,” she reiterated and grinned. “Who was it? Anyone I know?”

“Just... shush. I’m not talking about it.”

“Well, damn girl, it must have been hella good to get you glowing like that.” She pointed her tablet pen at me and drew a heart in the air.

“Shut up!” I laughed, and heat scorched my cheeks.

“I’ll figure it out.” She pursed her lips again.

“Just go help your tables. That guy over there is trying to get your attention.” I pointed to the man in the booth craning his neck so far back to catch her attention I worried he’d need a chiro adjustment after lunch.

“This conversation isn’t over.” With one more point of her pen, she spun and raced off to her table.

Struggling to strip away the smile on my face and regain some semblance of composure, I finished making her margaritas and placed them at the end of the bar. The afternoon shift had been slow, so when I heard the door open, I hoped the newcomer would head for the bar instead of the tables so I could make some tips.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Matt said, and I spun to see him sliding into a stool.

My face lit up, my smile broadcasting my excitement to see him. I only tried for a second to contain it, then gave up the struggle. “Hey, hottie. What are you doing here?”

“Missed you.” He smiled, and I wanted to jump the bar and cover him with kisses.

Forcing myself to stay put, I crossed my arms. “Is that so?”

“Yep. That’s so.”

“Well, I guess I kinda missed you, too.”

“Kinda?” He arched a brow.