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“I love you, Whitney Porter,” he whispers fiercely against my lips. “Don’t ever forget it.”
With that, our mouths join again, even as tears of joy slip down my cheeks. I almost lost this man, but in the end, our love was meant to be.
Epilogue
Whitney
Two years later.
I bustle around, preparing for the grand opening of SugarTime Too. It’s a cheesy name but I like it because it’s a play upon the name of my original store, and it’s cute. I like the “too” part especially because it sounds like “two,” and it’s my second store.
After all, when the pandemic finally ended, business at the original SugarTime began to boom. We got a lot of added exposure from the new SugarTime Shake Selections at Shake Place, and suddenly, people were swarming my little shop. I hired both Felipe and Marta full time, and increased their salaries too. Now, Felipe is going to be my manager at SugarTime Too in New Jersey, and we’re looking to hire part-timers to help staff both locations. It’s exciting, and I’m a little nervous. But everything’s going to be fine because I have Peter.
After all, he’s been my rock through all of this. Now that we have our daughter Willow, he’s a doting father, in addition to running his own business and helping me with mine. A better man, I couldn’t ask for.
Plus, now we live together. I gave up my little apartment and settled into his penthouse. We transformed one of the spare bedrooms into a nursery, and little Willow seems to love the animal-themed décor I put up. She’s the light of her father’s life, and he spoils her far too much.
Which leaves the issue of my parents. After my confrontation, Peter wasn’t exactly excited to meet Maeve and Donald. He couldn’t get over the fact that they’d called me a whore, and readily verbalized his objections. But finally, I convinced him to visit them in New Jersey when I was about six months pregnant. My parents were both shocked when I stepped out of the car, and they glimpsed my bulging tummy for the first time. I think my mom almost passed out, in fact. But when they saw Peter standing beside me, huge and stormy, they both put on their best behaviors. The meeting was cordial, if not friendly, and Maeve and Donald came to Willow’s christening soon after she was born.
Now, I believe the ice is cracking a bit more. My parents adore my daughter, and they dote on her the way grandparents should. Because of little Willow, I think we’re going to be okay. Peter sees how they cherish the baby, and recently, he invited them to lunch at the local Shake Place in Jersey City. I think it’s going to be fine. My parents will get a chance to coo over their granddaughter even more, while also making conversation with the man I love.
But now, it’s time for the grand opening of SugarTime Too. Guests file into my small store, including George and Sarah. Sarah has become our designated babysitter and she absolutely adores Willow. In fact, at this very moment, the teen girl has Willow on her lap, bobbling her on her knee as my baby giggles. I wave to them and beam from the makeshift stage.
The ceremony commences and I smile happily, overwhelmed with the good fortune in my life. My newfound confidence keeps the butterflies at bay when I take the microphone for a quick impromptu speech.
“Thank you all for coming out to celebrate with us and support SugarTime Too. There are so many people here that made this happen. Felipe and his family have uprooted to move to this glorious suburb in New Jersey just to run this location. Alvina and Marta keep the original store in New York humming like a well-oiled machine, and of course, I want to thank my parents for supporting my dream early on. Most of all, however, I want to thank my partner in life and partner in crime, Peter Coleman. He believed in me when I was at my lowest and has given me a family and more happiness than I ever thought possible.”
The crowd claps and cheers as Peter and Willow make their way to stand by my side on the stage. I use giant scissors to cut the big blue ribbon, and everyone breaks into cheers again. Then, Peter pulls me in for a kiss before handing me the baby and taking the mike. This is unexpected. I certainly wasn’t expecting my lover to make a speech.
But he smiles, and like magic, the crowd falls quiet in front of the handsome CEO.
“I can’t say enough good things about this wonderful woman, Whitney Porter. In some way or another, she has touched all our lives but mine more so than any other. She has given me an amazing daughter and completed my life. I don’t ever want to be without her.”
