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A flash of blonde hair rushed towards me. Simone bumped against mine and wrapped her arm around me. “Hey, you,” she said quietly, nuzzling the soft spot behind my ear.
Behind us, Rudy chuckled. I looked over my shoulder at him, closing my arms around her. In the two weeks since the incident at the bar, we had been inseparable. Auston started to make the schedule, telling me I couldn’t just schedule myself with Simone every shift. Somehow, we still ended up with most of our shifts aligned. Tonight was no exception. Simone had switched a shift with Sky to make sure she was closing with me.
“I still say I knew it.” Rudy spoke with his beer glass to his lips. Proudly nodding his head, he took another gulp of the golden liquid while we gaped at him.
We tilted our heads together, and he laughed. “You knew what, Rudy?” Simone asked as if he hadn’t told us his thoughts more than once. She tucked her shoulder beneath mine so she was curled against my chest.
“That the two of you would fall in love. He always just looked at you different.” Rudy finished his beer, loudly slamming the glass into the counter.
Simone burst into laughter, but butterflies invaded my stomach. “If you say so, buddy!” She shook her head and walked off to help another group of girls in tall heels and short dresses. They were the type of girls I’d usually insist on helping, likely to take one or two home with me, but all I could see was the woman that lit up any room she was in.
I looked at Rudy. “I don’t think you’re wrong.” I had looked at Simone a lot of ways since she started at Pour Decisions. I grinned, walking up behind her and wrapping my arm around her waist from behind. “What are you making?”
She smirked. “A French 75.” Simone tilted her head as if to challenge me.
“I can make it better.” I winked, and when she burst into a fit of laughter, my stomach tightened. The grin stretching my cheeks took over my face, and she mirrored it.
“Want to bet?” Simone grabbed another shaker, putting extra glasses on the counter. “You ladies want to be taste testers?”
The group of girls got excited, clapping and settling on the stools against the counter. “I’m sorry in advance, girls. Only one of these is going to be very good.” I smirked, leaning against the counter. Simone scoffed, but the smile didn’t leave her face.
She bumped her hip against mine, reaching for a fresh bottle of champagne, lemons, and a bottle of mid-shelf gin. I watched her in awe as she combined everything but the champagne into the shaker, adding a few ice cubes and giving it a quick shake. As I stared at her, I held the bottles in my hand without pouring a thing.
One of the girls across the counter laughed, pulling me out of my trance. I turned my attention away from where Simone squeezed a lemon, and I quickly threw the basic ingredients into my own shaker. I gave it a swirl and poured it into the glasses.
Simone used a lemon to line the rim of the glass before dipping it into sugar and carefully pouring the mixed drink over the ice cubes she delicately stacked in the glass. By pure presentation alone, it was obvious who the girls were going to vote for. Was I really trying very hard to win?
She carefully passed a glass to each of the girls, watching with eager eyes while they took a sip. Each of the girls hummed in satisfaction and licked the sugar from her lips before taking another sip. They looked hesitant when they reached for mine, and I laughed.
I threw my arm over Simone’s shoulder and pulled her against me. “Those aren’t going to win, but they’re yours. Hers is the best by a long shot,” I said, nuzzling her hair and inhaling the sweet scent.
“Cheater,” she whined, but she pressed into me like she couldn’t get close enough.
“Not cheating.” I kissed her temple. “I just know you were going to win, just like I won this.” I chuckled, motioning between us when she whipped around, and a frustrated shock caused her forehead to scrunch and her lips to purse.
“Won what?”
I cradled her cheek and hovered my lips over hers. “You falling in love with me.”
Epilogue
Simone
“Logan, careful!” I whined, covering my face with my hands but peeking between my separated fingers. He hoisted the box in his arms onto his shoulder, and I heard the crash of glass on glass as he left the kitchen. I groaned. “How many of my glasses do you think just broke?”
Emmy cackled next to me, wrapping plates in newspaper. “Are you sure you want to move?” she asked, nudging me with her elbow and leaning against the counter. She winked, and I swore she quickly blinked away a tear.
I nodded, looking back over my shoulder in the direction Logan had taken off with the box. “I’m sure. Can you believe I hated him less than a year ago?” I bit my lip.
“I wish you would’ve hated him longer,” she said. Emmy giggled when I glared at her. Why would she say that? “I’m kidding, Simone. I’m just going to miss you.”
She hugged, and when I tightened my squeeze, she sighed. “You know I’m only moving five minutes away, right? I’m coming over to eat your food all the time,” I said.
Emmy laughed, stopping and stifling her giggle when Logan walked back in with Jackson. “These degenerates have it all under control at this point,” he said, rustling Logan’s hair and earning a hearty laugh from him.
“Thanks for helping, Jackson,” I said, hugging him.
“Of course. I had to come threaten the dude you’re going to be living with.” We laughed. Beside us, Logan joined, but he looked nervous until Jackson threw his arm over his shoulders. “I’m just playing. You know we are always here to help. We’re family.”
