Page 28 of Love By the Slice

Greg said, “No, I asked you out even though that shook things up a bit. But you’re going to shake up my life a lot more because I realized what you’re saying, that a life coasting is easy, but it’s not good over the long term. It doesn’t get anywhere, and you’ve seen too many people who just skate along without taking their responsibilities seriously. So instead, I made up a business plan.”

Shelly jerked her head up and took the first page from his hand. “You made a business plan…for your life?”

Greg nodded. “I’ve written these for my father, so I did it for me. My resources. My time. My goals. What it would take to reach those goals.”

Shelly muttered, “I’m surprised you have any goals.”

Greg said, “Not as surprised as I am,” which made Shelly sputter a laugh. Greg continued, “I took the whole week to go through this, and here we are. If my goal is to do more than live with my parents and play video games at night, then I’m going to have to get it in gear. I’ll take the full time job with the second location. I’ll begin reducing my hours at the machine shop where I never really wanted to work in the first place. I’ll put in the effort and the time, and after, I can launch the way you did. I’ll start using my college degree. I’ll be fully alive.”

Shelly took the second page. So help him, Greg had put together graphs and a budget. He’d outlined short term goals and long term goals, estimates of income and expenditures, all on a five-year timeline.

Oh, but did he…

Then she saw it: the emergency fund. Greg, who only ever saw goodness and positive things in the world, had built in savings for an emergency fund. Savings for the car breaking down even though it would be fine, or savings for getting really sick even though that would never happen, or savings for when the pet he didn’t have yet needed veterinary care even though the imaginary pet was perfectly healthy…?

For some reason, that made Shelly breathe. Just a little bit.

Greg handed her the next of the pages. “That’s just for me. But I’ve also built out the budget in case there are two.”

Again, here it all was. Greg and someone else, illustrated in numbers and hours and long term plans. Soulless—but in a way, also the kind of hardcore pessimism that Shelly had come to expect from the world around her.

He’d given her a job as a town planner. That was a reach, but he’d figured out her salary and how together, they could support each other.

And then the last page. “This is the budget in case there are three.”

Three. A budget including childcare and diapers and maternity leave.

She said, “I…have no idea what to say.”

Greg said, “I admit, this isn’t a very romantic Valentine’s Day pitch. But if you’ll allow me another chance, I’m going to give you my best. We’re going to look ahead together for bumps in the road. You can pick out the problems. I can help find the solutions. We can put the best of ourselves together, and I think we can work it out.”

Shelly said, “And if you behave for two months and then go right back to coasting?”

Greg drew himself up short. “You keep seeing potential problems, don’t you?” and Shelly nodded. Greg said, “Pointtaken. If I behave for two months and then start coasting, I would hope you’ll tell me to listen up, pay attention, and get my act together. Or else you’ll roll up my business plan, secure it with a rubber band, and bop me over the head with it before walking out the door.”

Shelly thought a moment. “Other than the violence part, that works.”

Greg stood from the table. “No matter what you decide, I still need to tip you for the pizza delivery before you go.” But instead of opening his wallet, he opened the oven and pulled out the box he’d been keeping warm.

Inside was a heart-shaped pizza, and in slivers of pepperoni, Ezra had written a message:

Say yes

already

She laughed and shook her head. “You two are such jerks. Yes. I’ll give you a shot. If you’ll keep an eye out for problems, then I’ll give you a chance to prove it will all work out.” She took Greg’s hand, and then she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Happy Valentine’s Day, and here’s to a less-than-loveless pizza.”

EPILOGUE

SHELLY PACED THE balcony, too nervous to enjoy the sea air. She turned away from the flower arch and went to stand at the railing, looking at the ocean view from the Cape Cod home.

The string quartet slowed and softened the music they were already playing, and Shelly returned to her seat along with the other guests. At the front, a tuxedoed Ezra took his place, and alongside him was Greg.

Greg caught her eye, and Shelly smiled. He looked so good in that tux. They’d have to get pictures together later.

While the quartet played the entrance song, Lacey walked to the front on the arm of her father. The moment Ezra saw her in her white dress, he beamed, and Shelly shivered.

The wedding was small, a destination affair rather than a blowout fantasy wedding with hundreds of guests. Ezra wasn’t sure what part of his family would even bother to show up, so they’d gone the small and intimate route. Lacey’s Uncle Barrett had offered the use of his summer house. Mom hadn’t come, but Shelly had brought two of their younger siblings. Greg was here, of course. Lacey’s parents and her own brother. Plus a few friends and an officiant.

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