Page 94 of When Annika Met Thom

“It’s goofy as hell,” Thom said.

“But cute,” they said together.

Annika smiled and turned to Thom. “Definitely cute.”

They were doing that lost in each other’s eyes thing again, the one that made Meesha feel like an outsider. She got up to look at a gallery of framed photographs she’d noticed earlier. The arrangement took up most of one wall and encircled a sign that said‘So, this is LOVE.’She found a large black dog that had to be Cerberus in several pictures, running with Thom, sleeping in a sunbeam with a white ferret nestled close. The white ferret had to be Percival, who was also in a shot of Thom sitting at this kitchen table. Thom looked like he was studying with the ferret perched on his shoulder, as if Percival was reading along. There was an image of a leaping Percival, twisted into a kind of a question mark, which could have been the war dance they’d mentioned. He certainly looked happy.

There were framed plaster molds of pawprints, too, and Meesha understood these were of the pets who had crossed the rainbow bridge. Cerberus had had enormous feet. It was funny to see one beside the teeny paws of Percival and imagine them as BFF’s. There were family pictures, too, gatherings of people who had to be siblings, kids and dogs and more ferrets, as well as Thom and Annika photographed together. There was Thom on the F5F rock climbing wall, and the two of them climbing outside, probably at a park. There were weddings and christenings, in Manhattan and on the Pacific West Coast. Meesha was struck by Annika and Thom’s obvious happiness. It made perfect sense that their story founded the rumor at the club, since their relationship was so strong.

Enviably so.

Not that Meesha wanted any of that forever stuff. That was for other people. She was about right here and right now.

But when she turned to take one last picture of Annika and Thom, a little corner of her heart yearned for a little of what they shared.

Epilogue

April 23, 2022—New York City

Meesha was in her element on the big day. The club had been open for a few months with reduced capacity, but this was their official re-opening weekend. The dance club had been open the previous night with a killer party, jammed with celebrities and beautiful people, with their best DJ mixing his best tunes. She hadn’t gotten home until sunrise but she was back at the club for Thom and Annika’s wedding service.

She’d filled the club’s social media with teasers about the couple whose story started the myth of finding love at Flatiron Five Fitness. She’d included cameos for every couple she could find who’d made a match. The ’shipping threads were already humming with budding relationships, real and imagined. It was exactly ten years after Thom told Annika that it took a decade to be sure of a relationship, and now they were getting married at F5F. Stories of romance didn’t get better than that. The lobby of the club was filled with the scent of roses, the club’s contribution to the big day. There were thousands of them and they’d cost a fortune, but the lobby smelled like a hothouse. The sun was shining through the huge glass wall and the place just seemed to sparkle.

“A bit over the top?” Ty asked when yet another delivery of flowers arrived.

“No such thing,” Cassie said with a smile.

“It has to be serious eye candy,” Meesha told him.

He winced and she knew he was calculating the cost. She pulled up a spreadsheet on her phone, having anticipated that he’d twitch and sent it to him. Ty pulled out his phone and smiled slowly when he saw what she’d sent him.

Then he concentrated on the spreadsheet, nodding approval.

“The trick is knowing what each member of the team needs, and when they’ll need it,” Meesha said when Cassie gave her a glance. She smiled. “A smart woman taught me that.”

Cassie laughed. “Do I know her?” Her tone revealed that she remembered giving Meesha that advice.

“You are her and you know it.” Meesha said, checking her headset. “But you’re right. It’s a lot easier to anticipate questions and have the answers ready than to be surprised.”

“You’ll be taking my job soon,” Cassie teased and they laughed together.

“Maybe just your mat leave,” Meesha replied and Cassie nodded. She and Reid had a son and a sixteen-month old daughter, but Meesha had noticed that her boss had a tiny baby bump again.

Cassie smiled. “Absolutely. I already told the guys that you were to have the reins while I’m gone.”

“Yes!” Meesha gave a fist-pump and Cassie laughed at her.

“Seriously, Meesha, you own this place. I’m so glad we brought you on board.”

“Me, too.”

“It makes it easier to take the time to be with my kids, because I know everything is in such good hands.” Cassie gave Meesha an impulsive hug. “Thank you.”

“Well, you know what causes that pregnancy thing, don’t you?” Meesha teased.

“But we’re not going to stop,” Cassie said with a laugh. “No!” She called to one of the florists. “Please mix the pieces of cut fruit into the arrangements along the runner.”

A cameraman spoke in Meesha’s ear, asking a question about angle, and she turned away from Cassie to reply.

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