Page 100 of Marry Me

“I have every confidence in your ability to help guide him.”

“Yeah…” Ally said, letting her voice trail. She glanced at the door. “I better get out of here and to work on grading today’s creative writing assignment.”

“Oh, that sounds fun,” Megan said. “I bet you get such a variety. Do you have any superstars?”

“I do. Take care.” She hightailed it out like the place was close to bursting into flames, when in fact, maybe she was the one about to. All because of the effect Megan Kinkaid had on her. She muttered to herself the whole damn way home, but she did something ridiculous and came back the next afternoon, scanned the place as she approached the counter, and absorbed the disappointment that surfaced when she realized Megan was nowhere to be found. “That’s not why you came here,” she whispered to herself because she was apparently that person now, who whispered to herself in public while others looked on curiously. She was here for the coffee that made her world sparkle and no other reason. She was stronger than that!

Megan wasn’t there the next day either, and that was perfectly fine, preferable even. But four days later, when Augustus threw up all over the stack of math homework, Allison decided she deserved an after-work treat. Megan was in line when she got there. She took her spot behind her.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” she said when Ally arrived.

“I’m simply going to my standard coffee spot. I think if anyone is crashing, it’s you.”

“Oh.” A beat. She looked struck and a little sad. “Well, I don’t want to take this place away from you if I make you uncomfortable.”

“No, no. I’m just…being difficult. This place is as much yours as mine.” Another pause. “What’ll you have?”

“I’ve actually been traveling the menu, giving everything a shot. Today I’m going with almond cappuccino.”

“I’m impressed. That’s a real drink.”

“So is a Toffee Crunch Dream.”

Allison sighed. “Let’s be honest. It’s not. It’s a perfect dessert but not a serious coffee beverage. Your latte will laugh at my dream.”

“I won’t let it. Want to grab a table together?” She said it so casually. How?

Allison could lie to herself all she wanted, pretend that was the stupidest idea ever and make an excuse to hit the road, but the reality was that the suggestion sounded really nice. Like a warm bath after an especially tense day. A glass of water to someone incredibly thirsty. “I guess so. We’re both here.”

“I noticed that, too,” Megan said with a wink. She got her drink first and snagged a table, and when her Dream was ready, Allison joined her. What in the world were they supposed to talk about? She was now hyperaware of everything. The way she lifted her own drink to her lips. Megan’s perfectly applied makeup, which made her look gorgeous, even though she didn’t need any of it. The soft rock playing on the speakers. Why couldn’t she just relax?Because she broke your heart and upended your whole world.Could that be it?

But then Megan launched into a story about a bride she’d met with that afternoon that wanted a circus-themed wedding, including tightrope walkers and flame eaters, and they were off.

“Do you need some sort of insurance on that kind of event?”

“I’ve already placed a few calls to find out. This is the creepy part. She wants to walk down the aisle as a clown.”

“Stop it. No one will attend.” She was already laughing at the lunacy, which certainly helped the tension dissolve.

“And she wants that silly instrumental circus music for the processional. Apparently, this is her lifelong dream.”

“And her partner is going along with it?”

“Oh, he was there, too. He’s going to dress as a lion tamer.”

Ally closed her eyes and placed a hand on her chest. “Bless his heart.”

“Bless his sweet little heart. He loves her.”

“Enough to don a whip?”

“Definitely planning the whip.”

Allison laughed again. “You have to get photos.”

“My portfolio is gonna be poppin’.”

“Wedding planning, especially in a short period of time, is not for the timid. I don’t know how you do it. I have new appreciation for the industry.”

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