Striding to my car, anxious and excited to finally admit my feelings, I spot a beautiful brunette out of the corner of my eye. When she strides towards me, my heart flips with joy.
“Cade, do you have a minute to talk?” Luna says, hesitation written across her face.
“I do!” Could Luna be thinking the same thing as I am? On the other hand, what if she was walking by and saw Margorie leave? Is my matchmaker going to drill me about the date? The possibilities swirl in my brain and my palms start to sweat.
Luna faces me. She bites her lower lips for a couple beats, then mumbles, “This sounded like a good idea inside my head.”
I take both her hands in my free hand, hope flowing through me like a warm caress. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I’m resigning as your matchmaker,” she says.
My brows crease together.She was hanging around the restaurant to tell me this?“Oh? Why?”
Luna gives me a tearful look. “Because I’m in love with you, Cade Bainbridge. I can’t be responsible for finding you a perfect match when I think I’m your perfect match.”
It’s as if all the stars in the universe have aligned. My heart does a crazy flip. “Yes!” I shout as I drop the tilapia box to the ground and fist pump the air. I pick Luna up and twirl her around while she puts her arms around my neck and laughs.
When my lips land on hers, happiness barrels through me, and it confirms that this woman is the love of my life. “I love you too.” Breathless, I rub her cheeks with my thumbs. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner and I wasted your time making those match dates.”
Luna laughs. “All it did was point out what a horrible matchmaker I am.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. You found me my perfect match, didn’t you?”
Planting another quick peck on my lips, Luna whispers, “I did.”
The message in the bottle floats through my mind, but I wasn’t sure what it meant until now. Squeezing her closer, I blurt, “Follow your heart.”
She gives me a quizzical look.
“Remember how you told me you found a bottle on the beach?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t tell you that I found one myself just a few days ago. Maybe even the same one. And it had a message inside.”
Her eyes grow wide. “It did? What was the message?”
“It told me to follow my heart, and I intend to do just that.”
She showers me with a beaming smile. We lean towards each other, our lipsmeet, and then I’m kissing her again. As hot as our kiss on the pier was, the blaze that leaps to life this time proves that kiss wasn’t a fluke. I block out the passersby giving Luna and me curious looks. I don’t dwell on all the obstacles to a relationship with this beautiful woman because I know we love each other and we can find a way to make this work. The universe told me so.
EPILOGUE
CADE
ONE YEAR LATER
Iwhip into the parking spot in front of Plot Twists and Perfect Matches. The smaller sign below the big one has been amended to read, “Now serving tea and coffee.” I chuckle because I was the one who convinced my sweet wife and her best friend that neighboring businesses can both serve coffee. When I pointed out that a MacDonalds is often located near a Starbucks and there’s no disruption in the universe because they both serve coffee, they readily capitulated.
The bells over the door jingle as I enter, and a soothing aroma fills the air from Luna’s latest essential oils blend—that she’s aptly named CALM. Hints of lavender, jasmine, and sandalwood drift through the air. A new age–sounding instrumental song plays softly in the background.
“Cade? What are you doing here?” Luna says, her eyes brightening as she lugs a tray from the back room. It’s filled with delicious pastries; I spot fudgy black bean brownies and my mouth waters.
“Can’t a guy just stop in to see his wife?” I tease, my spontaneous visit obviously a pleasant surprise. Taking the tray from her hands, I plant a kiss on her cheek and load the goodies into the bakery case.
She grunts and gives me a skeptical look. “You’re checking up on my newest offering, aren’t you?”
“Maybe?”