Page 48 of The Pumpkin Spice Romance
“Oh, hey, Mason!” she said, waving to the camera.
“Hey, Maddie! Big day, huh?”
“Yes! I’m so nervous!”
“You’re going to do great!”
I appreciated my brother’s enthusiastic support toward Maddie. He was perplexed by her ambition, but it seemed as though he was attempting to support her in a way he hadn’t supported me, and I appreciated that, too.
I hung up with Mason and pulled the car around to the front. Maddie had fought moving in with me, and I hadn’t been able to figure out why until I realized I didn’t have room for all her plants. So then we’d gotten our own place with a massive back deck and a greenhouse. She was still deliberating over the interior décor, but the herb production for the coffee shops was in full swing.
I savored the plurality ofcoffee shops.Maddie was about to make Deja Brew Two a reality, and I couldn’t have been prouder. Or happier. With Maddie at my side, it finally felt like I was living the life I’d set out to lead.
MADDIE
I cut the ribbon and posed for pictures as Shayla snapped picture after picture for social media. This year’s Pumpkin SpiceDay marked the official grand opening of Deja Brew Two. And this year, there were no spills—just cheers.
Romeo looked ready to burst out of his apron as I pinned his manager's badge on him. He was going to be running Deja Brew Two and already had plans for after-hours game nights and other events that catered to the nighttime Supernatural set.
Deaf old Mr. Benjamin had been very excited about the game night idea. He’d informed us that he loved the coffee shop, but as a Dolgaunt shadow monster, he really preferred nighttime hours. He’d also informed us that he’d taken care of the Cometcents lawyer problem. We did not ask how because none of us wanted to know. But the lawyer had never returned, and Cometcents hadn’t sent another one. Maybe they were finally getting the picture.
My entire business plan had shifted (pun intended) once Felix and I started dating. It occurred to me that Deja Brew was, in fact, a haven for those who were different. And if I stopped trying to force normal on myself and the shop, everyone would be happier.
And we were.
I finally sat down next to Felix after the fifth round of handshakes and chats.
“Happy Grand Opening Pumpkin Spice Day,” he said, beaming at me. “You’re amazing. Also, you already have fifty likes.” He held up his phone to show the social media post Shayla had made.
“All the planning,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s hard to believe it’s finally happening.”
“You’re going to have to find a new goal,” he said, laughing. “What’s next? Deja Brew Three?”
His phone chirped, and a picture of his nephew popped up. I had learned that wolf babies had no control over their shift. One strong sneeze, burp, or fart, and the little darlings just sprouted wolf parts. The latest picture showed wolf ears and a booger on the little guy’s face. He looked so startled and also so adorable that my heart practically burst.
“No,” I said. “I have some other ideas.”
“Yeah? Like what?” he asked, leaning over to kiss me. Felix kissed me all the time. Pecks on the cheeks, lingering date night kisses that left me breathless, and the everydayI love youslike this one. I loved every single one.
“Um,” I said, knowing I should have brought it up before. “Actually, I want one of those.”
I tapped his phone, and he looked down at the picture of his nephew.
“The kind with big fuzzy ears are my favorite,” I whispered.
“They’re kind of my favorite, too,” he whispered back. “But you know that means that you’re signing up for a forever future with me. Do you think you’re going to be happy with a corporate burnout retiree?”
“Mmm,” I said, putting my fingers to my head and closing my eyes as if receiving a message. “Magic Eight Ball says. . . All signs point to yes.”
Felix grinned and leaned over to kiss me again. “Happily ever after, here we come.”
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