Page 12 of Pop
“Ah, there’s no one better at bike engines than you.”
“She sounds happy.”
“The bike?”
“The girl, dumbass.”
I chuckle. I knew that. “She’s everything to me. I’m happy too.”
“I understand why she was always listening for bikes, now,” he says.
“She was?”
“Yeah. Every day, every bike. She watched them like she was waiting for one. Now I get it. She was waiting for you.”
My stomach twists and my heart swells. I missed her too.
“I’m gonna treat her like a queen,” I promise him.
“I know, son,” he says, patting me on the back. “I know.”
Luna
“You messed with his life, Daniel,” I say as we stand in the back office and discuss the fact that I’m leaving the diner. “You messed with mine too. I lost him for six years while he left like he was Westley in the Princess Bride heading off to seek his fortune.”
Daniel humphs. “Well, he came back lookin’ like that Dread Pirate Roberts.”
I smile. “I think he’s a work of art.”
Daniel rolls his eyes. “You and your art. Art doesn’t pay the bills.”
“I don’t really care what you think or thought about him or me. What I want is for you to put the past behind you, apologize for getting him expelled and be a decent brother-in-law towards the man I love. I want you in my life.”
He runs a hand over his head. “I can’t believe you’re leaving here.”
“I have to, Dan. I’m dying here. I don’t want this life.”
With a sigh, he nods. “All right. If it’s what you want, I’ll support it.”
“And you’ll apologize?”
He presses his lips together.
“Dan! I swear I’ll tell mom and dad what you did.”
He holds up his hands in defeat. “Fine. I’ll say sorry. I’ll be nice.”
“Thank you.” I grin, feeling triumphant. “You can start by going out there now.”
Grumbling to himself, he leaves the office and heads out front where Derek is talking with Bob. I watch them through the window in the kitchen and smile to myself when I see the men in my life shake hands. Dad and Mom will love Derek because I love Derek, but Dan was a whole other hurdle. I’m brimming with joy to see this cooperation for me.
Feeling happy that my life is finally on a path I always wanted, I head back into the office and collect my things. I have so many memories of this place, and it’s the place my life with Derek started. I spent a lot of my years wishing I was anywhere but here, but in a way, I’m really going to miss it. There’s a lot of love in these walls. These walls saw my first kiss. In this place, I found my soulmate, and he has shown me my path forward. I can’t wait to see where it takes us. The future is ours.
Epilogue 1
LUNA
Five years later…
