| |
SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, Britt was sitting at her favorite table in Coble Coffee again with Vivian, Rick, Megan, and Tyler. It was a Saturday morning, and gradually they’d all made their way here. They’d been hanging out for almost an hour, chatting and drinking coffee.
Britt was having a good time. Nash had been sitting with them too until the barista took her break. Now he was working behind the counter. But she could still look over at him occasionally, catching his eye or snickering at his attempt to hide his grumpy expression when customers took too long deciding on their orders.
It was a good morning, and she had another week off before her summer session began.
She shouldn’t be tearing up and trying to keep the others from seeing.
Vivian had gotten a position as Assistant Professor at another university, so she and Rick would be moving soon. They were both excited about the transition, and they’d already found a great apartment. Next month, they’d get married, and the month after that they’d move.
Britt was thrilled for them. Of course she was. Vivian had worked really hard to get her PhD, and her new job would be a great fit. But Britt didn’t want her and Rick to move.
“Are you about to cry over there, Britt?” Megan asked, her dry voice breaking into the conversation about moving plans.
“No.” Britt tried to keep her voice even and her eyes wide. “Why would I be crying?”
“Oh my God, Britt!” Vivian giggled and reached over to squeeze Britt’s forearm. “We’re going to be only two hours away.”
“I know. I’m really happy. We’ll still see each other a lot.” Britt swiped a stray tear away. “But it won’t be the same.”
“No. It won’t. I’m kind of sad about moving away from you guys too,” Vivian admitted. “But we’ll still talk all the time and visit a lot. We’ll still be just as good friends as we are now.”
“Of course we will.” Megan was shaking her head in amusement at Britt as she leaned against Tyler. He had his arm around her. They were both wearing wedding rings. They’d gotten married two months ago. “Let’s not descend too far into melodrama quite yet. They’re not going anywhere today.”
“I know that,” Britt said. “I’ll be good. It just caught me by surprise, and I started getting weepy before I knew it.” She grinned at her friends, already feeling better.
Life never stayed the same. Change was normal. Particularly in a university town where the rhythms of life were always transitory. Vivian and Rick weren’t going very far away. Things would be different, but they’d still be good.
She wasn’t going mourn about the good things that were happening to her friends. In another year, she’d finish her own degree, and then she’d have to look for a job too.
She might not find one in town. Obviously Nash wasn’t going to be moving, since his coffee shop was here. Change was going to happen to them too eventually, no matter how much Britt might want to keep it from happening.
Britt and Nash weren’t engaged yet. He hadn’t said anything about marriage, although he always spoke and behaved as though Britt was the one true love of his life.
She believed in that. And, although she did want to get married and have kids, she was happy to wait until he was ready.
The truth was—even without having everything—she’d never been happier than she’d been for the past months with Nash.
She glanced over to catch another glimpse of him and blinked in surprised when he was suddenly standing right next to their table. He wore jeans and an untucked green button-down shirt, and his hair and beard were slightly rumpled.
Without a word, he put a plate of cupcakes on their table. Then he turned to go, but not before he gave Britt’s hair a brief caress. He must have seen her getting emotional earlier.
She let out a sappy giggle at the sweet gesture as she automatically reached for the one cupcake with pink icing.
The cupcake was gorgeous. She didn’t realize how intricately it was decorated until she was holding it. There was actually a little candy elephant on top—one Nash must have made himself. It was so beautiful and so detailed, she gazed down at the cupcake for a long time, admiring it.
“These are fancy,” Tyler said, reaching for one with white icing.
“They’re beautiful.” Vivian was beaming down at the cupcake she’d picked up. “These must have taken Nash forever to make.” Her eyes moved up to Britt and then farther past her, like something else had caught her attention.
Britt gently removed the candy elephant because it was too special to eat.
Then she grew very still. Something sparkled at her from the icing beneath it.
“What’s wrong, Britt?” Megan asked around the bite of cupcake she’d just taken.
Britt still couldn’t move. On the bed of pink icing was a gold ring with a pretty diamond solitaire.
She made a squeaking sound.
Vivian had straightened up, covering her mouth with her hand. The others were openly smiling. And their eyes were focused just past the chair where Britt was sitting.
So she turned around.
Nash had come back, and he was kneeling next to her seat with a warm, tender smile in his eyes.
Britt gave a little sob.
“Don’t start crying until I get this said,” Nash murmured dryly.
Shuddering with giggles and emotion, Britt turned all the way in her chair so she was facing him. She held the cupcake out as Nash reached over to pick up the ring from the top.
He wiped a residue of icing off with his fingers, and then he said softly, “I love you, Britt. I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives. Forever. And I want to do it as your husband. So will you please marry me?”
Britt was practically bouncing with excitement when he got to the end of the question, but she was so choked up that she couldn’t speak immediately.
Nash added in a stage whisper, “Just as warning, Grandma already told me that she and the girls are ready to jump in as extra bridesmaids. So that’s what we’ll have waiting for us.”
With a helpless giggle, Britt she threw herself into his arms, being sure to hold one hand out so she didn’t mess up her pink cupcake. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you! And everyone can be bridesmaids if they want!”
Their friends laughed and cheered, and everyone else in the coffee shop applauded, but Britt was only vaguely aware of the commotion.
Because Nash had his arms around her tightly, and she knew for sure he was never going to let her go.
Which was exactly what she wanted.
The rest of her life. With him.
And, yes, some things would change. Life always did, but love didn’t have to. With Nash, she was looking forward to whatever came next.
***
AUTHOR’S NOTE: If you missed them, be sure to check out the first two stories in the Coble Coffee series—The Older Man Plan (about Vivian and Rick) and Seduction Instruction (about Megan and Tyler).
If you want to keep up with my new releases and sales, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter.
If you want book discussion and insider information on my books, you can join my Reader Group on Facebook. Just ask to join and I’ll approve you.
If you want a complete list of my books, including series and tropes, you can go to my Printable Book List.