Chapter 25

People are always impressed when they see Mason’s house for the first time. It’s in a gated, lake-front community, which is impressive as it is. But then you see the two story home that’s practically a mansion (I say practically because real mansions are bigger) and your jaw drops. Here in Texas, it fits the phrase, everything’s bigger in Texas.

I’m still not sure why my cousin bought such a huge house for himself, but I love it. Now, he and Livi share it and I have no doubt that in the near future they’ll be getting married and filling the spare rooms with kids. For now, it’s a fun party place, and since Mason is my cousin, I have my own set of keys and garage door opener and can come and go as I please.

Gabe’s expression is no different than anyone else’s when we pull into Mason’s long driveway. “Nice place,” he says, eyes wide and mouth slightly open as he peers up at the stone bricked home, and all of its sloping angles and perfectly manicured landscaping.

“You should see the back yard,” I say. Mason’s pool is huge, with a manmade waterfall on one end, and a long deck that always smells like fresh lumber, which is my favorite part. There’s a covered patio, an outdoor sound system, a comfortable dining table, TVs for watching football games, and a hot tub.

Gabe parks behind Livi’s truck and turns to face me. He took a quick shower at his apartment, while I pretended to sit on the black leather couch in his living room, when really, I kind of snooped around. I didn’t do any actual privacy invading, but I just walked around and looked at his things. There’s exactly one framed photo on the wall, and it’s a black and white aerial photograph of the old Astrodome arena. The rest of his apartment was just as he described. Boring and bachelor-like. He had one couch, one recliner, a coffee table, a TV mounted to the wall, and some barstools in the kitchen. He didn’t even have any appliances on the countertops, besides a coffee maker. Of course, that last part might not be so weird. As a baker, I tend to have every appliance ever, but most people aren’t obsessed with cooking.

Gabe’s bedroom had a neatly made bed, one nightstand, another TV on the wall, and a bookshelf filled with mostly magazines and nonfiction books. The whole apartment gave the vibe of a young guy who is more business than partying, and I like that. He’s just like me in that way. We’re business owners and we work hard. As long as he doesn’t mind my many colorful, Moroccan-inspired home decorations, I think we’ll eventually blend together just fine.

Yep, I am totally thinking about us moving in together one day. One day. I know that a twenty-four hour relationship is way too soon to be thinking about that kind of thing, but when the time comes, and we’ve been together long enough to know we’re a sure thing, then I can’t wait.

Gabe bites his lip nervously, and it pulls me from my thoughts. We’re still parked in front of Mason’s house for Livi’s impromptu grilling night. He just said something, but I didn’t hear it.

“Sorry, what?”

“Were you off in your own world?” he says, peering at me curiously.

“I guess. Sorry about that.”

“You looked really cute, even though you weren’t listening to me.”

I blush. “Well, I was thinking about us, so…”

He laughs. “What I said was, do you think they’ll like me?”

“Of course. They already met you and they invited you over, so that’s a good thing.” I reach up and run my fingers through his hair, pretending I’m fixing it when really I just want to touch him. “They’ll definitely ask a ton of questions so they can try to figure you out, but you’re good. They’ll love you.”

“Isn’t it funny how when someone new joins a friend group, everyone judges if they’re good enough to date their friend, but when you’re the new person you don’t get to judge? I can’t just meet a group of people and be like, ‘Hey, I know you two have been married for twenty years, but you seem like an awful match.’”

I chuckle. “That would be hilarious, though.”

He turns off the engine. “Ready?”

I swallow down my nerves. Livi and Mason are both family and friends, but they’re my age and so it shouldn’t be so nerve-wracking. Instead, it feels like I’m bringing Gabe back to meet my mom, and that I desperately hope she’ll like him. The thought sends a pang of heartache rocketing through my chest. Mom died when I was too young to have started dating. I wonder what she’d say now, if she could meet Gabe?

 Gabe reaches for my hand and we walk up to Mason’s house together. As the years go by, I start to lose all the little bits of my mom that I can remember. Her smile, her laugh. The smell of her perfume is only vibrant in my mind because I kept the bottle and smell it all the time. Still, as I think of her and watch Gabe smiling down at me, I think she would approve. I think she’d be glad I found someone who is smart and kind, and business savvy. Most of all, she’d be happy that I’m happy.

I reach for the door handle on the massive double-door entry.

“Wait,” Gabe says, looking alarmed. “We’re not going to ring the doorbell?”

“I’m family,” I say, tossing him a grin. “I do what I want. But you’ll have to stay here and ring the doorbell.”

He rolls his eyes, and I playfully bump into his shoulder as I open the door. “We’re here!” I call out into the massive living room area of Mason’s house. There’s no response, but the humming of music from outside tells me they’re already in the back yard.

“Come on,” I say, leading the way to the back door. “It might be awkward at first, but soon you’ll be part of us.”

Gabe stops me right before I open the back door. He cups his hand to my face and smiles down at me. “You are the best thing to ever happen to me. Thanks for giving me a chance.”

My eyes burn as emotion wells up inside of me. I was just thinking of my mom, and now my closest friends, and Gabe. I want so badly for us to be as happy as we can be. I want what Livi and Mason have. Something tells me I’ve finally found it. I lift up on my toes and kiss him. “Thanks for driving all the way over here to find me.”

Outside, the smell of burgers on the grill makes my mouth water. Livi and Mason are already two beers in, so they tell us to catch up. I appreciate it though, because the buzz has them both laid back and friendly. They’re always friendly anyway, but this is the first time I’ve brought a guy over. I was half worried that they’d turn into judgmental interviewers whose sole purpose was to pick apart my new boyfriend to find all of his flaws.

Luckily, it’s not like that.

Mason talks to Gabe as if he’s an old friend, and soon Gabe is helping him man the grill. Livi and I sit on the edge of the pool, our toes dipped in the water while the lights inside make everything glow and sparkle. The stars shine brightly overhead, and the weather is just warm enough to still be comfortable. She tells me her good news, that Mason finally asked why she hasn’t moved into his bedroom yet, and I hug her and tell her I’m excited that they now officially live together.

We eat and drink and laugh, and all my worries melt away. It dawns on me that Livi and Mason aren’t the type of people to be judgmental. They trust me and they care about me, and if I tell them I’m totally enamored with this new guy, then they’ll believe it. They trust that he’s a good guy because I think he’s a good guy.

I seriously can’t get any better friends than these two.

Hours fly by, and soon it’s midnight. The music is still playing, and the conversation flows like we’ve all known each other forever. Livi and I still have our toes in the water, and now we’re enjoying Mason’s homemade frozen margaritas. I look over at Gabe, who is sitting on a patio chair just behind me. He winks at me.

Then I look at my best friend, who just a few months ago was a stranger, and I think about how wonderful life can be. It brings new people into your world just at a time when you need them the most. You can spend your whole life living in the same small town, and yet still somehow find the people you were supposed to be with all along.

Livi smiles at me, her blonde hair glowing under the moonlight. I remember when I first saw her enter my bakery with her grandmother. She looked stressed out and a little lost, but soon she became a regular customer, and then my best friend. I smile back at her, and then close my eyes and lean my head back toward the stars. A warm breeze trickles across my hair, and behind me, Mason and Gabe are bonding over their shared love of the Astros baseball team.

I don’t know exactly when it happens, but it does. Everything changes, somehow. Friendship, love, happiness. It’s all here now. I open my eyes and stare up at the stars, knowing that this is the start of something new.

And it’s going to be wonderful.

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