Epilogue
Matt rescued a plate of canapés before Pippa dumped them on the floor. She was nervous as hell. Jumping this way and that, making sure everyone had everything they needed before the program aired.
Laura smiled at him, the expression not quite reaching her eyes, and rearranged the items on Phi’s sixteen-seater mahogany dining room table. “You have enough food for twice the people here,” she said.
“I always expect a crowd.” Phi bustled in wearing some kind of silver thing that rustled like a paper bag. She caught sight of him and trilled, like they hadn’t seen each other in the kitchen two minutes ago. “Mathieu, is this not thrilling?”
She grabbed his face and kissed him. Matt dodged the silver feather sticking out of her hair. “It’s great, Phi. Pippa is going to knock this right out of the park.”
“I’m going to puke,” Pippa said, and slumped against the table.
“No, you’re not.” Emily grabbed her and pressed a martini into her hand. “You’re going to drink that and greet your guests like the star you are.”
“People are coming.” Sam roared through the room, almost slamming into Matt’s legs. “There are, like, a thousand cars out there.”
“That’s because we invited them.” Matt straightened the kid and sent him shooting off on his way again. It was a pity Patrick wasn’t going to be here. Pippa told him things between Laura and her husband were still very strained. Patrick had settled her debts, Pippa didn’t know how, but he’d done it. Laura had finished her community service about nine months back, and then elected to stay on working with at-risk teens. Right now, she was fighting with all she had to keep her family together.
“I hate these pants.” Daisy sloughed past him with a glare. “They make my thighs look fat.”
“No, they don’t,” Pippa said, drawing her niece into a hug. “Do we really have to have that talk about the way we speak about ourselves?”
“God, no.” Daisy rolled her eyes but returned the hug. “I told everyone at school about your new show.”
“You did?” Pippa’s eyes got a bit watery, and Matt slid into place beside her. This new show of hers meant the world to Pippa. It had taken two years to get to this point. Allie was selected as the first participant. Even with the Chris Germaine clout behind it, the network had come on board slowly.
“Don’t start bawling.” Laura handed Pippa a Kleenex. “Or I’ll have to disown you as my little sister.”
Pippa snatched the Kleenex and dabbed her eyes. Things with Laura went even slower than the network. Basically, she and Pippa were too different to ever be best friends, but they managed to be there for each other through the big shit.
“Hey there.” Eric waved to him from the doorway.
Damn, did his brother not own a pair of jeans that weren’t designer? Stupid question, because Matt knew for a fact Eric didn’t. Working closely with his brother over the last two years had brought all sorts of revelations. Not the least of which was that Eric wasn’t the only Evans brother with the Midas touch. Matt kept his smug grin off his face, but just barely. This was Pippa’s day. He’d had his moment eighteen months back when they broke ground on the first Evans Property development. Sales were driving him and Eric to work sixteen-hour days and weekends. It meant he didn’t spend as much time with Pippa as he would like, but she’d been as busy and they both made sacrifices for their future.
A future that was looking brighter and brighter. Along with a beautiful five thousand square foot home perched right on the edge of Lovers’ Leap. He, Eric, and Nate had worked side by side to build it.
More people flooded in and pretty soon he and Pippa were caught up in a sea of excited faces and chatter. Most of Ghost Falls had shown up to watch the first episode of Your Best You.
Matt nodded to Nate as his brother slunk past a group of single women and disappeared into the salon, which Phi had kept them busy rearranging for the past week.
Jo led his mother into the room, and Matt sent her a heavy stare.
Jo rolled her eyes.
Yup, Cressy was doing her thing, but at least she was here. Isaac had started basic training two months ago and wouldn’t be able to make it. Still not sure what he wanted to do with his life, Isaac had joined the Army. The Cressy meltdown following that one had been epic. But her posse, led by Nurse Belinda—who still hated his guts—had clustered about her, and clucked, cooed, and soothed his mother back into a better mood.
Bella popped up right in front of them, her big blue eyes lit up and dancing. “I’m so excited for you, Pippa.”
Pippa and Bella seemed to spend a lot of time together. Fortunately, it kept Bella out of the kitchen a bit more. He tuned out of their conversation and took stock.
It had been a helluva two years. Pippa would be great. He had no doubt about it.
“It’s starting,” Sam bellowed from the other room.
With an excited ripple the crowd moved toward the salon.
Pippa tugged him back. “I love you,” she whispered. “In a totally casual way.”
“And I love you.” His own shit-eating grin took over his face.
How lucky could one guy get?