Epilogue

Three months later

On a Saturday afternoon, at a table by the window in Grounds N’at, Brian studied a map on the laptop before him.

Rob leaned back in his chair. “I think it’ll be fine. We’ve been biking all summer, and the weather will be cooler.”

“I’m worried about it being too cool in the mountains.” The Great Allegheny Passage’s grade wasn’t more than 1 percent. The C&O Towpath had steeper parts, but they’d been riding the hills in Pittsburgh. Nothing either path tossed at them should be too hard. Still, in the mountains it was bound to get cold during the first week of October.

Rob caressed the back of Brian’s neck. “We’ve the lodging worked out. The bikes are in good shape. It’s going to be fine.”

He nibbled on his fingernail.

Rob slid his hand down to Brian’s shoulder. “Don’t make me rutabaga you in public.” Amusement in his voice.

Okay, maybe he was being silly. “I’ve never done anything like this before.” A week’s worth of biking. A few days in DC to see some sites, then a train ride home. Exciting, but also terrifying.

It meant two weeks away from Grounds N’at. He took a breath. “I’ve never been away this long.” Not since owning the shop.

Rob softened. “I know. That’ll be fine, too. You know it’ll be.”

He did. Between some hard work, hard choices, and Justin’s tough love—they’d set the shop back on track. The coffee he owed Sam? He was making more than enough to cover that now.

The shop was running better than ever.

They’d rejiggered the menu and the ordering and the scheduling. Added some theme evenings once a month. Justin suggested Brian start crafting beverages again, a special drink each month.

He’d completely forgotten how well those went over. Too stressed to see beyond the schedule and the books to find solutions.

Hell, Justin had even tracked down Ev, Dan, and Jan and brought them back in. They’d finished high school and they’d all stayed close to home. Ev had ended up at the University of Pittsburgh—and taken a job at the shop.

Zie and Lamont were on tonight, with Lamont training and closing. While Brian always thought he’d end up promoting Miranda, with her schedule, he couldn’t. Her grandmom was better, but still required a decent amount of care.

Lamont had taken on more and more responsibility and risen to every occasion. Brian really didn’t see any reason not to make him assistant manager. All the other baristas agreed. Including Miranda.

Perfect solution.

“All right. I’ll stop worrying.” He closed the laptop.

Rob caught his hand and kissed it. “No, you won’t. But don’t let it keep you from enjoying this.”

Life happened, whether he worried or not. He gave Rob’s hand a squeeze. “I’m sure you’ll help keep me in check.”

“You can count on it.” Rob’s smile was wicked, though his kiss was on the chaste side—a peck that was a promise of more when they weren’t in the shop.

The chimes on the door clanked against the frame, and brought a familiar face into Grounds N’at. Anita focused on the counter and her smile fell away. “Oh, damn it! He’s not working? He’s always working! The one time . . .”

Brian had to laugh, even if it contained the bitter sting of regret. Lots of lost hours with family and friends.

Rob patted his knee, as if he knew where Brian’s brain had turned. Maybe he did—they’d talked a bit about Anita and his breakup with her a few times. After a moment, Rob pulled his hand away.

Ev pointed at Brian. “He’s not working. But he’s over there.”

Anita swung around. “Wow. For a moment, I thought I was in some alternate universe.” She grinned and came over.

“Well, I am off, but I’m also in the middle of packing my apartment—and we needed table space to plan our trip and—” He gestured at the table.

She eyed him and Rob. “Wait, you’re taking a vacation?”

Brian nodded, not bothering to hide his grin.

“Maybe I have entered a different dimension.” Her smile drifted to horror. “Please don’t tell me this trip is at the end of October.”

“Beginning. Why?”

She dug into her purse and pulled out an envelope. Thick. Nice paper. “Because I have this.” She handed it to Brian, and there was his full name: Brian Galileo Keppler.

Rob stared at the envelope. “Your middle name is Galileo?” Loud. Loud enough that the entire shop heard.

Heat to his face. That was one of the very last things he told people. Anita had only pried it out of him after too much tequila and too many tacos. “Um. My parents thought it would be amusing—and it’s Italian. They figured if I was already named after one astronomer . . .”

Rob’s lopsided grin took away the pain. “Your parents are the fucking best.”

Anita looked utterly confused. She glanced between Rob and him.

Brian carefully opened the envelope, though he had a good idea what it contained. He pulled out the gorgeous and gilded wedding invitation for the last Saturday in October. “Congratulations,” he murmured, and meant it.

“Thanks.” Color touched her cheeks. “I said I’d invite you. And it’s plus one. I didn’t know if you were seeing anyone.”

Rob shifted in his seat and Brian’s stomach tumbled. He’d kept his bisexuality tighter to his chest with Anita than his middle name. He read through the rest of the invitation and glanced at the RSVP card to stall for time, then tucked everything back into the envelope. “Actually—Anita, I’d like you to meet Rob Ancroft. Rob, this is Anita Carrillo, my ex-girlfriend.”

Rob held out his hand and Anita took it. She wore surprise, but not of horror, which was good. “Pleased to meet you,” Rob’s voice was soft, friendly. British.

Anita met Brian’s gaze and he took a breath. “Rob’s my boyfriend.”

“Wow.” She puffed out a breath. “So you’re bi or pan? I mean, I shouldn’t assume you’re not gay, but . . .” She waved her hand at herself and her cheeks flushed. “Um. Well . . .”

Yeah, they’d enjoyed themselves in bed. A lot. He nodded. “Bi.”

She glanced at the closed laptop. “You’re planning a vacation together?”

He nodded again.

“How long?”

Rob gave her his best smile, the one that turned Brian inside out. “Two weeks.”

A huge grin spread across her face. “I need to know how you two met.” She grabbed a chair from another table and pulled it over. “If you’re dragging him from this shop for two weeks, this is seriously serious.”

The heat on Brian’s cheeks returned. “He . . . breezed in one day and swept me off my feet.”

Rob snorted. “You wooed me with coffee and puns about cream, then licked ice cream off my hand.”

Oh God. He buried his face in his hands. “Rob . . .”

Anita laughed. “You have to invite me to the wedding.”

Wedding. His breath caught and he lowered his hands. “We’re not even engaged.”

“Yet,” Rob said, all teeth and dimples and love.

Sitting there was his present and his future. His life and love. Rob.

Brian reached for Rob’s hand and they twined fingers. “We’ll send you an invitation.”