“Finally!”
Anita jumped up from the bench and saw Harper, Olivia, Melody, and Riley standing there. All of them started clapping.
“What’s going on?” Tanner stood and faced them, placing his arm around Anita and holding her close.
“We didn’t think you two would ever figure it out,” Harper said.
“EvenIknew you were meant for each other. And I don’t even live here.” Melody smirked.
Riley beamed. “This is so romantic.”
“We should get back to the reception,” Harper said, then pointed at Anita and Tanner. “But not you two. Y’all can stay out here as long as you want.”
“Don’t worry,” Tanner said, giving Anita a look that not only curled her toes but healed her heart. “We’re planning on it.”
Epilogue
Three months later
“Are you sure you don’t need me to bring you another pillow?” Tanner handed his mother the remote control to the TV.
She sighed. “Stop fussing over me, Tanner. I’ve got my water, my crochet”—she held up a ball of orange-and-yellow yarn with a crochet hook stuck through it—“and plenty of pillows. I also got a gold star from Dr.Bedford yesterday, so you can finally quit hovering.”
Tanner put the blue throw pillow back on the couch and perched on the edge. He had to leave soon, but there was something he wanted to talk about before he did. “I’m glad to hear you’ve impressed the taskmaster.”
“And I’m glad you finally did something about those white things in your ears.”
He resisted touching the two clear stitches in each of hisearlobes. They were almost healed, and because the holes hadn’t been that big, there wouldn’t be much of a scar. “I kind of miss them, though.”
“I don’t. Now you look like a real businessman.”
Tanner beamed. Things couldn’t be better. His mother had recovered from her unstable angina, although she would be on heart medicine for the rest of her life. But she had lost weight and had gone to part time at the bottling company in addition to quitting her second job. This left her more time to volunteer at church and hang out with the Bosom Buddies. He hadn’t seen her this happy in years.
“Is Anita excited for her grand opening tomorrow?” Mom went back to crocheting the cowl she’d been working on, using the same pattern Anita and her friends had decided on for their charity project this year. They had already donated more than two dozen to the homeless shelter, most of them made by his mother. She had picked up the craft quickly after not doing it for so long.
“Yes, but she’s nervous.”
“I can’t wait to see what the place looks like,” she said. “You two have been so secretive about it.”
“We want everyone to be surprised.”
His mother stopped crocheting and looked at him, her eyes soft. “I’m so glad you decided to combine businesses.”
“Me too.” The Sunshine Diner was now next door to the brand-new Sunshine Café. After Hayden and Riley’s wedding, he and Anita had started working together, and soon after, she had asked him if she could name the café Sunshine. She had also returned to work at the diner, picking up a shift or two when she was able. “It’s not work to me,” she said onenight when they were closing together and he’d wondered aloud if she was taking on too much. “I miss this place.”
Everyone had missed her. Most of all him.
“There’s only one thing left to do,” Mom said as he got up from the couch.
“What’s that?”
She winked at him and went back to crocheting.
He laughed. “See you later, Mom.” He was still smiling when he got into his Jeep.
She has no idea.
***
