A huge smile spread across her face before she pressed her lips to mine, smiling into the kiss as she backed away.
“Then take me home.”
EPILOGUE
CLAUDIA
“Whose stupid ideawas it to have holiday parties?” I quipped as I swept the New Year’s streamers from behind the bar. “Oh, right. Mine.”
Abby chuckled as she tied another garbage bag closed. “And there’s confetti everywhere. Even the bathroom. People really got into it, so that’s good, right?”
“Right.” I tried to agree, hoping I’d be able to clean up the celebration remnants before Easter.
I was pretty sure the entire town had been packed into the bar last night, but the older crowd had cleared out before midnight. After decorating all day and being on my feet for most of the night, I’d been jealous of their departures and had wished I could join them. Jude had snuck in right under the wire to give me my New Year’s kiss, but at that time, we were both too exhausted to do anything other than pass out once we got home.
By Christmas, George had been all moved in. His apartment was small, but he seemed so happy and relieved to be there. He’d loved the tiny tree I’d bought him but ushered us out when we’d “lingered too long.”
It had almost felt like taking a kid to school for his first day, hoping and wishing all would be fine when we dropped him off. I missed seeing George in his regular chair when I walked into the living room or reading the newspaper at the kitchen table, but he was thriving in his new home with his old friends and a new lady friend we heard a lot about lately.
Jude was still getting used to his father living mostly alone, but he had no hang-ups about sex on the couch, against the kitchen counter, or basically anywhere we wanted now since we had the place to ourselves.
George encouraged us to fix up the house however we wanted, but as long as we had a nice big new bed and I could climb into it next to Jude every night, everything else could wait.
Moving in with Jude had been a big deal, but once I was there, it seemed too natural to be a milestone. Just like when I’d ended up here and asked Larry to buy his bar, I was simply where I was supposed to be.
“This is our last garbage bag, too,” Brandon told me with a grimace.
“Seriously? And the market is closed for New Year’s Day. I think Walmart is open at least until the afternoon.” I stared at the brightly colored crumples of paper in the dustpan I was holding and groaned.
“I’ll go. Hopefully everyone is sleeping off a hangover and the roads will be nice and empty.”
“Oh, you’re going now?” Cece asked, almost startled. “Up the highway?”
“Yeah, unless you know another way to get to the mall?” I narrowed my eyes. “I’ll get my jacket and head over. Text me if you think of anything else we need.”
When I came out of my office, ambling to the front as I zipped my jacket, I spotted all three of my staff in a secret conference.
“The least you can do is wait until your boss leaves before you talk about her,” I joked, scrutinizing them even more when they jumped apart. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Cece said, giving me an almost watery smile as she came up to me. “Have a nice drive.”
“Guys, I’m going to Walmart, not off to war. What gives?”
“Nothing,” Abby offered a little too quickly.
“Yeah, thanks for going for us. We should probably keep cleaning.” Brandon cleared his throat and headed into the back.
“You do that,” I said, eyeing them all as I made my way to the door.
I shook my head as I got into my car and started the engine. A call from Peyton came through as I pulled out of my spot and headed out of town.
“Hey, girl. That was an awesome party last night,” she told me on a yawn.
“It must have been if it’s ten in the morning and you’re still yawning like that.”
“Since Mom had Keely, Jake and I came home and—”
“Had your own party? I hope Mike was out or at least has invested in good noise-canceling headphones.”
