Lark? I don’t know that name at all.
“Oh,” Olivia exclaims and points at Joss, “you’re on the cover.”
“Lark?” Joss and I ask at the same time and share a goofy look because of it.
Amelia covers her mouth, but I can still see her grimace. “Uh,” she starts and then rolls her eyes at herself, “I’m always forgetting she uses a pen name, sorry.”
All I can do is blink at the woman a few times because what? She knows one of my favorite authors to the point that she knows her real name? Who the fuck is this woman?
Joss shifts from one foot to the other, “I do some modeling on the side. My ex cleaned out my bank account and walked away. I’m still trying to get back to center, ya know?”
Anger flares in Amelia’s eyes and she leans closer. Her voice drops to something deadly, “Tell Blake. He’ll get Duncan, who is the tech guyyou want to know, on it. You’re family now and we take care of our family.”
Tears well up in my eyes and I have to blink them away. Joss nods as he swallows hard and I know her words are hitting him too.
When Beckett hands me a business card, I take it with trembling fingers. “If you’re not busy tomorrow, you can come and check out the space.” I think I nod; I must nod. “Great,” he grins, amusement dancing in his voice, “does noon work for you?”
I think I nod again, but all he does is chuckle. Then there’s a lot of activity as the group buys out a good portion of my treats. I’m in a daze for most of it and Joss stands sentinel at my side as if he knows I’m about a second away from falling apart.
When they walk away with waves and the promise to see each other soon, as in tomorrow, I look up at Joss, speechless. The look we share is weighted and full of possibility. There’s a knowing, as if we can both feel how our path has changed. As long as we walk it together, I think we’ll be just fine.
“Love you, Sugar,” he murmurs and I sink into him as he grounds me. His solid frame helps me feel like this might be real.
That it all might be real. Him. The possibility of my dream becoming reality. Joss working in a place where he’ll be respected and spend time with people who understand his past and his future. Love.
“I love you, Joss,” I murmur, “so much.”
The feeling of hope never leaves me as the day continues on; it wraps itself around me and holds tight. I never thought my life would change so quickly, but then I met Joss, and I found out that with him in my life I could find happiness, chocolate shop or no chocolate shop.
But, of course, it would be much better with one. Now, I might just get to find out.
EPILOGUE
FOUR MONTHS LATER
JOSS
I can’t help but grin as I look around Synful Sweets. It took a lot of work and planning, but it all came together today. My woman is fucking glowing and I’m so proud of her I can hardly stay still. I don’t even mind that I’m wearing a frilly pink apron since I’ve been behind the counter and helping her. I couldn’t do that and not be in uniform.
I’m aware that I look ridiculous. I don’t give a single fuck. Troy tried to rattle me earlier when he came in and gave me shit for my outfit.
We’ve been going all day, and I’ve been impressed as hell at how many people have come in. I know it’s because everyone has rallied around my woman to show her love and support. Bailey, who is the sister of one tattoo artist at the shop and married to another, did the graphic design. Amelia, who has experience running a retail store, helped with hiring people. Then everyone came together to get the word out which is obvious by how low my woman’s display case is looking.
It’s amazing.
I come up behind my woman and wrap her up in my arms, not caring that there are still a few customers checking out the shop. Her staff can handle the few people left while we take a moment to soak up how amazing and special today is.
It shouldn’t have even happened, but fate or destiny or whatever you want to call it was shining down on us. In more ways than one.
I’ve been working at Higgins Security since the day I met with Blake about a position. I left the security gig behind without a second thought. I’ve done the few photoshoots that I had committed to, but I’m done with that gig as well. I don’t need it.
Not now since Duncan, who is scary when it comes to tech shit, was able to track down Dori and get my money back. All of it. He wanted to get it back for me with interest, but I didn’t want that. I just wanted what she took.
Not having that weight on my shoulders is still unbelievable at times. I was a prisoner to it for so long and now I can just exist. I can just live.
And I’m living better than I have in years. All because of my woman. My Sugar. Syndal.
She’s fucking everything.
