“When you told me we were coming to Colorado so you could get vengeance against a random dude who owned a café, I had no idea I’d like it as much as I do. Maybe I don’t want to be your assistant anymore. Maybe I want to stay and work for Mimi athercafé and hang out with her and her boyfriend instead of you.”
“Oh, honey, Harry isnotmy boyfriend,” Mimi says. “And I donotneed a café.”
Zen rolls their eyes. “You’re in your nineties, Mimi. You don’t have time to waste debating if you want to be boyfriend and girlfriend or live out some old dreams. Forgive, forget, pick back up where you left off, save Uncle Grey from his horrible plans of thinking he can actually beSuper Vengeance Man, and grab life by whatever balls it has left for you.”
“That’s…more like the romantic you I expect,” I tell them.
“I aim to be very direct and tolerate zero bullshit from the people in my life.”
Mimi’s eyes are twinkling.
They’re actuallytwinkling. “So you think I should take this café?”
“Please, Mimi. Save me from my horrible boss and give me a new direction in my life.”
She laughs. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, Greyson, please go run my café for me today. And give Harry’s granddaughter a raise. She works hard. She’s earned it.”
She does work hard.
She’s the reason the café runs as smoothly as it does.
And she’s right.
It won’t hurt Chandler at all for me to destroy it.
Super Vengeance Manwas a bad idea.
But coming here wasn’t.
Coming here showed me what I actually want. What I need for closure from all of the people who’ve stabbed me in the back. And how I want to spend the rest of my life.
“Can you run the café today?” I ask Zen.
They blink at me.
Blink again, then look at their phone. Their eyebrows shoot up.
And then they grin at me. “About time, Uncle Grey, but give a person some warning when you know the manager’s going to be out for the day since she didn’t sleep at all last night.”
Now I amdefinitelygoing ruddy in the cheeks. “I want the café back when you’re done with it,” I tell Mimi.
“For your kombrewchery?” she asks.
I shake my head. “For something better. Excuse me. I have some research I need to do.” I kiss them both on the tops of their heads, and then I take off.
I do.
I knowexactlywhat I need to do.
And it’s perfect and just and right.
Finally.
33
Sabrina
Wearinga flashing neon sign that saysI had sex with Grey last nightwould probably have been less inconspicuous than fielding the number of knowing looks I get when I stumble into Bean & Nugget four hours late for my shift.
