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“Calvin, I presume,” Rory deadpanned.
“No. I found all of them.”
Rory perked up. “All of them?”
Blake smirked.
“AHHH!”
Rory ran out of the shop. They all followed, making their way around the brick building to the parking lot in front. Jess froze.
A canopy tent was set up in the center of the lot, covered in twinkling lights with lawn chairs scattered underneath. Multiple coolers were around a table tucked into the corner with pizza boxes piled high next to a small Bluetooth speaker. Honey’s leash was tied up to the chair she sat on, her tail wagging enthusiastically as she took in everything around her, her tongue out and panting, her expression full of glee. And standing in a huddle, joking and laughing, were the familiar faces Jess had come to cherish deeply over the years.
Rory sprinted up to Tyler and shrieked as she jumped on him.
He caught her with a laugh and spun her around. “Hi, Ry.”
“Ty, what are you doing here?! You have a game in three days!”
“I couldn’t miss this,” he explained, kissing his girlfriend on the cheek. “And I had to see my girl.”
Rory’s eyes twinkled, then she leaned down and licked his face. He balked out a laugh, mumbling a playful “You menace” before kissing her on the lips.
“Jessica Valerie.”
Everyone froze and glanced up at the man who stood on a cooler in the middle of the Scoops parking lot, his honey-blonde hair tucked behind one of his signature bandanas.
He held his arms out wide. “Today marks the end of an era.”
Everyone cheered.
Jess crossed her arms. “Get down from there.”
“No way. Not until I have thoroughly congratulated my girl for finishing her last shift at Scoops ever—”
More cheering.
“And for taking over Grampy’s bakery in a few months—”
“I still wrap my head around that,” Calvin chimed in.
“But she also did one very important thing this summer.”
“Took off her clothes for you?” Jay joked.
The Scoopers howled as Jess flipped Jay off. He winked in response.
Kevin puffed up his chest. “Okay, two very important things.”
He held out his hands to her. She grumbled as she stepped closer and placed her hands in his. He pulled her up on top of the cooler, then wrapped her in his arms. His smile was so infectious, she couldn’t resist one of her own.
“You chose to be brave this summer, and did all the things you wanted to do. All before Labor Day.”
“Even if I hadn’t, you couldn’t fire me now that I’m your boss.”
He grinned and pressed his nose to hers. “Can I call you that later, boss?” he whispered for her ears only.
She rolled her eyes. “Always taking it too far.”
