Page 68 of Mocha Kisses

“Thank you all for coming,” Griffin says as he smiles. It doesn’t quite reach his eyes but I’m sure everyone in this room doesn’t know that. “I’m so happy to celebrate my new book with you. I’m also aware that there’s been some rapid release of coverage of my relationship in the news.” No one is speaking. Yana hasn’t budged from her spot but I can see her poised at the ready. What does she think she’s going to do? “So, I’m here to clear a few things up and then hopefully you can all celebrate with me. Deal?”

There’s a chorus of yeses before Max waves his hands to quiet them down. This is what I would have expected of the last gathering. Fans, movie producers I actually recognize, and a few famous people who have made a name for themselves. I recognize coworkers, other writers who are signed with Shepard’s Press, and even the doorman.

“My private life is mine and mine alone. Unfortunately, my wishes weren’t heeded and our PR manager took it upon herself to curate an image that doesn’t reflect who I am. My tattoos aren’t from some dark past that I don’t want to talk about. The only pain I’ve ever been dealt is losing the love of my life. She came back to me and my relationship with the ones I love most in my life is everything. I’m not ready to get into the specifics or all the details. Just know that Yana Siegel is the reason that I’ve been in ‘pain’ all these years. She stole my woman’s past from her for selfish gain and it’s only now as we approach our 30s that I can enjoy my happy ending. To be honest, god, I hate plugging my book here,” he chuckles and I squeeze his hand to give him a little comfort as he wipes his eyes with the back of his other hand and then continues. “I had so much trouble with this last book. The main character was dealt a bad hand over and over and over again. I wanted him to have a happy ending and everything he wanted but I couldn’t give it to him. Not until Luna St. Claire stumbled back into my life. The light that I needed was her. It’s always been her.”

My smile morphs into confusion as I twist around to look at the other two standing off to the side. They’re grinning little boys in a candy shop and when I twist back around, Griffin is on his knee holding up a small red box. “Precious, will you marry me?”

The entire place is dead silent. I don’t even know how to react.

So, I do what anyone else would in this adult situation where I have more than one man. I bend down and slap his shoulder. “I said I was going to marry all three of you,” I hiss.

“Something you just announced to the entire world, precious.” There are giggles and shocked gasps that follow his words. “They said I get dibs. You were mine first. Marry me?”

I’m going to rake them over the coals for this. Fuck, I have a lot of raking to do.

“Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you, sunshine. I’ve waited for this day for six years.” I grab his face in mine, kissing him soundly before he stands up and opens the box. I don’t expect to see his mother’s ring staring at me. Tears gather in my eyes as he sets the microphone on the ground and then slips the ring from the box. “That was your mother’s,” I whisper.

“And she gave it to me for you before she died. Said that no matter what happened, that you would always end up right here. She may not have known what would happen when we got to college but she told me that something precious should be cherished. I always knew you were mine, Luna.Always.” Griffin holds up the ring and I give him my hand as he slides the metal onto my finger. Unlike Yana’s ring, this one is muted with just one small diamond crested into the band. I love its simplicity and the meaning behind it. Griffin drags me in for another kiss, cheers erupting from everyone who’s watching.

Thank god I didn’t wear all that makeup, right?

I wish I could share this moment with the other two but I know why they did it this way and I love it. We’ve gotten to create another memory that my 12-year-old self always wanted and I get to cherish it. Even the part when Yana comes stomping into our limelight, growling at our display of love.

“You really thought it would be that easy? You’re a gold digger, looking for an easy payday! You have everyone so fooled, Luna St. Claire.” Yana snorts as she steps closer. Griffin pulls me behind him and I just sigh. My whole life is a bad movie at this point, isn’t it? When do the police arrive at the last second and cart her away? “You’re up to your neck in debt and thought you could just push all that under the rug?”

She takes another step closer but Nova is there, arms folded across his chest. “If we airing dirty laundry, Yana, would you like to explain why you’ve had Luna followed forsix years? You even married her father, the original owner of the debt. You’ve been terrorizing a woman and then taking her hard-earned money, pretending to be the loan agency. I’mpretty surethere’s a crime in there somewhere.”

Yana shakes her head, her eyes widening at the accusation. “No.”

“No?” Nova prods. “No, you didn’t have her followed or no, you didn’t marry her father? Or you didn’t steal her money? There’s a lot of things to say no to. It’s too bad that there’s enough proof to drown you in.” He leans closer so that only the four of us can hear. “It’s too bad that where you’re going, I don’t need proof.”

It’s like Yana knowsexactlywhere she’s headed. Once again, I’m not really perturbed by the fact that they’re going to deliver her to Paula’s Agency and then wash their hands of her. So long as I’m off the fucking hook, I’m ecstatic. “Do we just let her get away?” I whisper and Nova shakes his head, turning around to face me. There’s a determination in his expression I haven’t seen before mixed with… is that excitement? He’s going to have fun with this.

I swallow nervously and nod, giving him my blessing to deal with her as he sees fit. Rome is more than happy to join him while Griffin picks up the microphone and announces that it’s time to party. More cheers and whoops as he guides me off the stage and hands the microphone to Max. “Once they catch her, you’ll get your company back. Might be a little while before everything resets though.”

Max gives him a sheepish smile. “Not sure there’s much left if you’re leaving. That was a ‘this is my last book’ speech, right?”

Griffin frowns and shakes his head. “Not that I know of. I was just proposing to Luna and putting Yana on blast. Just… when the contract renews, less of this shit. I really don’t like all the attention.”

My boss blows out a sigh of relief. “Absolutely. Can do. 100%.”

“And Luna is my permanent editor.”

“Done. Anything else?”

“Hire someone better than Yana. Someone who doesn’t think they’re living in a movie.”

Max snorts and pats Griffin’s shoulder before throwing his arms out to me. I give him a tight hug, loving every memory that came from working for this man, a light in the darkness when I was running. “You are one of the best things that ever happened to me. Don’t be a stranger in the office, alright? Regardless of what KJ thinks.” We share a laugh as he releases me and we head toward the main crowd.

I didn’t see the waiters before, carrying around champagne and little plates of food but I’m happy there’s something to eat after all of that. “We’re not staying long,” Griffin whispers in my ear as the attention falls on us. “Nova and Rome are gonna need an outlet when they’re done and I for one don’t want to keep them waiting.”

“Are you talking about a foursome?” My words are definitely not quiet enough but who cares at this point? I accidentally outed our little poly relationship to the world when Griffin was proposing to me. Griffin nods and I grin. “Great, then how fast can we say hi and dip?” His laughter is like music to my ears as he introduces me to the older gentleman on my right. Oh, it’s the mayor. I’m definitely not blushing.

Rome

Yanaisn’tevenmakingthis difficult. She’s waiting outside the venue when we step out the back, her arms folded across her chest as she leans against the brick wall. “So, what? You’ve come to detain me? What is it they call… citizen’s arrest?”

I want to laugh at how pitiful she is but she’ll probably spit in my face and that’s the last person’s fluids I want on my skin. “If we were having you arrested, we would have called the police to show up in the venue and cart you away.”

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