Page 34 of Beauty and the Grease
“I’m so sorry—” Jenny starts.
“No, don’t be.”
The kids wave and make faces at us.
“They must be horrified.”
I laugh. “Actually, they’ve been asking why I don’t date. Their mom is likely getting engaged soon. Owen told me about his friend’s single mom the other day. I thought he was joking, but I found a scrap of paper with a phone number beside the coffee maker the next morning. Something tells me they might be into this.”
“I might be into this.” Jenny grins. “Slow. Aslow‘into this.’”
Her cheeks flush. I put that flush there.
I slip my hand into her hair and kiss her again. Right there on the street.
I’ve got my car again, ditched my dead-weight boss and toxic job, and my kids are geeked I’ve still got game. Okay, I doubt they think I have game, but they don’t seem mad about it. Jenny’s here, that’s what matters. “Want a burger?”
She squeezes my hand. “More than I ever have.”
EPILOGUE
Jenny
Six Months Later
I’m dressed to impress for my date with Chase.
“Are those custom bowling shoes?” He looks from my feet back to me, taking in the pink and turquoise shoes from Derby Lanes’ new pro shop.
“I want bowling shoes!” Emma declares. The kids actually asked to come here since they had fun bowling during their last visit. Owen finally set his phone aside, likely more to do with their new friends, Annabelle’s kids, two girls the same ages as Emma and Owen. The kids do more socializing than actual bowling, but I’m just happy they have friends in Derby.
Okay, so thisdateis a little crowded, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Chase and I have had plenty of nights out together. I leave Derby now on the regular to see him at his apartment. We go to concerts and art shows, the things I usedto do before I spent every waking moment at the auto shop. Now I have more help to keep the place running.
Chase eyes the hot pink bag beside me. “I’m afraid to ask.”
I unearth a sparkly pink bowling ball with finger holes custom fit for my small hand. I never expected to invest in bowling, but my new friend Noah, Simon’s girlfriend, is the new owner of Derby Lanes and made it into a cool space. Along with Annabelle’s eye for interior design.
Speaking of Simon. “Did you talk to Simon about the property?” I ask. With the town revitalization project, the guy seemed to know everything, including a heads up on homes going on the market. “Not that you have to—”
“I did.” Chase runs a hand across my shoulders. “I was going to surprise you, but I put in an offer.”
I gasp. “You did?”
He kisses my forehead. “Four bedrooms. Big yard. A second, barn-sized detached garage.”
“Why, are you getting a boat?”
“Big enough for a bright orange tow truck.”
“Now you’re talking my language.”
Chase does sales consulting now, a position he got from a connection with the VanHousen company. He can live pretty much anywhere.
And he’s choosing Derby.
He’s choosing me.
The kids will continue at their current school, primarily living with their mom. She’s in a northern suburb of Detroit fifteen miles south of us. Now that she’s remarried (after a short engagement) she’s mellowed out (a bit) and far less shouty at Chase. Which is great for all of us.
