“Well, I did learn from the best,” he said. He opened his arms wide and Mel hugged him.
“You know, us non-culinary types help out in the bakery, too,” Marty said.
Mel and Oz looked at him and then opened their arms, pulling him in. Mel felt her heart swell.
“Group hug!” Angie’s voice sounded from behind them and she and Tate appeared and muscled their way into the circle.
The five of them looped their arms about one another and Mel took a second to look at each of her people. They had been together through so much over the past two-plus years. She couldn’t imagine her life without them, but tomorrow, two of them were going to get married and everything would change.
She was filled with a crazy sense of panic about the future and what that would be like. Would they all still get along, or would Angie and Tate start a family and no longer be a part of the day-to-day running of the bakery? Maybe they would decide they wanted their own franchise and they’d move to California or Maine? Mel felt her heart clutch. She wanted to be happy for them but inside she was freaking out. Completely freaking out.
Sixteen
She forced herself to breathe and remember this moment in time just like Tate’s mother had told Angie to do. She didn’t want to blink and have it all just fall away.
“Have I told you guys lately how much I love you?” Angie asked.
Marty, Oz, and Mel burst out laughing and Oz said, “Quick, get her a crab puff.”
“No, I’m serious,” Angie said. “I love you guys, all of you, and I just feel really, really lucky to have you in my life.”
She ended with a sob, and tears coursed down her cheeks. Tate broke the group hug to gently wipe them off her face with his thumbs.
“You okay, honey?” he asked.
“It’s just that everything’s going to change,” Angie said.
“Yes, it will, but I hope it’ll be a good change,” Tate said.
“‘Friendship isn’t about being inseparable, but about being separated and knowing nothing will change,’” Oz said.
Mel and Angie looked at him. Angie’s tears dried up as she tried to identify the movie quote. She looked at Mel and shrugged.
“Ted,” Tate identified the movie quote, and he and Oz shared some complicated handshake thingy that looked like they were trying to arm wrestle or fly; Mel wasn’t sure.
“Dude movie. Whatever,” Angie said. She laughed and the sad moment passed. She looped her arm through Mel’s and said, “Let’s go sit so they’ll start serving, or else I’m likely to wrestle a waiter to the ground and swipe all their food.”
And just like that everything was back to normal and Mel knew it was going to be okay. Joe slid into the seat next to Mel’s and laced her fingers with his. Maybe they didn’t see eye to eye on the handling of Cassie’s situation, but Joe would never abandon her over it. It made her love him all the more.
“How you doing, cupcake?” he asked.
She squeezed his hand in return. “Never better.”
“Don’t worry about Cassie,” he said. “We’ll figure it out. I promise.”
“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” she asked him.
Joe narrowed his eyes. “Have you been drinking?”
“Yes, but I ate my body weight in crab puffs, so it’s all good,” she said.
She leaned her head upon his shoulder, taking a moment to appreciate him, his warmth, his strength, his humor, and his steadfastness. She promised herself she would never take him for granted. Then she glanced up to find him looking at her with an affection that was so thick she was pretty sure she could have wrapped it around her shoulders like a blanket.
“I love you, too,” he said.
The tension that had been between them eased. No, the problem hadn’t gone away and likely there would be more discussions, but their foundation was strong and they could handle it. Just like they could handle whatever life threw at them—together.
At that moment, Joe’s aunt Rosalind walked by their table. She wrapped an arm around each of them, suffocating them in her floral perfume, and kissed both of their cheeks.
“Such beautiful babies you will have,” she said. She clapped her hands together and then started to cry happy tears as she walked away after patting both of their cheeks.
Joe lifted one eyebrow and looked at Mel. “Is there something you care to share?”
“Yeah, about that . . .” she began. Then she couldn’t help herself—she started to laugh. She couldn’t explain it. It was just too ridiculous. She leaned forward and kissed him quick. “Not right now, but someday?”
“All right,” he agreed.
Mel put her head back on his shoulder. She felt her lips curve up. Rosalind was right. They would have beautiful babies, especially if they looked like Joe. Her heart swelled with joy at the thought.
• • •
“Angie, come on! We’re late!” Mel cried.
When Mel arrived at Angie’s parents’ house to pick her up and take her to the salon, Angie appeared at the front door still in her pajamas, looking as if she’d just woken up.
“What do you mean we’re late?” Angie asked. “I just checked the time. It’s only ten o’clock.”
“Try looking again,” Mel said. “It’s ten of twelve and if we’re late Mean Christine is going to refuse to do your hair and makeup.”
Angie gaped at her and then at the clock and back at her. The time thing was not computing.
Feeling compelled to use a scare tactic, Mel yelled, “Hurry up!”
“Oh my god, I overslept,” Angie cried. Her brothers were scattered all over the house, sleeping on couches and floors. “Why didn’t anyone wake me?”
“Because they’re men,” Mel said. “They’re going to take three-minute showers, two-minute shaves, shrug on their tuxedos, and be ready to go. Meanwhile, we have hours of prep to
