“I might actually have just the idea,” he said. Because suddenly, he did.
But as much as Jessie badgered him to tell her, he kept his lips sealed. Not because he was afraid to jinx it or thought it might never come true.
But because he wanted to see the way her eyes would light up when he finally made it all happen.
This time, he knew that he would, too. He knew they would.
It might be hard. It might take more effort than he’d ever put into anything before.
But now, with Jessie’s hand in his as they walked toward the subway, he sure as hell couldn’t wait to try.
Epilogue
Jessie pulled the toasted, buttery buns out of the oven and loaded them on a plate. Shawn layered each one with soft scrambled eggs and all the fixings for homemade breakfast sandwiches, while Talia fluttered around the kitchen with the coffee pot, refilling everyone’s mugs. It was officially the first besties brunch that she and Shawn were hosting in their new one-bedroom apartment, and she couldn’t have been more excited.
And nervous. Nervexcitious. She wanted everything to be perfect—even if she knew by now how impossible that was.
After a few weeks staying with Jessie and Talia, Shawn had gotten his own place, moving in with another guy at Thunder who was looking for a roommate. No more couches, and no more winging it. It had been the ideal set up, and Jessie had loved getting to live with Talia while still sharing plenty of nights with Shawn.
But after a while, it was time for them to move in together. Not as roommates randomly sharing the same space for a summer, but as a couple. A real one.
It was bittersweet to move out of the apartment she’d shared with Talia and to feel like that chapter of her life was officially over. For all its uncertainties and ups and downs, there was so much she’d loved about it, too.
But she knew she’d love this next chapter just as much, thanks in no small part to how much she loved the man by her side.
“Are you ready?” she asked Shawn as she checked him on the hip, reaching around him to grab another plate. The kitchen was a little bigger than the one in her old apartment, but not by much. It was a good thing she no longer felt weird about running into him, touching him, finding every possible excuse to be close.
“I had no idea that being a bestie was this much work,” he with mock seriousness as they carried everything to the table.
“With great brunches comes great responsibility. Are you sure you’re ready for it?” Jessie asked, as though she was really concerned.
But she couldn’t keep from laughing as he winked at her and grinned.
“You know I’ll do whatever it takes,” he leaned over and whispered in her ear.
She knew it was true. They were done running from each other, and from themselves. They weren’t just in it for the easy parts—although it was certainly easy to be with him, laugh with him, share her days with him.
They were in it for everything now.
After Talia served the coffee, Amanda put out an incredible spread of donuts on a colorful platter, and Rose poured mimosas into champagne glasses. She and Shawn officially owned platters now, as well as a set of champagne flutes. Her friends had been sure to get them the important items for a housewarming gift, and Jessie had promised they’d get plenty of use.
“Jason’s really sorry he couldn’t make it,” Rose said as they began to dig in. “Hopefully next time.”
Everyone nodded, but Jessie caught Amanda and Talia exchange a quick look over their egg sandwiches. She wasn’t sure Rose’s boyfriend was quite as sorry as Rose made it sound. Amanda was so friendly, she’d been quick to say that of course Shawn had to be there, because obviously he was a bestie now—an honor he was thrilled to receive.
Then they realized that meant they had to invite Mr. Fancypants, too. Somehow, no one was surprised—or that unhappy—when he was “busy.”
Still, Jessie felt a little bad. She and Shawn were going strong, and Rose seemed happy enough, even if her boyfriend was hardly ever around. Amanda was perpetually pining after a coworker she’d never make a move on.
But what about Talia? Once she’d gotten used to the idea of Shawn and Jessie together, and knew for sure that they weren’t going anywhere, she’d become their biggest cheerleader.
She hardly spent any time on her own dating life, though, beyond the occasional Tinder match to keep herself entertained. Jessie could only hope that in between apartment hunting, physical therapy, and countless auditions, Talia would find a little time to let love in.
Not that Jessie could picture who she might wind up with. Or what unexpected way it might happen. She certainly wouldn’t have guessed that she’d ever be sitting with Shawn Lassiter’s arm around her as he topped off everyone’s mimosas and laughed with her friends. It was a good thing, she thought, that life had a way of never quite going according to plan.
“This is delicious, but when do we get to go to Thunder and try Shawn’s new brew?” Amanda asked, putting down her champagne glass and reaching for the donuts.
“I don’t even like beer, but I still want to try it,” Rose chimed in.
“My brother, an actual brewer,” Talia said, shaking her head even as she had the biggest smile. “Even Mom and Dad are proud.”
“It’s my favorite kind they’ve done so far.” Jessie turned to Shawn. “And I’m not just saying that because I have to,” she added before he could butt in.
She loved how he flushed with pride and a little embarrassment when they talked about his work, as though he couldn’t quite believe he’d gotten there. That day they’d sat in the sun in Washington Square Park and said I love you, she’d known they were going to try for things they’d never tried for before.
But it had still seemed impossible to imagine that in the next few months, everyone would be talking about Shawn’s surprise hit that had people flocking to Thunder in Brooklyn and had the Santa Fe location scrambling to keep up. He’d named it the Sweet Santana, a fall brew made with maple and clove. A warming hug with a kick of spice, the label explained. “Just like my girl,” Shawn would say with a grin when asked where the name came from.
The Sweet Santana was so popular Thunder had to hire another assistant to keep up with production. Now his summer brew, White Lightning, made with orange peel and coriander, was just as big of a hit. Jean was the first to admit that she never be able to manage without him.
Not that Jessie had ever doubted he could do it. What really blew her mind was how many projects of her own she’d taken on at Honeywell Press. She still met with Marlene every Monday to communicate what she was working on—but not to ask permission or have her every comma reviewed. She’d even picked up a debut author who was already proving to be a major talent.
But the best part of all was no matter what happened at work, they got to come home to each other and share their days. The good ones. The bad ones. The in-between. They were doing it all—together. As best as they could.
She’d probably never respond to emails as quickly as Marlene wanted, and she’d jammed the copy machine more times than she cared to admit.
Occasionally, she even had to miss a meeting or showed up five whole minutes late in the morning. She was only human, after all, and sometimes a girl needed to get laid before going to work.
And when she got home. And…
Talia turned to her, and Jessie forced herself to stop thinking about sex all the damn time—she’d have Shawn all to herself as soon as everyone went home.
“What about you?” Talia said, lifting her glass. “One book on the bestseller lists and another one on the way. You haven’t done nearly enough bragging about it! Spill it, I need all the details.”
Jessie told them about her latest projects at work and the books she was acquiring. Now that she’d gotten promoted, she had a lot more freedom to choose her authors—and a little more trust in herself that she could do it. Even her parents had stopped talking about whether she should leave New York and m
ove home, save money, marry some nice boy who didn’t have tattoos across his chest or wear jeans and a T-shirt to work. Thank God. She’d found the man she wanted, and he was strong, scruffy, and made her melt in his arms.
“Best brunch ever?” Shawn asked later, after everyone had gone home.
“The first of many,” she said.
“Let’s leave the dishes and go outside while it’s still sunny,” he told her, hooking his fingers through the belt loops on her shorts and pulling her away from the sink.
“I was thinking more like, let’s leave the dishes and…” She turned and pressed her body against him, letting her kiss finish the sentence for her.
“That works for me, too,” he murmured.
The dishes could wait. Everything could wait. It didn’t matter how full she was from brunch, or how happy she felt to have her friends over. When it came to Shawn, she’d always be hungry for what only he could give her.
It may not have been part of her original plan. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to my agent, Andrea Somberg, and my editor, Alycia Tornetta, both of whom are a dream to work with and have helped make my writing dreams come true.
Thank you to the ladies of ladies’ brunch—my own potluck brunch group of amazing, kind, brilliant, talented women that gave me the idea for bestie’s brunch and the four friends who make up the core of the Accidental Love series. Even though we all live in different places now, I’m so grateful for the laughter, commiseration, and omelets we’ve shared!
Balaka Basu is the best critique partner I could ask for and gave me all the feedback and all the pep talks. Thank you for always being available for a monster brainstorming session when I need it most.
The whole idea of wrong bed mix-ups came about on one of many long walks through NYC with my husband, talking about books and ideas and happily ever afters. Thank you, Robert, for absolutely everything.
About the Author
Rebecca Brooks lives in New York City in an apartment filled with books. She received a PhD in English but decided it was more fun to write books than write about them. She has backpacked alone through India and Brazil, traveled by cargo boat down the Amazon River, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, explored ice caves in Peru, trekked to the source of the Ganges, and sunbathed in Burma, but she always likes coming home to a cold beer and her hot husband in the Bronx.
Don’t miss more of Rebecca’s dirty-talking, rugged heroes in her outdoorsy Men of Gold Mountain series and her standalones Above All and How to Fall—all available now.
Rebecca’s books: https://rebeccabrooksromance.com/books
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Stay in touch with Rebecca!
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Also by Rebecca Brooks…
Make Me Stay
Make Me Beg
Make Me Want
Make Me Yours
How to Fall
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