The Hot New Bartender in Town (Welcome to Kiss County #3)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

RILEY

One Year Later

I play my guitar and Tish sings.

It’s what we’ve done nearly every day for the past year. Covers of our favorite songs at first, but it didn’t take long before we wrote our first original track together. Then another. And another.

Karaoke nights at Sparks Pub soon became gig nights. They were a chance for the two of us to perform and show our Small Town family what we’ve been working on. We didn’t expect much, of course. We simply enjoyed playing our music and showing off a little before inevitably sneaking off downstairs to my apartment and losing ourselves in each other all over again.

Then the crowd grew larger. And larger. Until the Small Town buzz bled up the highway, somehow reaching Big City ears. Before we knew it, people were traveling down to Sparks Pub on gig night just to hear what all the fuss was about.

Now, tonight, exactly a year to the day since we met, I look out at the packed-to-capacity crowd at Sparks Pub, and I wonder… how the hell we ended up here.

How the hell did spending a blissful night with a beautiful stranger lead to this?

I look at Tish now, my heart bleeding with love and devotion, as I strum my guitar. She coos into the microphone, her voice echoing throughout the bar as she holds a high note for an impressive amount of time. The crowd erupts with applause, none louder than Tanya in the front row, her happy screams loud and proud. Beside her, my father claps with a grin, never quite matching her enthusiasm, but I challenge anyone to match my stepmother’s hype.

“You two were so good!” Tanya says after our set. She throws her arms around Tish’s neck and squeezes. “As always, I mean!”

“Thanks, Mom,” Tish says, her voice smothered against her mother’s shoulder.

“Thanks for coming out,” I say to my father.

A year ago, I never would have convinced him to set foot in a place like this. That’s changed, however. After a year of living in Small Town, of lawfully wedded bliss, my father has become a very different man.

A happy man.

“We wouldn’t miss it,” he says, patting me on the shoulder as he scans the packed bar. “You two draw quite the crowd nowadays.”

“We do,” I say, unable to believe it as I glance around.

“I’m proud of you, son.”

To that, I have no reply. I simply smile, bowing my head in gratitude as Tish discreetly and lovingly squeezes my hand.

“Excuse me?”

We look over, meeting eyes with a middle-aged woman with long blonde hair and an expensive leather jacket.

“Do you two have a moment?” she asks as she extends her hand. “I’m Charisma Conrad.”

Tish shakes it first. “I’m Tish,” she says. “And this is Riley.”

“Oh, I know exactly who you are,” Ms. Conrad says, chuckling. “So does everyone in this bar.”

She offers me her hand next. This time, she subtly drops a business card into my palm. I take a moment to skim it, my eyes blinking twice as I see the familiar cupid logo printed on the front of it.

“I work for Cupid’s Corner Bar in Big City,” she says. “And the two of you are exactly the type of entertainment we look for.”

“I’m sorry,” Tish says, her breath ceasing the moment the word Cupid hit her ears. “What did you say?”

Ms. Conrad laughs. “Oh, you’re adorable, too!” she says. “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

We spend the next hour chatting with Ms. Conrad, listening to her pitch. Three gigs over the next three weekends. Paid, of course. If we’re a hit, as Ms. Conrad suspects, then we’ll negotiate more shows.

“Of course they’ll be a hit!” Tanya says from the next table over, having eavesdropped on the entire thing. “My children are the most talented musicians in Kiss County!”

“Tanya, please,” Dad says next to her, unable to hold her back. “Let them discuss it in peace...”

“Your children?” Ms. Conrad asks. “I’m sorry. I thought you two were a couple.”

Before we can explain, Tanya says, “They are! She’s my daughter, he’s his son.” She giggles. “Step-siblings, am I right?”

Tish’s cheeks darken. “Mom.”

But Ms. Conrad waves a hand. “Hey, I’m not here to judge,” she says, amused. “It’s Kiss County!”

Shortly after, the moments a blur, we agree to those three shows over the next three weekends. We say goodnight to Ms. Conrad, offering her every word of gratitude in the world. Our parents congratulate us again and we wish them a happy anniversary, their one-year celebration not three days away.

Which makes tonight our one-year celebration.

I count down every blurred moment, waiting for when I can finally get her alone.

“Oh, my god, Riley!” Tish leaps into my embrace the second we step outside into the alleyway behind Sparks Pub. “Oh, my god! Oh, my god!”

I hug her close and kiss her hard, remembering her words from a year ago. Her Big City dreams. Her longing to stand on the stage at Cupid’s Corner Bar. It’s all coming true.

But there’s one more dream that still needs to come true tonight.

I scoop her up into my arms. Her laughter echoes through the alleyway as I carry her down the stairs to my apartment door.

Inside, I lay her down on the bed and undress her slowly, kissing every piece of exposed skin until she’s writhing beneath me, begging me to be inside of her.

“Riley,” Tish whispers, her knees open around me. She strokes me, my cock already impossibly hard. “I need you.”

I enter her raw, the two of us long past barrier methods. Groaning with each thrust, I bury my face in her shoulder, feeling her nails dig into my back as I fuck her.

Fuck, I love this woman.

I’ve loved her since the moment I saw her. Since the moment she stepped up onto that stage upstairs and sang a single note, I had to have her. And then, here, when we sang together for the first time... I knew she was the one.

After everything we’ve been through this past year, I’d be a fool to let her go now.

With our bodies entwined and hearts in-sync, we come together. Her first, of course, but once her body starts quivering, and she moans my name in that perfect way, it’s impossible to hold on. I come hard, my cock buried so deep. Tish keeps her legs curled around me, holding my body against hers as she kisses me sweetly.

“Riley,” she whispers. “I need you.”

I chuckle. “Again?”

“Again.” A deep kiss, her hands reaching around to grab my ass as she rolls her hips. “All night...”

She squeezes me from the inside and I shudder, my cock so damn sensitive. Too sensitive. I shift my hips back, pulling out of her, prompting a disappointed groan from her.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I say, guiding her legs off my shoulders. “Men gotta rest a bit in-between, you know.”

Tish giggles as I slide off the bed. “Oh, I guess I can wait...”

“Want a drink?”

“Yes, please.”

As I escape into the kitchenette, I peek at her over my shoulder. Tish pinches the bedsheet and rolls onto her side. The sheet clings to her body as she moves, highlighting the curve of her hips. One leg pokes out the bottom, her calf exposed to the cool air.

For a moment, I simply stand and watch. A perfect sight, for sure. She rests her head against the pillow and closes her eyes. Her chest rises and falls with her breath. A man could get used to this view.

And I will.

As soon as my little friend finally shows himself.

Silently, I sneak over to claim my pants off the floor, along with the small object that’s been burning a hole in the pocket all night.

Then, I casually return to the task at hand, opening the fridge in search of the ice cold bottle of amaretto I stashed in here earlier, along with some sour mix and cherries.

As I grab it all, the refrigerator light shines on the kitchen floor, illuminating the dark shadows beneath the table, along with Cat Jake’s large, green eyes hovering next to the table’s leg.

“There you are,” I whisper. Leaning down, I hold out my hand. “Come here.”

He obeys, always happy to be on the receiving end of pets and scratches. He bumps his head against my hand, purring softly.

“Good boy.” I pick him up and set him down on the kitchen counter so I can easily unhook his red collar. “Hold still...”

Peeking at the bed again, I confirm that Tish isn’t watching. Then I slide the collar back into place around Jake’s neck and point him in her direction.

“Go on,” I whisper. “To the bed.”

Jake leaps down off the counter. As I finish mixing two amaretto sours, I listen to his little paws tapping against the floor. He makes his way over to the bed and hops up onto it, quickly walking along the lump of Tish’s body to bump his head against hers.

Tish giggles, reaching out to pet him with closed eyes. “Hey, buddy,” she says.

I approach the bed with my breath held tight and wait.

Pushed to move by Jake’s enthusiastic nudging, Tish rolls over onto her back and sits up. Jake perches his front paws on her knee and she scratches one of his favorite spots along his neck.

Her fingers slide under his collar and... her smile drops.

“Riley?” Tish looks up at me standing at the foot of the bed. “What’s this?”

I walk around the bed to her side. After setting the drinks down on the bedside table, I face her and take a knee.

“Oh, my god,” she says.

I motion for Jake to come closer to me. He hops off her legs and bounces over, allowing for me to slide the diamond ring off his collar. “Thanks, buddy,” I say.

He hops down and disappears into the shadows once again.

“Riley,” Tish says, her voice quiet with shock. “Are you serious?”

I hold the ring out to her. “I’m very serious, Tish. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. In fact, I’m not even sure I had a life at all until the night we met. Until then, I was just floating from day-to-day, not really committing to anything or anyone because... I always just assumed that anything good in life was just temporary. Then, I came here, and I found you... and suddenly, my life had purpose. My songs had a voice. I had a family again.” I smile. “I have a future here, and I want to spend every moment with you.”

Tish grins, her eyes full of tears. “I want to spend mine with you, too.”

“Then, marry me, Tish.” I reach for her hand and she gives it. “I promise you, this is only the beginning.”

I slide the ring onto her finger. It nestles into place, fitting perfectly, the diamond sparkling in the dim light of the bedside lamp.

“Riley,” she whispers. “Of course I’ll marry you.” She admires the ring and sighs. “It’s beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” I draw her hand close and kiss her knuckles once. Then I grab our drinks off the table and offer her one. “And soon, it won’t be just Small Town who knows it.”

“Cupid’s Corner.” Her grin is so wide as she tastes the drink. “Mmm,” she hums. “I can’t believe this is happening. This may just be the best night of my entire life.”

I lean in to kiss her. “It’s mine, too. So far,” I add before sipping my drink.

“Yeah.” Tish smiles. “So far.”

“I love you, Tish.”

“I love you, Riley.”

“Meow,” Jake says from the shadows.

We laugh. “We love you, too, Jake!” Tish adds.

Her palms come to my cheeks, and she kisses me once before clawing at me to join her. “Now, come on!” she says, abandoning her drink on the table and urging me to do the same. “You coming back to this bed or what?”

I return to her, unable to deny her, eager to start the rest of our lives together as husband and wife. As partners in love and music. As... stepbrother and stepsister, but we won’t dwell on that part. Happily ever after comes in all shapes and sizes in Kiss County.

And I can’t wait to see what this place has in store for us next.