As if on cue, her gaze traveled to mine. She blinked, then a sliver of a smile tugged at her lips. She returned her focus to her customer, who asked for a bourbon.
A minute later, she brought it to him, then she moved to stand by my seat, a knowing grin on her pretty face. “And what brings you to Paris this time, Mr. Winters?”
My smile spread of its own accord. She remembered my name. “Just heading home.”
“What a coincidence. I live there too. Another American in Paris.”
I sat up straighter, feeling buzzed with possibilities for the first time in ages. “You never told me your name.”
“You never asked.”
I smiled at the beauty in front of me and let her own words be my guide. You’ll be glad when you tried.
“I’m Mr. Winters, as you know. But my friends call me Brandon. And I’d love to know your name.”
Her smile was radiant. “I’m Miss Parker. But my friends call me Serena.”
A few months later, I opened the mailbox at my flat, fishing around for bills or letters. I found an invitation. One I’d known was coming.
I turned and showed it to the woman by my side.
The woman who’d become my lover, my partner, and my friend.
Serena Parker moonlighted as a flight attendant, but her passion was helping others find deep love and intimacy through her podcast.
She was like me. She’d loved and lost, but she was on the other side now.
So was I, and I was loving life with this woman. We spent our free nights together, dining at off-the-beaten-path restaurants, wandering along curving roads lit by streetlamps, and imagining the places we’d travel together. We’d go to faraway islands, eat pineapples, and watch the sunset. Or we’d travel to remote lands, embarking on long hikes that led us to beautiful vistas.
And this time, we’d return to a place I knew well. A place I wanted to go with Serena.
“Would you like to go to a wedding in Vegas with the best man?”
She arched a sexy brow. “I very much would.”
Epilogue
Ask Aphrodite
Hello, my gorgeous lovelies! I’ve been reading your comments and enjoying your questions.
I love that you have so many, and they remind me of how many paths there are to love and intimacy.
I’ve noticed, too, quite a plethora of questions about me.
Who is the woman behind Ask Aphrodite? Who is the woman who guides you through the wilds of desire and sensuality, wherever you are in your journey?
I’m like all of you. And I’m like myself again.
We all have our own stories to tell.
Mine is that I’ve found a second chance.
And I’m here to say that great love is possible more than once.
I’ve found it with a new man, and he’s found it with me too. Do we have it all? I’d like to think so. Because I practice what I preach. I practice openness and honesty and communication.
That, my lovelies, is the heart of what this show is all about.
Learning how to ask for what you want.
If you ask for it, you just might get it.
As for me, I’ll be signing off for a few weeks, since we’re heading to a certain city to attend the wedding of a good friend. And while I’m there, we’ll be eloping, and then flying someplace warm and tropical, where we’ll make love all day and night.
And we’ll eat pineapples too.
Another Epilogue
Nina
“You look beautiful.”
The words came from my sister, Ella, as she raked her eyes over me in my wedding gown.
“So do you,” I said, giving her the same treatment in her black maid-of-honor dress. “Also, I think you might be next.”
“Shh,” she said, bringing her finger to her lips. “Don’t jinx me.”
Ella had met a fantastic man, a single parent like herself, and they’d been going strong for some time now.
“There is no jinxing when it comes to love,” I said as she handed me my bouquet.
“Enough about me,” she said, dismissing the conversation, her expression turning serious. “I have to tell you something important. Something I’ve hoped to be able to say for a long time. I want you to know I’m so glad you waited. And I don’t say that because of me. I say that because of you. You’re so happy with Adam, and all I’ve ever wanted is to see my little sister this incandescent.”
That’s how I felt today, and every day with him.
“Thank you,” I said, emotion clogging my throat.
She shot me a stern stare. “No crying. Not till you’re Mrs. Adam Larkin.”
I couldn’t wait to be his officially.
But truth be told, I’d been his since that first night when he found the list.
As I walked down the aisle, Miss Sheridan beamed, whispering, “I knew it,” when I passed her. I smiled back, and then my eyes were only on the beautiful man waiting for me, as he watched me walk to him. I felt radiant, knowing we had a lifetime of lists and love ahead of us.
When the justice of the peace pronounced us man and wife, Adam drew me in for a deep, possessive kiss.
Yes, this was the man I’d fallen for.
And now he was my husband.
My always.
Later that night at the reception, it was time to toss the bouquet.
I faced the other way as the single women gathered behind me. On the count of three, I sent my bouquet of daisies flying. I expected to see Ella clutching it, but I was shocked to turn around and find the flowers in the hands of a very surprised Kate.
While Jake stared at her knowingly.
That was interesting.
I’d have to find out what that was all about.
But tonight was mine and Adam’s, so I pulled my husband in for a dance, thrilled to be in his arms where I belonged.
THE END