Espresso Love

Bonus Scene: Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too

Anna

Waiting for him to appear, I tilt my head back and soak in the sun between the clouds. I take in a deep breath of the fresh spring air. Involuntarily, I fiddle with the ring on my left hand. In the distance I see a familiar figure approaching and breath a sigh of relief. Every day I still can't believe we are together, forever. I stand up as he takes the last few strides toward me. "And your last clue, sir, is right over here."

"Okay," Maverick says, grabbing my hand and tugging me closer, "but just one thing before that." He leans down toward me and gently guides my face to his. His lips brush mine and the touch sends shivers down my spine. When he pulls back, I lean forward before remembering my mission.

"Okay, good." I lean back and take a few steps toward the final place on the scavenger hunt I created for him. "Now... this way please." We walk side-by-side to the pond where we first went ice skating together. Now, in the warmer weather, ducks swim around and kids feed them bread despite the sign saying to do otherwise.

I hear his small gasp at the site of a picnic blanket with a full spread of food already laid out. Looking over, I see a smile that still makes my heart jump. "You did... this?" I hear the incredulity in his voice.

"I can do romantic things, too, you know." I pull him down onto the blanket alongside me.

"I know you can, but it normally ends pretty badly." He puts his hand up to stop my protests. "Like that one time you tried to surprise me at our wedding, and the poor kid nearly suffocated in the cake?"

"I had seen it on TV somewhere and everyone enjoyed it then." I scoff and begin to pile on his favorite foods onto a flimsy paper plate.

"I did enjoy it. And appreciate it." He grabs my free hand and pulls me in for another kiss. "Mrs. Sherwood."

"Yes, that is our last name." I pull apart, trying to clear my head from the fog. "But try some of the food. I promise I have been practicing."

"You know, this turkey club tastes like it has that special sauce Jess uses at the coffeeshop." He waves his sandwich around in the air, animatedly talking. "Which Jess always told me she would never share with anyone else."

"Yes, well... some things are just to be shared amongst girls. Sorry, Mav. I mean, Mr. Sherwood."

"Mhm... that sounds too much like my father." His smile breaks and he shakes his entire body, causing parts of the sandwich to fly everywhere. Maverick simply shrugs his shoulders and finishes off the final bite. "How about the dessert portion of this meal?" He leans in, but I stop him.

"I do actually have a dessert." Reaching behind me, I pull out the tiny cake and smile. "I will admit to Jess making this, but it's because it is special and the final part of the scavenger hunt." I place the cake between us and take a deep breath. "Whenever you are ready, you can take the first bite." Handing him a fork, our fingers brush. I take a deep breath.

"Anna, what's up? Are you okay?" Mav stops his pursuit of the cake to look at me.

"Yeah," I shake it off, "I'm good. Just take a bite of the cake. Jess would be offended you didn't devour it already." I attempt a smile to calm my nerves.

When he takes a bite of the cake, his eyes widen at the reveal of the colors inside it. "No," he says. "Are you really?" He pauses mid-bite and turns to me. "Is this for real?" His eyes glance at my stomach, still flat.

I nod my head. "About a month now." A giggle escapes me. Maverick sets the cake aside and picks me up. We begin to spin around, laughing in the park. "And we are not naming Maverick Jr. if it is a boy."

He sets me down, still holding on to me. "We'll discuss it."