He gently grabbed her elbow. “Your mom is going. And your grandma. It’s up to you, but I think they might be okay for tonight.”

“Are you gently telling me not to mother my sisters?”

“Maybe I’m gently telling you that you don’t have to be the only one to mother your sisters. And that your sisters are smart women. Maybe it can wait until tomorrow.”

She shook her head and smiled. “You’re full of ideas, Leo Castorini. But I have a feeling that this is a good one.”

“I feel pretty good about things,” Leo said. “Tonight was a success, the bakery’s got a few leads, but most importantly…” His voice trailed off as he looked at her—a little tired, a little disheveled, but her eyes dancing with the same excitement he was feeling.

“Most importantly?”

“I get to go home with the woman in the rainbow flip-flops and the beautiful smile.”

He took her hand and tugged her close.

And his heart was fuller than it had ever been.

…

“I’m so proud of you,” Tessa said to Leo as he opened the door to their house at the end of the evening.

“Of me?” Leo asked, flicking the light switch and entering the kitchen. Cosette, who was curled up on Tessa’s favorite chair, lifted her head and blinked at the insult of being awakened by bright lights. “We had at least a dozen YouTubers there, thanks to you. And the Chicago food critic’s going to write us up. None of that was my doing.”

“It was Viv,” Tessa said. “She did something. I’m not quite sure what the magic was, but it made hundreds of people appear. I still think you should have let me grab her phone. I bet she did post some kind of embarrassing footage.”

“I’m sure we can find out if we watch what she uploaded.”

“Never mind that,” Tessa said. “Let’s check tomorrow. I’d rather stay oblivious tonight. Knowing Viv, it’s probably videos of me asleep with my mouth open and drooling.”

He gave a little chortle. Then he got serious. “We did it. We made it work. Well, at least…we’re off to a great start at saving both our businesses. We make a great team, Tessa.”

She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. “Leo, I feel so hopeful about everything. For the first time in a long time.”

He looked into her eyes and smiled. “Me too.” Except he wasn’t sure how much of what he was feeling had to do with their success tonight—a lot, obviously—and how much was due to simply being with her. But he couldn’t put that into words. Instead, he kissed her in the warm lights of their kitchen, the new island gleaming with its brand-new top. The place looked like…home.

“Want some wine?” he asked.