JC stepped off the small set of stairs onto the sand first and held out his hand to help Allyson. Her shoes in one hand, she accepted his outstretched left hand with her right, but didn’t let go once she was on the sand. Instead, their fingers intertwined, JC’s thumb gently rubbing hers as they looked at each other and smiled.

With the heavy conversation out of the way, they fell back into their usual banter.

“So what do you think Liz and Jimmy are doing?” Allyson asked.

“Probably gossiping about us,” JC said with a laugh as he gave her hand a squeeze.

Still close to the restaurant, Jimmy turned to Liz, “So are those two a thing?”

“I think they’re about to be,” Liz said with a smile.

“Good! That man needs a level head on his side.”

“And Allyson just needs a good experience with a man. She’s been burned or taken advantage of by so many.”

“He won’t do that.”

“I know he won’t. And I know she likes him.”

“And he likes her. He talks about her all the time when we’re in the studio. ‘Allie sent me this. Allie told me that.’ It’s cute, but he needs to make the move.”

“Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to tell her that.”

“No! Oh God, no, please don’t! He’ll never tell me anything again,” Jimmy said with a chuckle.

Liz just laughed. “OK fine, you have my word.”

“So what are your plans now that you’re a master of business?” JC asked with a smirk.

“Well, I might just try to find a job that doesn’t involve making coffee,” Allyson laughed.

“Think you’ll stay in D.C.?”

“We’ll see. I mean so much of my life is there, but then I feel like California could make for a fun new adventure.”

JC let go of Allyson’s hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him closer, placing a kiss on her temple as they kept walking along the beach, her arm reaching around his back.

“So are you and Liz free to come by tonight?”

“I’ll ask Liz if she has any plans for us.”

Allyson paused their walk as she pulled out her phone quickly to call Liz.

“Hey, are we doing anything tonight?” Allyson asked as Liz picked up on the second ring.

“I hadn’t planned on anything in particular. I’m willing to go out if you want or we can have a chill night. Whatever you want. It’s your birthday.”

Allyson just laughed. “OK. Well, JC just invited us to his place tonight if you don’t mind having a chill night at his place?”

“Sounds good to me. I’m not going to be third wheel, though.”

Allyson placed her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone and loudly whispered to JC, “She doesn’t want to be a third wheel.”

“She won’t be,” he said. “There will be other people there.”

Putting her hand down, Allyson said into the receiver, “There will be more than just us.”

“OK, then,” Liz said. “JC’s for the night.”

“Sweet! I’ll see you in a bit. We’re about to head back toward the restaurant,” Allyson said.

“OK, see y’all in a bit.”

“So I guess we’re going to JC’s tonight,” Liz said, looking at Jimmy with a smirk.

“I’ll be there too,” he laughed. “He started planning this as soon as he got back from your place.”

“Really? That must’ve been some kiss.”