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“I’m going to check on the cake.” She slid off the stool and was heading for the kitchen when his voice stopped her.
“Don’t you dare. If you keep opening that oven my cake is going to go flat.”
“Your cake? I thought it was mine.”
Roman cocked an eyebrow. “And who did all the work? Certainly not you.”
Serena turned on her heel and gave him a threatening look. “You’d better not tell my grandmother that.”
Roman laughed and lifted his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, you’re the boss. It’s your cake and I had nothing to do with it.”
“I’ll give you some of the credit,” she conceded with a smile. “Just a little.”
The light banter eased the tension for Serena and the rest of the waiting time flew by quickly. Before she realized it, it was time to get the cake out and get ready to go to her grandmother’s. “You’re coming, right?” When he seemed to hesitate she continued. “You can’t back out now. You promised.”
“If you want me to,” Roman said, staring at her intently, no longer seeming interested in the basketball game. One hundred percent of his attention was focused on her.
Serena squirmed a little under his gaze but she knew she wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon with him. A very pleasant hour had already passed and she did not want it to end that quickly even if she would have to share him with her grandmother.
In the office they’d had to be very professional, almost formal, but here on a Saturday afternoon she began to see a more relaxed side to Roman. He was absorbed in the basketball game, cheering on the Knicks while she rooted for the Lakers and soon they had a good rivalry going. She loved it. She’d never been a fan of sports but with Roman there to share the game with her it was fun.
“I do want you to come.” Serena gave Roman a smile. “Grandma Sylvie would love to meet you and I think you’d like her, too.”
He nodded. “I need no further convincing.”
“Okay, let me get changed and we’ll get going.” As she hurried to her bedroom she hoped he did not see the silly grin on her face.
CHAPTER TEN
Roman held the door open as Serena slid from the passenger seat of his black Mercedes Benz. From the city it had taken them a little over thirty minutes to get to her grandmother’s house. Throughout the journey Serena sat in the passenger seat with the cake cradled on her lap. You would think it was the most precious thing in the world. But he wasn’t knocking her. He could see that this gift, small as it was, meant a lot to her and that her grandmother was a very important person in her life.
With Serena on her feet Roman opened the back door and carefully took out the large gift-wrapped object that Serena had placed in his hands. He could guess that it was a picture of some sort because he could feel the pattern of the engraved frame.
As they walked up the winding gravel driveway Roman looked around, admiring the surroundings. They were out in the country and it was beautiful, with wide open fields and woods that formed a backdrop to the sprawling ranch house.
Serena must have seen him staring because she said, “My house is not far from here. I often ride over to visit Grandma Sylvie. It’s so exhilarating, galloping across the fields.”
“I can imagine,” Roman said. In his mind’s eye he could see her on the back of a horse, her hair a dark curtain flying behind her as she rode. He had no doubt that she was an expert horsewoman. He wondered if one day he would have the privilege of riding with her.
They climbed the steps and crossed the wide porch that circled the house. Serena rang the bell and within seconds the door swung open and a petite white-haired woman was smiling up at them.
“Serena, darling.” The woman tilted her head and gave her a kiss on the cheek then her eyes left her granddaughter’s face and rose to meet Roman’s. Her smile widened. “And who do we have here?”
For some reason, maybe because of the twinkle in her grandmother’s eyes, Serena blushed. “This is Roman Steele, my boss.”
Sylvie gave a polite nod. “Welcome, Roman. I’m pleased to meet you. Won’t you come in?”
When they got inside Serena handed over her prized possession, the birthday cake.
“Oh, my,” Sylvie exclaimed. “What a wonderful surprise. I’ll take it to the kitchen and we can have some in a little while.” As she headed down the hallway she called out, “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be right back.”
Serena directed Roman to an elegantly furnished living room filled with family portraits.
“Please have a seat,” she said, indicating the couch. Instead of sitting, she went to stand by the mantelpiece.
This drew Roman’s attention to the painted portrait above the fireplace. It was the picture of a beautiful blonde-haired woman on horseback. “Was that your mother?”
Serena nodded. “She loved riding.”
“As you do,” Roman said, seeing the wistful look in her eyes.
At that moment Sylvie walked into the room. She smiled at them. “That’s my Patricia,” she said then tilted her chin towards Serena. “Serena looks just like she did when she was this age.” Sylvie gave Roman a sad smile. “We lost her when Serena was six years old, still just a baby. Richard has been both mother and father to her since then.”
“And you too, Grandma.”
“Yes, I’ve been there, but the job of raising you has always been your dad’s. And outside of spoiling you rotten I think he’s done a wonderful job.” Sylvie’s laugh was like the tinkle of bells. “She’s got him wrapped around her little finger,” she said to Roman, “but it’s only because he’s had to endure two major scares in his life. One of them left him without his wife and me without my daughter.”
Roman frowned. “Two major scares?”
Sylvie nodded. “Yes, he almost lost Serena, too.”
“Grandma, you don’t have to-”
“It’s okay, Serena,” Sylvie said as she walked over and put her arm around her granddaughter’s shoulder. “We need to speak about these things. It’s not healthy for us to bury our pain. This is the only way we can find healing.” Sylvie’s eyes grew misty. “Serena had leukemia when she was eight years old. She spent quite a bit of time in hospital and Richard almost went crazy with worry. He couldn’t bear to lose this one part of Patricia that she’d left behind.” Sylvie wrapped her arms around Serena’s waist and pulled her close and there was a tremulous smile on her lips. “But my Serena pulled through. She was a fighter, this girl. There was nothing that would keep her down.”
Roman nodded and looked at the two women, so very different in ages but so much alike. Both were petite and although Sylvie’s hair was white and the signs of age were on her face, the sparkle in her blue eyes told him that she had been just as feisty as the young woman who stood beside her. He could now understand, too, why Richard had gone overboard in satisfying the desires of his daughter. It seemed he was trying to make up for all that she’d gone through, the loss of her mother and the threat to her own life.
But still, the pampering had to stop somewhere. Serena was a woman now. And what a woman. As he stared at her all he wanted to do was bury his face in the valley between her luscious breasts.
Roman’s thoughts were cut short when Sylvie released Serena and clapped her hands smartly. “Okay, let’s get something to eat. You both must be starving.”
They all headed for the kitchen where she’d already placed a basket of fried chicken in the middle of the table, a bowl of salad, a tray with corn on the cob and a steaming bowl of mashed potatoes.
“Mmm, looks good,” Serena, said rubbing her stomach. “I could eat a horse.”
“You know what the sad thing is, Roman? She really could eat a horse and she wouldn’t gain a single pound.” Sylvie shook her head and feigned a look of indignation.
“What are you complaining about? You’re not fat.” Serena laughed.
“That’s because I watch my diet. You don’t have to. With your youth and high metabolism you can eat anything. It’s just not fair.”
Roman laughed, enjoying the banter. “You’re like me, Sylvie. I have to eat right and exercise.”
“You? You don’t have a spare ounce of flesh on your body,” Sylvie said with a touch of exasperation. “I’m sure you don’t have to work too hard to keep that body in shape. It sure looks good to me.”
“Grandma.” Serena frowned at the older woman but Sylvie only laughed.
Then it was Serena who was looking at him with what seemed like admiration. Was she checking him out? Roman could only hope so.
They had a pleasant meal with conversation that left Roman feeling relaxed and at home. He could not tell the last time he’d enjoyed himself so much. Here he was having dinner with his employee and her grandmother and he felt like he’d known them for years. From time to time his eyes would wander over to Serena and as she chatted comfortably with Sylvie he could not help but see her with new eyes. She was still the feisty young woman who walked into his office a few weeks earlier but now he could see another side of her. It was obvious that she loved her grandmother dearly. Maybe the woman didn’t replace her mother but there was a love and understanding between the two that could not be denied. And from their interaction he could see that underneath the strong and independent façade that Serena showed the world she was still young and vulnerable.
