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When they’d finished the meal Sylvie gathered up the dishes and placed them in the sink. She began to rinse them off when Roman got up. “I’ll do it.”
“Roman, you’re a guest. Sit down and relax. Chat with Serena.” Sylvie continued to rinse the dishes.
By this time Roman was almost by Sylvie’s side. “You’re being too good to me, Sylvie. I never get a chance to do household chores so give me this one opportunity. I like being domesticated from time to time.”
Sylvie laughed and stepped aside. “Okay, if that’s what you want. Who am I to fight a man who wants to do housework?”
Roman rinsed the food from the dishes and set them in the dishwashing machine and turned it on. While he was drying his hands Serena went to the counter for the cake and rested it on the table. “Time for the birthday girl to have some cake.”
Sylvie was beaming, obviously pleased with the attention. Serena got a knife and handed it to her. “Cut the cake while I take a picture.” She pulled out her cell phone from the back pocket of her jeans and held it up. “Go ahead.”
Sylvie stuck the knife in the middle of the cake and then slowly pressed down, cutting a huge slice which she laid on the plate. “Roman, you get the first bite.”
“No way,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re the birthday girl.”
“No, you’re the guest. You go first.”
“If you guys are going to fight about it I’ll go first.” Serena reached out to take the plate but her grandmother pulled it back.
“Oh, no, you don’t. It’s my birthday and I’ll go first.”
Roman laughed. “That’s what I thought.”
Roman and Serena sat down with Sylvie and they all munched on the cake.
“Mmm, this is good.” Sylvie said, obviously enjoying herself.
“Sorry I didn’t get to put icing on it, Grandma. We couldn’t figure out that part, not so quickly anyway.”
“We? Did you help her make this, Roman?”
Roman nodded. “I couldn’t let her do it all by herself.”
“I was wondering about that. When my Serena told me she was going to bake me a cake I was doubtful. I never knew of that girl ever going into a kitchen to make anything. But she came through. With your help, of course.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get you the usual from Michael’s Bakery this year,” Serena said. “I know you love their cakes but…I just wanted to do something different.”
“Child, are you apologizing for making me a cake? You’d better not, because I love it. Who cares about Michael’s cake when I can get one from the hands of my own granddaughter? And you too, Roman.” She beamed at him. “It’s delicious.”
“Now, for your present,” Serena said and got up. She hurried out of the kitchen.
Roman was left in the kitchen with Sylvie. She had just popped the last bit of her cake into her mouth and was smiling at him with knowing eyes. “So what do you think of my Serena?”
Taken aback by the directness of the question Roman did not answer right away. Then he spoke. “She’s an admirable young woman. Despite her lack of experience she has an eye for beauty and I can see her doing very well in marketing. I’m sure her father will have a great asset when she joins the company.”
Sylvie laughed. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I can see that you like her very much.”
The comment almost floored Roman. Was it so obvious?
“Here it is.” Serena came back just in time, the wrapped gift in her hand. Gently, she laid the large flat rectangle on the table. “Time to open your gift.”
Sylvie stared at it eagerly. “I think I know what it is. It’s shaped like…it’s the picture I saw at the Royal Ontario Museum. The one that featured the skyline. I know that’s it. You saw me admiring it and you got it, didn’t you?”
Serena shook her head. “I’m sorry but that’s not what it is. I hope you still like this one, though.”
Sylvie chuckled. “I’m sure I will.” She slid her finger under the paper at the back and quickly peeled off the tape then she slid the frame out of the wrapping. What came out of the package was the gold-framed charcoal portrait of Sylvie and a handsome man smiling down at her. Sylvie’s eyes widened in surprise and then her lips trembled and tears filled her eyes. “Oh Serena, it’s beautiful.”
“Grandma, you’re crying. Are you sure you like it?”
“I love it, I absolutely love it. You captured the moment beautifully.” Sylvie gently caressed the face of the man with her weathered hands. Then she put her fingers to her lips. “This was a moment I will always remember. And now you’ve captured it for me with your own hands. Thank you.”
“I…I couldn’t think of what to give you and I couldn’t buy you a nice gift like I usually do so I thought maybe this would be a good substitute.”
“This is the best gift you could have ever given me. I don’t need perfume or expensive jewelry. I want memories. I want something that’s from you. You’ve given me both with this gift.” She laid the portrait gently back down on the table then got up and opened her arms. Serena stepped right into them and, with tears in their eyes, the two women embraced.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Serena sighed as she slid out of Roman’s car. She felt happy, even contented. She’d had a wonderful evening with her grandmother and with Roman there it had been even more fun. They’d ended up playing board games with Sylvie and when Roman started having a winning streak Sylvie and Serena had had to gang up on him to beat him. Serena could not tell when she’d had so much simple, satisfying fun.
It was almost nine o’clock but she didn’t want her day with Roman to end. As he took her hand to help her out of the car she looked up at him. Then she smiled hesitantly. “Would you like to come up for a drink?”
Roman looked down at her, his face partially hidden in the shadows, and for a moment he was silent. Then he said, “Are you sure? You’re not tired?”
“No, I’m fine. Are you tired?”
Roman let her fingers slide from his hand then he shrugged. “Not at all.”
“Okay, then. It’s settled.” Serena walked ahead of him into the lobby, wondering where she had found the courage to invite her boss back upstairs. It wasn’t like earlier in the day when he’d come specifically to help her with the cake. Now it was more like…a date.
Once they were back in the apartment Serena felt at a loss for words. She’d invited Roman up because she’d enjoyed his company and wanted more of it but now she felt nervous. She decided to escape to the kitchen. “Would you like a drink? I have wine.”
“A drink would be nice,” he said with a nod. “White wine if you have it.”
Serena hurried to the kitchen where she poured two glasses of wine and laid them on a silver tray. Taking a deep breath she headed back to the living room. Come on, Serena, what are you afraid of? She was the one who’d invited him. Deep down, though, she knew what she feared most. It was herself.
When she got back to the living room Roman was still lounging in the sofa as he’d been when she left but this time there was a big book in his hand. He was deeply engrossed and as she got closer Serena saw that the book in his hand was her old photo album.
She almost dropped the tray. Goodness, where had he found that old thing? And then she remembered. Earlier that week she’d been looking for an old school photo and had dug it out of her trunk. She must have left it on the lower tier of the coffee table. And now it was in his hands.
She could feel her face grow warm with embarrassment. She’d been somewhat of a nerd in her younger days, her constant reading forcing her into thick glasses at the age of ten. Sometimes it was hard being an only child and after her mother’s death and her own bout with cancer she’d drawn more and more into her shell. She’d been a loner with books as her only friends. When she got into her teens she’d breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally allowed to wear contact lenses. And thank God for laser correction which she’d done as soon as she’d gone off to college.
Now Serena stared at Roman in horror. Had he seen her at her worst? She cringed inside. Quickly, she walked into the room and set the tray down on the coffee table with a smart bang.
“What have you got there?” she said casually, wondering how to get the album away from him as fast as possible without seeming rude.
Roman looked up at her, a big grin on his face.
Not a good sign. He’d probably gone through the whole lot of photos already.
“Interesting,” he said, his look enigmatic. His face gave nothing away but his smile said it all. She’d been discovered and not in a flattering way.
Serena leaned over and reached for the album. Rude or not, it was time to get that thing away from him. “I’ll put that away. I’m sure there are a lot more interesting things for you to do with your time.”
