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“So I’ve heard,” he says, as I rotate to face him. “You’ll have to prove it today.”
“Gladly.” I rub my hands together. “I’m all about the tasting.”
He tosses my coat over his arm and leads me through the seating area, which I only now notice the tables having cute little cookies imprinted on the tops. In the process, I don’t miss the way two women at one of those nearby tables are eyeing Kace, their heads together, all smiles and whispers. Kace notices—I know he notices—and his response is a possessive hand on my lower back, a wordless statement of ownership—his and mine. With it, I feel this sense of security that I haven’t asked for but that he’s offered freely. It matters. I don’t know if I knew how much, but I’m beginning to, so very much.
Kace guides me toward a hallway, but just as we attempt to enter, Jerry steps into our path, a giant wall of a man who is now blocking our way to the cookies. Today he’s wearing khakis and a shirt that reads “Cookie Bossman” but his expression is steel. “Coats or no cookies.” He holds out his arms.
A smile tempts my lips, but I don’t dare. Not when he’s in soldier mode. Kace complies with the command, offering up my coat before he shrugs out of his to do the same. Jerry glances between us and then orders, “I’ll cover the front. Now go sample.” He turns and leaves, disappearing beyond a doorway where I assume he will deposit our coats.
“Why do I feel our coats are now being held captive?” I whisper conspiratorially.
Kace smiles. “Because they are,” he assures me. “We’ll have to pry them from his hands when we’re ready to go shopping for our new home.”
The word home still manages to pinch my chest while his hand closing around mine as he pushes open two double steel doors is a welcome connection. Jenny is inside the kitchen waiting on us and she’s standing in front of a shiny steel island covered in silver trays of yummy cookies. She’s also wearing a pink apron with “Cookie Dominatrix” on it, which has me grinning ear-to-ear. “Obviously, you’re sampling more than one cookie,” she says, motioning us forward. “Come to the cookies, my little connoisseur of icing.”
I laugh and Kace and I sidle on up to the opposite side of the island as she proceeds to present the offers. “Strawberry with white chocolate icing, chocolate with peanut butter icing, and sugar with buttercream.”
“Sugar with buttercream,” I say. “Me want. Me have to have.”
A few minutes later, the sugar wins for me and Kace, but they are all delicious. In the midst of the sample tasting, there is a lot of chatter and laughter. “It’s closing time,” Jerry announces, joining us. “We’re locked up and the coffee is ready up front.”
It’s not long until we’re all around a table in the main dining area sipping coffee. “We should go shopping, Aria,” Jenny offers.
The idea of me shopping with Kace’s godmother is another surreal moment for me. It’s family. It’s the mother and daughter activities I lost when I lost my mother. It’s wonderfully painful. “I’d like that.”
“After we get back to the States,” Kace says, squeezing my leg.
Jerry scowls at Kace and leans in closer to him. “What does that mean, son?”
“I’m taking Aria to Germany for a couple of weeks before we hit Italy and Paris for two holiday charity events.”
Jenny’s lips purse with disapproval. “I thought you were staying home this year, Kace?”
“Next year,” Kace replies. “I’m looking forward to it and since Aria and I are now living together,” he glances down at me, and slides an arm around me, “I’m fairly certain we’ll have a tree.”
“We will,” I assure them all. “I haven’t had a tree in years.”
“Oh my!” Jenny squeals. “Oh my, this is wonderful.” She nudges Jerry. “Told you.” She claps her hands together, her eyes lighting like a child with a new toy: me. “I know what comes next.”
Mortified that she’s about to say marriage and put Kace on the spot, and me too for that matter, I quickly say, “I’m sorry we won’t be here this year, but you both know how important this charity is to Kace.”
Jerry’s expression tightens. “We do. It’s a good thing you’re doing, son.”
“Why don’t you come to the Paris show?” Kace says. “You were both sick for my show here. I’ll fly you out and set you up in style.”
Jenny glances hopefully at Jerry. “You have been promising me Paris and I hear it’s amazing during the holidays.”
Big bad Jerry softens like a teddy bear and kisses her temple. “We’ll make it happen. We need to see him play.”
“Then it’s a date,” Kace says, locking them down. “I’ll coordinate everything with you once we’re in Germany.”
I am charmed by Kace’s bond with Jerry and Jenny, and my hand finds his, drawing those dreamy blue eyes to mine. We both break into smiles and he leans in and gives me a sweet peck on the mouth.
My cellphone rings and just like that, I’m out of the sweet moment, my heart lurching. Hating how easily a call sets me on edge, I snake it from my purse to glance at the caller ID. A mix of relief and disappointment fills me as I eye Kace. “Nancy. I need to talk to her. She doesn’t know we’re leaving.” I give a nod and glance between Jenny and Jerry. “Work stuff. Sorry. I’ll be right back.” I stand and step away.
“Hey, Nancy,” I greet, standing near the front window to watch the new spill of snow flutter by the window.
“Hi,” she greets. “I wanted to let you know I have a buyer interested in a coin collection from that list you gave me. It looks like a great sale.” I pause at the window as she runs down the details with me. “I’ll email you the details of our call with his contact information,” she closes.
“Perfect. Thank you.”
“Should I go by the store and check on things?”
“No,” I say quickly. “Actually, we should meet and talk.”
“Oh God, am I being fired?”
“No. No, you are not being fired, but I’d like you to work contract for me from home from now on.”
“But what about the store?”
Indeed, I think, what about the store? It’s just one more thing I need to have a real conversation with Gio about. “We’re changing the business model. Can you meet me tonight? You can bring the kiddo.”
“Sure, but my sister is in town, so all is well with the babysitter. That’s her. She’ll live with it. What time and where?”
“Late, unfortunately,” I say, “but it’s important.” I think about the time with the realtor coming up and says, “Eight is the earliest I can do this, but I might have to change that if another meeting conflicts. I’ll know soon.”
“Yes, sure. Where?”
I decide the best way to make her feel secure is for her to come to the apartment. Hoping Kace is fine with that, I say, “I’ll text you the address and let the doorman know you can come up.”
“The doorman?” she queries. “Where am I going?”
“To my new apartment.”
“Oh my God,” she gasps. “Did you move in with Kace?”
“I did,” I say, and I’m smiling. I can’t help it. I did move in with Kace. And it’s wonderful.
“I have so many thoughts right now,” she says. “This is fast, but he?
?s hot and rich and—just so many thoughts.”
I muster a little smile that would not have been possible an hour ago, but Kace changed that and character that she is, her mood is infectious. “And I’m sure you’ll share them all when you get there.”
We say our goodbyes, and I turn to the window to admire the snow when my eyes catch on a woman directly across the street from where I stand. She’s in a winter beanie with a big fluffy ball on top, a thick coat draped around her. She seems to be staring at me.
Unease slides through me and I punch in Savage’s number. He answers on the first ring. “Savage at your service, milady.”
“There’s a woman standing directly across from me right now staring at me. It feels off.”
“We see the little minx,” he says. “We’re going to follow her. Go back to eating cookies. Get some to go. I want the sugar with icing.”
“How did you know what I’m doing inside?”
“It’s a cookie shop. If you aren’t eating cookies, I’m not sure I can protect you anymore.” He hangs up. Kace’s hand settles on my shoulder and I turn to face him. “Kace.” I grab his T-shirt.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“There’s a woman watching us. I called Savage.” I turn back to the glass to show him, but she’s gone.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“She’s gone. The woman is gone.” I twist back around to face Kace. “Maybe she was just some random person. I don’t know. I called Savage. He saw her, too.” I grab Kace’s shirt again, my words hissing from between my teeth. “I knew we shouldn’t have come here.”
“She might have been trying to see if they were open, baby.”
“From across the street?” I ask in disbelief.
“It’s snowing,” he says. “Why walk over if it’s closed?”
“Right. True. I guess you’re the voice of reason. Or not. Maybe I’m the voice of reason.” I turn back to the window, scanning for her again, something clawing in my mind. Something about the woman feels familiar. Or not, I think. I just can’t be sure.
My cellphone rings in my hand and I glance at the caller ID, twisting around to face Kace. “Savage,” I say, answering the call.
