“So you keep saying.”
“That’s because I’d rather show you my old stomping grounds than havethe talkright here on the sidewalk.”
She looked up at me, those grays eyes practically sparkling as they met mine. “Yeah, I think I’d rather see your old stomping grounds than have that talk.”
“It’s not bad.” I reached for her face and tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear, her messy ponytail doing things to me that shouldn’t be happening in public. “I promise, okay? It’s all going to be fine.”
“If you say so.” She dropped her forehead against my chest, staying just like that for a moment before she lifted her head again and motioned toward the street. “Alright, onward. What are we going to see next?”
“The coffee shop I practically live in when I’m supposed to be at work,” I said, tightening my grip on her hand, and led her around the block.
I showed her the riverwalk and my favorite museums, restaurants, and galleries, but I watched her reactions to the city much more than I actually paid attention to where we were. Raquel stopped in front of certain paintings displayed in windows and stared up at skyscrapers, her neck craning as she tried to take it all in.
We ate dinner from a food truck on the lake and dessert was ice cream cones we carried with us as we strolled to the hotel I’d booked us a suite at. Raquel rolled her eyes when I told her.“Why did you do that? We could just go back to your brother’s place. All my stuff is there.”
“No, it’s not,” I said easily. “I had them pack it all for you and put it in my car before we left. I’m not sharing you tonight.”
She smiled. “I think I can actually get behind this plan of yours.”
I laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. “That’s good, because I wasn’t going to change my mind.”
As we arrived at the hotel, she did a double take. Her head shook again as I dragged her inside. “I seriously underestimated how little money means to you.”
“It means everything to me when I get to spend it on you,” I teased, but I was also serious. “Come on, let’s go get checked in. I got us the honeymoon suite.”
“Getting a bit ahead of ourselves, are we?”
I shrugged and grinned as I bent over to press a kiss to the top of her head. “Not if tonight pans out the way I’m hoping it will.”
She rolled her eyes, but again, I hadn’t really been joking. Even so, I would wait until we were safely tucked in our suite before I got to any of that. Thankfully, our check-in went smoothly, and a few minutes later, we were finally alone, our bags standing side by side next to the door.
Raquel looked around like she wasn’t sure she was allowed to touch anything. I poured us each a glass of the wine I’d had waiting and handed hers over when I reached her. She was standing in front of the wide windows, staring out at the glittering city skyline and the lights reflecting off the lake beyond.
“This is an incredible view.”
I slid my arm around her from behind and rested my chin on top of her head. “Not as incredible as you.”
“Wow, you really are laying it on thick tonight.”
“Nah. I’m just being honest.” I pulled her flush against me. “I really, really missed you.”
“Yeah, I really missed you too,” she said quietly, resting her head against my shoulder. “Are you really going to leave all this behind, though?”
“I am,” I said without a shred of doubt or hesitation in my mind. “I’m over Chicago and I have big plans in Quartz Pass anyway.”
“You do, huh? I’m not so sure there’s anything big there to be planned.”
“Oh, but there is.”
She finally spun to face me but didn’t even try to dislodge my arm from around her. “Let’s hear them, then. What are these big plans of yours?”
“Well, for starters, I’m going to be partnering with Avery at the shop,” I said softly. “I talked to him and he’s happy with the deal Colin and I put on the table.”
Her eyes went wide, her entire body going still. “Avery, as in, mybrotherAvery? He actually agreed to let you help him?”
“He did.” I smiled. “Your brother is going to let me help him.”
“That’s insane,” she breathed. Tears jumped into her eyes. “Are you sure?”
