"Shit! This is about to be heavy," Dayana muttered before taking a huge sip of her drink.
I drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. There was no point in trying to soften any of this. Or trying to excuse it. I'd made my choices. Now I had to own up to them.
"I'll start from the beginning,” I said.
And I did just that, starting from the moment I first hacked Rome. I explained how what should've been a simple intelligence-gathering mission had slowly become something else entirely. Something personal. Something dangerous.
I kept my eyes on theirs, moving around to each of them, refusing to shy away from what I’d done. I’d fucked up. I would accept whatever scolding they gave. I admitted my feelings for Rome and told them of his feelings for me.
Though I didn’t mention the naughty bits, I did admit to late-night video chats with him. I made sure to tell them that I’d worn a mask each time. I couldn’t help but notice Dayana’s smirk.
Shit like that was right up her kinky alley. Then I moved on to him showing up at the shop with a client and somehow connecting me to the woman who’d hacked him, who’d chatted with him, who’d fallen for him.
"He suspects I'm the woman who was hacking him. But he hasn't connected our shop to the Marcel incident. I need to keep him from discovering our connection to Marcel. But as long as I’m here, he’s going to keep coming by the shop. I’ll have to leave if I want him to stop showing up here. That’s why I plan to go help out at a different branch for a few months. With me away from the shop," I explained. “It'll take some heat off the store. And hopefully, Rome will stop coming around."
"Where will you go?" Kelly asked.
"I'll transfer to the Alabama shop." My gaze shifted to Tracy. "Your daughter, Nina, told me last week that her shop was short-staffed. I can go help her out until we find a Petal who's willing to relocate there permanently."
Tracy nodded. "Nina would love to have you."
"What do we do if Rome comes here looking for you?" Kelly asked.
"Tell him I went on vacation." I looked toward Dayana. "As far as the shop goes, we've got a lot happening here. Dayana, I need you to manage the store while I'm gone."
She nodded. "I can do that."
Then I turned to Kelly. "Kelly, I'll need you to work more days if you're up for it."
"I'll do it,” she said. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do."
"Thank you," I told her. "If something comes up at work or outside of work, call Dayana or Tracy. If you can't reach either of them, call me right away. I don't care what time it is. You got it?"
"I got it,” Kelly told me.
"If things get too busy for you two to handle, call Ebony. Since tax season is over, she’s not busy at her tax office right now. She told me if we ever need help, she can help out. Even though I'll be away, I'll still help with weddings and anything else that comes up. We’ll hold Zoom meetings before each shift until our event season dies down."
My gaze drifted to Tracy.
"Tracy..." My throat tightened. "I'm leaving my mom in your care. I'll visit her before I leave. But I may not be able to see her for a month or so. Please... Please take care of her for me."
"Don't worry," Tracy said softly. "Me and the old gals will protect and care for Camelia. You do what you have to do to get this Cattaneo off your trail. We’ll hold down the fort here."
"If something happens, just call me. I'll come back,” I promised.
“I hate to be a negative Nancy,” Dayana started. “But I’ve got to ask. Are you sure this plan will work? Will this really make him give up on you?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "I’m hoping once he stops seeing me at the shop, he’ll stop coming here. I need him to stop coming here. I need this shop off his radar."
Dayana sat quietly for a second before speaking again.
"It sounds to me like you're using yourself as bait to keep him from looking into the shop."
She could read me so well.
“Blossy, we are not afraid of the Cattaneo family,” Dayana said. “If it comes down to it, we’re ready to go up against them. Fuck running. If this Rome guy is being a problem, we can handle him.”
“I know we can handle the Cattaneos. But I’m trying to avoid a confrontation unless it’s absolutely necessary. By leaving, I’m hoping he stops coming to the shop. As I said, I don't think he suspects us of anything involving Marcel right now. He just wants me. He wants the woman who hacked him and flirted withhim. I’m his obsession. I need to get away so he'll stop tying me to his hacker. That’s why I’m leaving."
