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“I wanted to make this right for you, Beth.”
His quiet words cut through her worry, and she shut her mouth so quickly that her teeth clicked. He didn’t say more, but she heard the meaning behind that simple sentence. The things he couldn’t say. And she loved him for it. “But there’s nothing to make right. I told you about the store.”
“I spoke to him father-to-father. I told him he should be ashamed of himself.”
“I don’t think that kind of thing works on a man like him, Dad.”
Her father smiled. “Regardless, I let him know I was proud of you, querida. And that he could never change that. Nothing ever will.”
“Aw, Dad.” She let herself fall into his arms, but she wasn’t the least bit tempted to cry. He was trying. A little late, but better late than never. Much better.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Don’t thank me, Beth. It’s what I should have done a long time ago.”
“Come on. Let’s find you a table. I know you miss the amazing Italian restaurants in Argentina, but I think you’re going to love this pizza.”
After seeing her parents seated and waving a server over, Beth stopped at Luke’s table and leaned close to Simone Parker. “How did it go?” she whispered.
“The date?” She transferred her tiny daughter to her other shoulder and patted her back. “It was a dud, but at least I tried it. Next time it won’t be so scary.”
“Come into the shop next week. I’ve got a great new line.”
“I will.”
Beth was still smiling when she slipped into the back to find Eric. She hadn’t seen him for a while, and she worried he was getting in Jamie’s way. But Eric wasn’t in the kitchen, and he wasn’t in his office. She finally wandered farther back and spotted him in the tank room. She stopped in her tracks to watch him, his private moment framed behind glass.
A pint of beer in hand, he sat in a pose of complete relaxation…his head resting on the steel tank behind him, eyes closed, a small smile turning his lips up. He seemed to relax a little more every day. He was just…happier.
Beth didn’t want to intrude on his space, so she backed up a few feet and turned away to give him a few more minutes alone. But once those minutes were up, she sent a text. Can you meet me in your office? I want to show you something.
His office door opened more quickly than she’d expected it to. He shut it behind him.
“Hey,” she said.
She was perched on his desk, and his eyes slid down her legs. “Hey, yourself. Is there something I can do for you?”
Beth laughed, happy that her carefully worded text had done the job. She uncrossed her legs and watched his eyes widen for a moment. “I actually just wanted to check on you,” she said, laughing. “And my parents are here. I thought you might want to say hi. You know how much they love you.”
“I’m a pretty great guy.” He stepped closer and spread his hand over the part of her thigh exposed when her skirt had hitched up.
“Everybody thinks you’re so upstanding and reserved,” she said.
“Well, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I think my family suspects we’re having sex.”
“No.” She edged her legs farther apart, sighing when his thumb snuck higher up her inner thigh.
“It’s just a hunch. Plus, haven’t you noticed the way Jamie has blushed every time he saw you this week?”
“Actually, now that you mention it, he has seemed nervous. I thought it was grand-opening jitters.”
“Wrong. It was your last column.”
Beth frowned, trying to remember. Then she slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her horrified laugh. “Oh, my God. Didn’t you tell him I didn’t write that one?”
“I thought I’d let him squirm for a little while. And he’s finally starting to treat me with the respect and awe I deserve.”
She slapped his arm, but Eric caught her wrist and drew it around his waist as he slipped between her knees. “Was there anything else you wanted to show me?”
