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In an excited tone, Jenna said, “I ought to have everything good to go in two days, and then we close for three for the near-round-the-clock makeover. Tad supervises that entire process. He loves to crack the whip.”
“That almost scares me.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I know. It’s his chance to strut his stuff. He thinks it’s the time he proves his worth. He never quite grasps that I can’t do what I do without him. From the first time we worked together, I knew I’d never survive if he wasn’t by my side on a job.”
“You met in New Orleans?”
“A sleazy dive that needed a complete overhaul. The very prim and proper sister of a shady character inherited it when her brother was murdered. She didn’t know what to do—the clientele was a bit rough and you couldn’t walk a foot or two without crunching a cockroach under the sole of your shoe.”
“Nice,” he said in a droll tone.
“Well, there was a lot of potential in that building. When she emailed me photos on my DIY blog, I thought, no way in hell could she tackle this herself. I popped in one night and sat in the back. I watched the staff and my God, did they give it their all. Honestly worked their asses off for their tips. Especially Tad. It was a hardcore crowd and he had them tied in knots with his sarcastic wit. I was in awe.”
“He is a rare breed.”
“Yes, a true gem. And when I asked him to help with the project… Geez. You should have seen the hands flapping and the tongue wagging—like I’d just told him he’d won the lottery. He had a million ideas. I needed several aspirins by the time he was done. But once I waded through all that he’d said, I was mind blown and just knew we’d been destined to meet. And I’m sorry I never introduced you two before. I compartmentalize, you know that. I kept my professional and personal life separate. Helped me to focus on what needed to be done.”
“He thinks the world of you, Jen. Doesn’t take being around the two of you for long to see that. Every time he looks at you, there’s worship in his eyes.”
“Don’t choke me up, please. I’m not sure I can take much more.”
He kissed
her temple. “It’s been a tough week for you.”
Jenna gave this some thought, then shook her head slightly. “Not in the way you’re thinking. Rafe, I am so happy to be here and to be doing something for the restaurant.”
“I can’t even begin to thank you enough. To—”
“Please don’t,” she said. “Don’t thank me. I wanted to do this, Rafe. You can’t even imagine how thrilled I am to do this for you. And for the family. I didn’t really pitch in when we were married. I’d fill in for Reesa on her nights off, but then I landed the TV show and I couldn’t be a part of Sampogna’s. That’s just…awful.”
“Why?” he asked, sounding incredulous. “You had your own career before we married, Jen. I never expected you to ditch it in order to work fulltime at the restaurant.”
“No, and you never asked me to, either. But your family works there, Rafe. And the friends you’ve hired, who are pretty much your family as well. Why wouldn’t I work there?”
“Because you had your own life, Jenna.”
She sighed. “Maybe this was our biggest problem, Rafe. Not just that I’ve always had a crazy career, but that…I’ve always had my own life.”
He was quiet a few moments, then said, “I knew what I was getting myself into with you, sweetheart. So let’s look at the facts as they stand. I wanted you the way you were. Until we came back to the loft and I wanted you to be a part of my entire world.”
In a soft voice, Jenna admitted, “I want to be a part of your entire world.”
His arms tightened around her. “You always will be. Even when you leave next week.”
Her eyes squeezed shut. Yes, the clock still ticked in her ear. Seven days down. Seven days to go.
And she would leave at the end of her two weeks. She’d committed her time to someone else. She wouldn’t back out just to be with Rafe, even if she wanted to.
Question was… Did she want to?
Chapter Eleven
Rafe set two cappuccinos on a table for Jenna and Tad and then straddled the back of a chair as he eyed the papers and schematics covering the six top.
“I feel as though I should be doing something,” he said. “Can’t I help in some way?”
Jenna smiled, then sipped. She told him, “You’re keeping us caffeinated.”
