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“I think I know what you’re saying.” Her fingertip touched his forehead, trailed down his nose and ran lightly over his lips. “I take it you’re not that into my wig, huh?”
He laughed, relieved she wasn’t upset. “I don’t think it would fit me. But I love your tattoo.”
“You saw that?”
He stroked the tiny phoenix on her left side under her arm. “In case you didn’t notice, I’ve been studying your body thoroughly.”
“Mmm, I did notice.”
He continued stroking her, listening to the waves, watching the dawn sky brighten, feeling their time together slipping away, minute by minute.
“So, Zac, I’ve been thinking.”
“Yes?”
“About Valentine’s Day.”
Zac froze for a microsecond before he reminded himself to keep breathing. Was she going to say she wanted to hang out with him on Valentine’s Day? Immediately he began thinking beyond boxes of chocolate, poetry and bouquets of roses to something that would represent his feelings without being too clichéd or scaring her.
“Yeah, I’d like to do something at Slow Pour.”
“Okay.” At Slow Pour? What kind of wildly romantic date was that? Unless she meant after hours, when the shop was dark and deserted.
“I’ve never really thought much of the holiday. I mean, really, do you need a calendar to tell you when to be romantic?”
“Nope.” He was barely listening, thinking hard about Valentine’s Day with Chris, and how far he could push—
“But Eva’s doing a really nice event at NYEspresso, and I think I could do more with the shop on that day. What do you think?”
Oh.
Zac barely kept himself from growling. He was not doing the patience thing so well. It was a good sign that Chris wanted to celebrate a day of romance instead of ignoring it.
“I think a bigger event sounds great. What were you thinking of doing?” He snapped his fingers. “I know. You want me to dress up in a diaper and fairy wings with a bow and quiver of arrows and shoot your customers.”
“Oh, that would be adorable!” She clapped her hands gleefully. “But no, not in a million years.”
“I’m seriously disappointed.”
“Uh-huh.” Chris turned onto her side, absently stroking his chest. “I’ve got some decorations and special bakery items on order. But I want to do something bigger, something that will attract attention to the store, that will really spark interest.”
“Set it on fire?”
She rolled her eyes, giggling. “You are such a help.”
“Give away engagement rings?”
One dark eyebrow lifted. “You paying?”
“Um.” He pretended to consider. “No.”
“But maybe...” She frowned in concentration, then gasped, her face lighting. “I know! I could give away coffee for a year to any couple who gets engaged at Slow Pour on Valentine’s Day!”
Immediately, even knowing he was being totally ridiculous, Zac imagined himself kneeling at her feet, offering Chris a ring. She’d be shocked at first, then her expression would clear and soften. Tears would run down her cheeks and she’d open her mouth and say—
“I am brilliant!” Chris rose to sitting. “Why didn’t I think of this before? People will want to come from all over to hang out at Slow Pour in case someone proposes. And of course while they’re waiting, they’ll need coffee and food to tide them over. I can rent a tent for the front area and set up more tables, triple the pastry and drink orders, have my supplier deliver extra coffee. God, only if there’s enough time. Let’s see...”
“Chris.”
“I have a week, right? Today is Saturday and Valentine’s Day is next Saturday. I should still have time to get an article in the Tribune, because of course they’d want to cover this, then I’ll post an article in the Carmia Chronicle online, put up posters around town...”
“Chris.”
“Mmm?” She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, propping her hands behind her to push herself onto the sand.
Zac dived after her and brought her back onto the bed so she was lying half under him. “You’re not going anywhere yet.”
