AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked from her to Jax. “I’m sure you have everything in hand.”
“Oh, I was just helping him out.”
I tipped my head and met Jax’s gaze. “Just where is Stella or Eryn?”
“Wedding expo in Boston.”
I winced. “On Black Friday?”
“No thanks. I made them three dozen salted dark chocolate caramels and washed my hands of them.” He wrapped an arm around Linda’s shoulders. “Besides, I have this lovely woman as my assistant.”
Linda tipped her head up to stare at him, her eyes locked and dreamy.
Jax was a menace. I didn’t blame Linda for being all fluttery. The man could melt chocolate at fifty paces.
“She’s got a gallery to worry about, Romeo.”
He let Linda go. “C’mon, you know I need someone to taste the masterpieces.” He lifted a truffle off one of the tiers and held it out to me. “Try this one. I’m told it’s exceptional.”
I squinted at him, but took the chocolate. “Menace.” I took a bite and swallowed the urge to moan out loud. Incorrigible man didn’t need that kind of help with his preening ego. I quickly licked my lips, hoping he didn’t notice. “Very good.”
“Very good? Come on, you can do better than that.”
“You know it’s a masterpiece. You don’t need me to tell you.”
It was his turn to spike a brow at me.
“Oh, right.” I shook my head. I glanced at Linda with an easy smile. “Let me know if you need an insulin shot after helping Jax.”
Linda smiled back at me before her adoring gaze tracked back to Jax. “Isn’t it cruel? How can he be allergic to chocolate?”
“Tragic.” I brushed a hand down Jax’s arm. “Don’t monopolize all her time, huh?”
“I make no promises.”
“Ms. Copeland.”
My spine snapped straight. God, no.
Jax frowned at me. “Everything okay, Grace?”
I leaned in and kissed Jax’s cheek. “It’s fine.”
His hand slid around my wrist to hold me close. “Sure?” he asked in a low voice.
I gave him an easy smile. At least I hoped it looked like an easy smile. Maybe not such a self-important jerk after all.
I looked over Jax’s shoulder toward the doorway. Blake filled the arched pass-through, his gunmetal-gray suit accentuating just how tall and broad he was.
“I can handle him.” I moved around Jax and lifted my chin. Whether I was telling him or myself that was the twenty-four-million-dollar question.
“Mr—” No. No, we wouldn’t be playing that game right now. Not in my house. The gallery was my domain, and I wouldn’t let him intimidate me. “Blake. What can I do for you?” I walked toward him, and past him into the next gallery space. “I’m very busy.”
“So I see. Who is that man?” His gaze was still on Jax. In fact, he hadn’t turned around to follow me.
I rolled my eyes and kept walking. Finally, I heard his dress shoes behind me. I snatched an iPad off the desk and logged into the gallery’s mainframe. Each virtual room was labeled with a picture of each piece of work.
It was the only thing that ever worked with how much Philomena moved around the pieces. I scanned the room to make sure everything matched so far.
