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“They’re brewing a new pot of coffee.” Trent placed their afternoon snack on the table. “They promised to let us know when it is ready.” Before she could move a muscle, he placed a biscotti in front of her.
“That’s not a surprise. They’re probably just recovering from today’s lunch rush. It can get a little wild in here sometimes, and it can be hard to keep up.”
Across from her, he lifted his own cup of espresso toward his mouth. “Sounds like you speak from experience.”
Maintain eye contact. Don’t look at his lips or think about how they’d feel against yours. “I worked here and at the bakery on Federal Hill all through high school just like everyone else in the family. Even when I was in college, I worked at one of the bakeries in the summer. It was sort of expected.”
“I know how that can be.” He put his cup on the table, once again giving her an unobstructed view of his mouth.
The night before she’d dreamed of him. They’d been standing on the balcony that ran the length of his home in Newport and he’d been trailing kisses down her neck.
“Everyone, even my cousin Jake, who my Uncle Warren had to drag into the office, did an internship at Sherbrooke Enterprises. Both my father and uncle insisted we know the inner workings of the company.”
An image of the former playboy, Jake Sherbrooke, being dragged into an office formed and laughter bubbled up inside her. “Now that’s a picture I wish the media had printed.”
Trent chuckled. “It is too bad they didn’t get one. What about you? Did you mind working for the family business?”
“No not really. My brother Tom hated it. Only lasted one summer before my mom banned him from ever entering the kitchen again.”
“Banned him? Sounds a bit harsh. What did he do?”
Memories from the one summer her brother worked at the bakery surfaced. “More like what didn’t he do? When my parents refused to let him get a job somewhere else, he set out to make sure our mother didn’t want him at the bakery. At first it was just little things. Showing up late, taking extra long breaks. When that didn’t work he stepped up his efforts. The final straw was when he started a small fire in the kitchen. He still insists that it was an accident, but no one believes him.”
Across the table Trent cringed. “I can see how that would get him banned. Is he your only brother?”
Addie opened her mouth to answer, when Chloe called out to her from the front counter. “Your coffee is ready, Addie.” Addie didn’t even manage to push her chair back before Trent stood.
“I’ll get it for you.”
A girl could get used to this. From the table she followed Trent’s movements as he crossed to the front counter and she almost sighed out loud. Watching the guy walk was just so… she didn’t even know how to describe it. Yet, she knew no one should look that good while simply crossing a room.
At the counter he said something to Chloe, who still stood there, and in return she smiled at him. Then with her coffee in hand, he started back toward their table. The minute he turned his back on her cousin, Chloe flashed her a thumps up sign, then used her hand to signal Addie to call her later.
With the same athletic grace he used when he walked, Trent retook his seat, his attention once again focused on her. “So is he your only brother?” He asked, picking up their conversation right where they left off.
Addie cocked her head to the side and wondered if he asked all his business associates such questions. “If only,” she answered after deciding it didn’t matter how he treated his other associates. “I have four, all older than me.” Even she heard the hint of exasperation that crept into her voice. She adored her brothers, really she did, but having four older brothers was sometimes like having four additional fathers.
At her comment Trent laughed, a deep rich sound that soon had her smiling despite her best efforts to maintain a straight face.
“You sound like my sister. The two of you make it sound like having brothers is worse than death. I’ll have to introduce you to her, I think you’d get along well.”
Addie doubted that. She’d get along about as well with Allison Sherbrooke as she would with the Queen of England. In fact, she probably had as much in common with the Queen as she did Trent’s sister. “You try being not just the only girl in the family, but the youngest, too. Then get back to me.”
Trent raised his cup in a gesture of surrender, but amusement remained in his eyes. “Fair enough.”
With no idea where to take their conversation next, she looked down at her untouched snack and broke it in half. When nothing else came to mind she settled on talk of the projects he’d hired her for but had not yet asked about. “I’ve started on some preliminary designs for your house. I hope to have something rough for you by the end of next week. Depending on what you like or dislike, I can make changes.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with.” On the table Trent laced his fingers together, the movement causing his shirt sleeve to inch up just enough to uncover a large expensive-looking watch on his wrist, another stark reminder of just who sat across from her. “I read that the city has WaterFire scheduled for this Saturday night. I’ve never been. Have you?”
Addie shook her head. “Almost made it once last summer, but then it rained and I decided not to go.”
“If you not busy, would you care to join me? We could have dinner first.”
A multitude of questions, ones she should never voice, popped up in her head all clamoring for answers, answers she couldn’t even begin to speculate on. “That sounds like fun.” Great choice of words.
Regardless of her exact choice of words, Trent smiled, pleased with her response. “Excellent. I’ll pick you up at six o’clock then?”
“I’ll be ready.”
