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She looked at him in surprise and he shrugged. “I had you looked up. You have an impressive reputation. You are highly sought for what you do.”
She nodded, not sure what to make of his investigation into her.
“So what led to your new career?”
“A girl can’t flip burgers forever, you know,” she said with a small smile.
“And art? It has always been a passion for you?”
“Not until I came to stay with Aunt Jude.”
“Your mother’s sister?”
“No. My father’s.”
“She’s an artist?”
“Hardly. But she’s a Countess. With an enormous, gloriously furnished and decorated castle on the border of England and Wales. I hadn’t realised until I moved in with her that I love beautiful things.” She ran a finger down his face, thinking that he was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. “I don’t care what era the piece is from. I don’t care if it’s bright or pastel, a still life or a portrait, or modern interpretive work. I just care that it works.”
“And you have a sense for that.”
“Yes, I guess I do.”
“Are you close to this Countess Aunt?”
She laughed. “Yeah. She’s a character and a half though.”
“Reminds me of someone I know.”
She shook her head. “Trust me, Jude is … something else. She’s never wearing less than six colours. Her hair goes from blue to red to green to yellow to pink, depending on her mood and the season. She is a true devotee of Vivienne Westwood, and all that entails. I love her. She’s amazing.”
Her genuine pleasure made him happy. He liked to think of Cassie with wonderful, bright, loving people in her life.
He didn’t dare investigate that idea further.
It was enough to know that Cassie had family who adored her, as she deserved.
“Speaking of beautiful things,” he kissed the tip of her nose, “I have something for you.”
He shifted her off his lap and stood. Cassie padded behind him as he moved into the bedroom. He lifted a box from the side of the bed she’d been using, then walked softly towards her.
“What is it?” She asked, her hands by her side.
Layth flipped the top so that she could see the jewels inside. Cassie inhaled sharply. It was a diamond necklace. Not a single diamond. Not five, not ten. It was a cobweb of jewels – perhaps thirty of them – all linked together in an intricate weave.
Cassie took an involuntary step backwards. “It’s way, way too much.”
“It is perfect for this beautiful neck. It’s yours.” His tone was no-nonsense.
Cassie’s eyes dropped back to the necklace. “I can’t take it.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s … there must be … it’s just wrong.”
“It will make me happy to think of you with it.”
Cassie bit down on her lip. “I don’t want it. I don’t need it. Please, Layth, don’t give me things like this.”
