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“She won’t be in the office until Monday.”
“I’ve been in contact with her, and she assured me she’d be available to speak with you today, tomorrow, or anytime you’d like.”
It would probably be a good idea if I did. Not because Iwantedto talk about the message. Ineededto talk to her about Press. “I’d like to.”
“I can take care of scheduling it. Or you can, obviously.”
I smiled. Press was always the protector, always hiding behind the mask of propriety. I longed to see him drop his shield, let loose, and show me the man behind the steely facade. Would he, though? Could he ever allow himself to be unguarded? Vulnerable?
Something told me I’d have to be the one to strip away his defenses. He’d never put me in a position of having to reject him, especially given I’d been forthcoming about the crush I used to have on Beau.
“Would you like some coffee? Breakfast, perhaps?”
I hadn’t thought I’d be able to eat anything, but at the mention of food, my stomach rumbled. “I guess so,” I said.
“I’ll bring it up to you, and don’t worry about being alone. Jaicon is in the hall beyond the doorway.”
“I’ll come down with you. Actually, I’ll meet you in the kitchen after I’ve used thelavatory.”
He smiled when I mimicked his accent. “See you shortly, then.” He walked through the bathroom and closed the farthest door behind him.
After taking a quick shower, brushing my teeth, and putting on a change of clothes, Jaicon and I went downstairs. Press wasn’t alone in the kitchen. He and Zeppelin were head-to-head in the midst of a serious-looking conversation. I thought about turning around to give them privacy, but Press noticed us before I could.
“Did something else happen?” I asked when neither dropped their somber expression.
“Not at all. Zeppelin has brought you a new phone. And just for your peace of mind, it’s been set to block any unknown numbers.”
I thought about Beau when he handed it to me, and I thanked him. I had no reason to believe he’d call again, but if he wanted to, he wouldn’t have the new number. It occurred to me then that I didn’t tell Press I’d spoken to him. “Have you programmed in the same numbers as before?” I asked.
“I have done,” Zeppelin responded. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll check in later.”
Press poured a cup of coffee and added a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of cream before handing it to me.
“My apologies. Breakfast was waylaid by my conversation.” I knew Press well enough to see there was something more he wasn’t telling me. It had been at least twenty minutes since he came downstairs.
“It took all that time to talk about a replacement phone?” I said, my eyes boring into his.
“He had an update to share regarding my brother as well.”
“Which reminds me. He called yesterday afternoon.”
Press had been taking things out of the refrigerator, but stopped and closed the door. “What did he say? Do you mind my asking?”
“He apologized. Mainly for the kiss, but also for treating me unfairly. His words, by the way, not mine.”
“I see,” Press muttered, reopening the refrigerator. He stood in front of it but didn’t appear to be removing anything else.
“Press?”
He looked over his shoulder at me.
“I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”
He shook his head, but his lack of response made me uncomfortable.
“I changed my mind. I’m not hungry.” I picked up my coffee and left the room. When I reached the stairs, I decided I didn’t want to return to his bedroom. Instead, I went to the room he’d taken me to the night his mother died.
While he’d mentioned there was a view of the vineyards, I hadn’t expected it to take my breath away the way it did. The windows lining the outer wall were in a semicircle, which I hadn’t realized when they were covered by blinds.
