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Callum nods. “Yeah, for giving you a nudge in the right direction. You’ve been in love with Gem for years, Skip. It’s about time you found happiness with each other.”
“I’m sure your parents won’t see it that way,” I point out, not looking forward to that little reunion.
Callum sobers at the mention of his mother and father. “Yeah, well, it’s not up to them, is it? A lot of things should never have been up to them.”
“I come bearing gifts. Namely sugar, sugar, and more sugar,” Gem announces as she enters the shop holding boxes from Valentine’s Bakery stacked from her hands to beneath her chin.
I quickly relieve her of them and place them on the table Cal and I just moved into position. I look at her suspiciously. “Did you eat one of the cakes?”
She shakes her head, her eyes wide and innocent. “No. Why?”
“Are you sure? Because you have a little powdered sugar right here,” I say, brushing my thumb over the corner of her mouth.
She grimaces. “Ah, crap.” Her eyes darken as I bring my thumb to my lips and lick away the evidence.
I tug her against me with a grin. “Caught red-handed, sugar lips.” I dip my head and steal a kiss, flicking my tongue across her sweet mouth.
We haven’t spent a night apart since we made love in the studio, alternating between my apartment and hers above the shop. I’ve been inside her at every opportunity and had her in every conceivable position in the last week, but it’s never enough. My need for her is burned into my soul. And judging by the heat kindling in her eyes, she feels the same.
“Aaaaand that’s my cue to leave,” Callum says in disgust. “On the list of things I donotneed to see, witnessing my sister playing tonsil hockey with my best friend is at the top.” Hesteals a flapjack from the box. “I’ll go shower and be back later to support my little sis in her new venture.” He plants a kiss on Gem’s head and lifts a hand in farewell as he leaves.
“Huh. Good job we were done here,” Gem huffs as she watches his departing back.
“Have I told you how gorgeous you look today?” I squeeze her ass in the figure-hugging jade dress that brings out the green in her eyes.
“Yeah, but I can stand to hear it as many times as you want to tell me.” She loops her arms around my neck. “And you’re looking pretty hot yourself, mister. Very art-professor-y in your two-piece,” she says, indicating my slacks, button-down shirt, and waistcoat.
“I aim to please,” I mutter, pulling her in for another kiss.
“Oh, you have. Multiple times,” she murmurs against my mouth.
“Gem?”
“Yes, Bentley?”
“We have an audience.”
Gem gasps as she follows my gaze to the window where a long queue has formed. Her eyes fly back to mine, panic in their depths. “Do they … are they waiting to come in here?”
I nod. “Looks like you have your first customers, sweetheart.”
“Shit, shit, shit! This is really happening. I’m not sure if I can do this, Bentley. The pressure, the spotlight … just … everything. There’s still a part of me that thinks I’m not good enough.” She wrings her hands and looks at me with panic-stricken eyes.“What if they don’t like my designs? What if they’ve only come for the free cake or out of pity for the local girl or—”
I cut her off by dragging her into the storage room before she hyperventilates. “Breathe, sweetheart. Just breathe,” I tell her, smoothing my hands over her shoulders and down her arms. “You’ve got this, Gem. You’ve worked damn hard for this and sacrificed a lot, including your parents’ approval. But don’t ever doubt yourself or your talent. Your jewelry is exquisite, like you.” I plant a kiss on her mouth. “I’m so damn proud of you. I’ll be here for moral support, but something tells me you won’t need it because this is your passion and your dream.”
Tears swim in Gem’s eyes as she grabs my face and kisses me noisily. “I love you, Bentley Cormack. Thank you.”
“Love you too, Gemstone. Now, go get ‘em.”
I spendthe next hour watching Gem do her thing. She’s a natural with people, and they’re drawn to her warm, sunny personality. At one point, the shop is so packed that I can barely see her through the throng of customers as I sit behind the counter.
Callum returns a half hour after opening time. He gapes at the crowd before rolling up his sleeves and taking over the cash register and card machine while I wrap up the customers’ purchases in the tissue paper andHeart of Goldgift boxes. Gem gave Cal and me a crash course in wrapping the jewelry in case it got busy, but I don’t think she dreamed there would be this number of people.
Hours pass, and it seems like the whole town has come to see what all the fuss is about. Link and his wife, Natasha, who owns Valentine’s Bakery. Link’s sister, Kat, and her husband, Kurt, with their young son. Sheriff Drayton Saunders and his deputy, Connor, with their wives, Daisy and Jessica. Even the blonde woman who complimented my sketch of Gem at the Art Festival stops by, purchasing two necklaces for her granddaughters.
Today may not be a typical day with it being the grand opening, but Gem’s gonna need a sales assistant if this place turns out to be as successful as I think it will be. Pretty sure she’ll pass out when I tell her how much she’s made in one afternoon.
As the crowd finally begins to thin close to closing time, I see Gemma’s shoulders slump. Her eyes lose their sparkle, and her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. I know why. It’s because of the two people notable for their absence.
