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He inhales a breath like I’m testing him, which, let the record show, I’m not. I wish I was, because it’s fast becoming my favorite thing to do, but right now, I’m just confused. “I’ll get you a bagel and coffee,” he says before exiting the car.
It takes a few moments for my brain to catch up with what’s happening. Once it does catch up, I’m out of the car, following him into the shop.
By the time I join him, Jameson’s talking with the woman behind the counter. They’re smiling at each other like they’re old friends, and if I’m not mistaken, she’s teasing him about something. When she lays eyes on me, her smile grows bigger, and she claps her hands together. “You must be Adeline! We’ve been dying to meet you.” She gives Jameson a chastising look. “This one has been keeping you hidden away from us.”
If I thought I was confused before, I’m really confused now.
One: I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Jameson smile.
Two: I don’t think I’ve ever seen him inspire a smile in someone else.
And three: The man is actually engaging in banter with another human. Who knew he had it in him?
I smile at her. “He certainly has been.”
Jameson’s eyes find mine. That dark brown of his flashes with something I’ve not seen yet: warmth. It baffles me, slowing all my thoughts down and tying them all together in a big fat mess.
“Well,” the woman says, “I’m glad to finally meet you. I’m Brenda. My husband is Vinnie.” She gestures at nothing in particular in her shop. “He’s around here somewhere. You’ll meet him soon enough, but for now, what can I get you?”
“She’ll have a bagel with cream cheese and—” Jameson starts, but I cut him off.
“No, I’ll have one of those please,” I say, pointing at the Nutella rolls I just spotted. How anyone can go past Nutella is beyond me.
“For breakfast?” Jameson murmurs. His tone suggests he’s judging my choice.
I look up at him. “You seem intent on me eating. This is what I want to eat. Do you have a problem with that?”
“Suit yourself.” Gone is the warmth but the judgment remains. I’m sure of it.
“Seriously,” I say softly enough for only him to hear, “don’t bring me to a coffee shop that serves Nutella rolls or anything with Nutella and expect me not to buy it. And put your judgment away or I’ll make you regret bringing it out.”
With one last “as you wish, suit yourself” look, he glances back at Brenda. “We’ll take a salted caramel latte too.”
Brenda gets to work on the coffee while I stand silently next to Jameson processing the fact he’s memorized my coffee preference. The time we’ve spent together during the last three months has mostly been at night. We’ve probably only drunk coffee together three times. I’m impressed (frustratingly so) that he’s remembered I drink salted caramel lattes. I’m also impressed he remembers I like bagels. I mean, I can’t even put it down to his assistant remembering for him. Shantel isn’t here prompting him.
While I try to decide what trick he uses to remember information like this, Brenda says, “Jameson, is it okay if Mark calls you this week for some advice? He’s been talking his father’s ear off about scaling his business, and quite honestly, between the three of us, Vinnie isn’t the person to go to for that advice. And if you repeat that”—she gives us a stern look—“I will deny it.”
She says all of this with such expressiveness that a laugh falls from my lips. God how I adore mothers like Brenda. Mothers so unlike the one I was raised by.
When she looks at me, I say, “My lips are sealed. Your secret is safe with me.”
She grins. “I knew I was gonna like you.” She then gives her attention to Jameson and says, “Why’d you take so long to find Adeline?”
I eye him, amused, and say, “Yes, darling, why did you take so long?”
He looks at me, nowhere near as amused as I am.
Brenda’s husband saves him from answering my question when he calls out from the kitchen, “Bren, hurry your ass along, woman. We just got an order through for twenty coffees and a whole lotta food.”
Brenda rolls her eyes. “I’ve been married for twenty-four years, Adeline, and honest to God, there are some days I wonder how I’ve managed not to kill him.”
I smile. “I’ve been married for two days, Brenda, and I’ve already wondered the same thing about my husband.”
She barks out a laugh and nods conspiratorially. “These men take some managing. Marriage ain’t easy, that’s for damn sure.”
She switches her attention to my order and five minutes later, after he agrees for her son to call him, Jameson and I leave the shop. The chill of the morning greets me with a blast of cold air as I step outside and pass Jameson’s security guys who have left the car they followed us in to wait on the sidewalk. I pull my coat in tighter and hurry to the car.
Jameson uses his dictator voice on me when he opens my door and says, “Bill is a daily customer here, so tone it down. Every word you utter to Brenda will be repeated.”
