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“Deal.”
7
Gabriella
“How do you pick?” I mutter under my breath, my eyes traveling from one edge of the glass display that holds my one true weakness: chocolate. In every style and degree of sweetness, this place is like the mecca for cocoa worshippers, and I’m left standing with parted lips. To some, it might seem a little obscene. I am near panting, but if you love this decadent food like I do, you get it. “There are just too many. I’m—”
“You don’t, Gabriella.” Tero is standing at another case to my right, this one holding nothing but fruit tarts and macarons. He eyes each, simply pointing at the ones he wants while an older lady boxes up the purchase with a smile. So far she’s put together three boxes of his chosen treats, the embossing glinting in gold after it’s closed. “Get what you want. No regrets.”
“No regrets?”
“No regrets. Go nuts.”
“If Mr. Astor gets mad, this is on you.” In front of me there’s another woman, a bit younger and just as excited to help. “I want one of everything in this case and the entire Millionaire’s Cake you have on the other stand.”
“I’ll get those packed, and I have a little something extra for you. It’s new and not on the shelf, but I think you’ll really enjoy it,” she says and gets back to work, diligently filling my order while customers wait behind us. The place is pretty full, all tables occupied except the booth at the back with people munching and sipping their coffees, while we’re in and out in minutes.
I also find myself following Tero to a black Audi parked not far from Hortencia’s Delights. “Give me one second,” he says, walking toward the back driver’s side door and after pressing a key on his fob, opens it and places our packages on the seat. My six to his three, and he didn’t bat a single eyelash at the price, nor was I allowed to pay for my purchases. Once he’s done, like a gentleman he comes to the door I’m standing in front of and opens it for me, ushering me inside. “We have a bit of a drive, and Mr. Astor is waiting on us.”
“Don’t I get a say in this?”
“Convince me once I’m behind the wheel.” He winks at me before coming to the driver’s side and slipping in behind the wheel, and it doesn’t come across creepy or lecherous. On the contrary, there’s something about him that puts me at complete ease. “Now, you have until we reach the end of this street before I have to make a turn to change my mind about dragging you out to a location my boss is looking to buy.”
“One, that sounds incredibly boring.” I tick off and then count the next before he can counter my honest answer. “And two, it’s my birthday, and I would rather be lazy and eat the chocolate in the back. Honestly, Tero. Let a girl live through the cocoa bean diet while Netflix and chilling.”
“Okay,” he chokes with a laugh, covering it quickly behind a cough, “that was compelling and even somewhat on a soul-moving level. Very solid arguments.”
“And?” I wave my hand in the air, no patience in me whatsoever after the weird morning I’ve had. Not to mention I’m also needing to change my locks before the day is through. “Do I win?”
“You do, but don’t make a habit of getting me in trouble.”
“I’d never.” The side eye he gives me lets me know he’s not buying the mock outrage, but it’s the sudden serious expression that makes me apprehensive. “What?”
“What scared you back there?” His voice is low, and yet to my ears, it’s as if someone shot a cannon. My reaction is automatic, and I shrink back, leaning heavily on the passenger side door while avoiding his gaze. The buildings in my line of sight begin to blur a bit after a minute of silence and the car jerks forward hard; Tero’s pressed down on the accelerator harder than needed. “Tell me. We can help you if you’re in trouble.”
“We?” I ask, still not turning to look over. The last thing I want is for Theodore to know he’s working with someone who is unstable. “Who is this we?”
“Mr. Astor—”
My head jerks toward his, my eyes narrowing. “You will not speak of this to him.”
Those pastel-blue eyes narrow, his head tilting in the same manner he did outside of the building where he found me. “What is the this I will not speak of?”
“Just a disagreement between friends.”
“Just a disagreement?” he parrots, his expression unbelieving. “You seemed scared, not angry, Gabriella.”
“She was angry and said something hurtful.” I shrug my shoulders, going for nonchalance, especially since I want to go home. Today has been eventful enough for me. “I’m probably overreacting to it and we’ll be fine by tonight.”
“If you say so.” His tone says he doesn’t believe me.
“I do.” Turning toward him again, I plaster a small grin on my face. “Now that you have an understanding of the inner workings to the female bonding insanity, how about you take me home? I’m itching to start the planning phase of my exhibit.”
“On your birthday?”
“What better day than the one I get to make the choice in how I spend it?”
“Touché.” Tero laughs; the sound is loud and boisterous and a bit strange. It comes off as a wheeze and I join him, not stopping until tears spring to my eyes and I snort. Then he’s laughing at me, which creates a weird cacophony inside the enclosed space, and I can’t breathe by the time he’s slowing down. “You are something else, Miss Moore. Never change.”
