by Jillian Hart
It would be easy to lose perspective. She had to move slow, be smart, think things through and not rush into anything too fast. “Let’s go inside so I can see everything a little better.”
“Sure.” His hand moved to the middle of her back, guiding her.
She turned at the door and gestured to the teenager still behind the wheel. “Like I’m going to leave you out here? C’mon.”
“Who are you talking to?” he asked.
“My personal chauffeur. Brice, meet Hayden Munroe, my future niece, she’s driving tonight.”
“Good to meet you,” Brice said politely, but Hayden only stared at him in shock. “Munroe. Your dad wouldn’t be Jack Munroe, would he?”
“Yep. He’s a state trooper. Did he like pull you over and give you a speeding ticket?”
“No. I’m a faithful follower of all traffic laws. But I met him at a charity golf match last month. To benefit the children’s hospital wing. He beat the socks off me.”
“That’s my Dad.” Hayden gave a shy smile and stepped through the open door.
Ava followed her, taking in the full effect of Brice’s work. Their footsteps echoed in the tall ceilings painted the faintest shade of yellow, so that they looked white as they angled upwards. There were gaping holes where the tract lighting was supposed to fit, but the ceiling moldings were already mounted around half of the room, separating the airiness of the ceiling from the warm buttery walls.
How many hours had all of this taken him? Ava could only stare in disbelief. The careful rosebud design was everywhere—not overdone, not ornate, but subtle and whimsical. Like something out of a country painting come to life.
His hand came to rest on her shoulder, a light touch, and a claiming one. She could feel the weight of it and his heart’s question.
“What do you think?” His baritone rumbled dangerously close to her ear.
Dangerous because any amount of proximity was too close for her comfort. Panic beat with frantic, sharp edges against her ribs, but she held her ground. She stayed near to him instead of bolting away. “It’s unbelievable. You must have worked so hard.”
“True. And?”
“You know I love it.” He’d done all this work, taken an infinite amount of care, done all of this. For her. How was she going to resist him now? She looked at the lovely work, the careful beveling, the meticulous detail, the perfection that glowed like varnished sunshine. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” His fingers curled into her shoulder, not bruising, not harsh, but tender. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
A more-than-friends policy. “That’s everything I’m afraid of.”
“I know, but you don’t need to be.”
She could totally fall in love with Brice. Head over heels, the whole shebang. She was already halfway there.
“Hey, this is so cool,” Hayden said from the corner where she was tracing some of the lovely scrollwork with her fingertips. “There’s a heart inside some of these roses. Do you have to like carve this or something?”
“Or something,” he answered the teenager, but he didn’t take his eyes from Ava, who went to the kid’s side for a closer look.
Ava was endearing. Her golden hair was pulled back at the crown of her head to bounce in a curling fall down the graceful column of her neck. Her gauzy top could have been something a fairy tale princess might wear, and her modest denim shorts and rubber flip flops made her seem even more wholesome and sweet. She traced the intricate scrollwork with her forefinger. Tears filled her eyes and did not fall. She stood still, studying the work, framed by the pale yellow walls and the dark rectangles of uncovered windows.
His heart filled with devotion for her. Afraid to scare her more with the seriousness of his affection, he waited, letting her have the time she needed to see what he’d done for her.
“This is amazing, Brice.” Her smile was a little wobbly. “I love it.”
She didn’t say more. She didn’t need to. The moment their gazes met, he could feel a rare, inexplicable connection forge between them. An emotional bond that was already so strong, what would it become if given more time?
He thought he knew the answer to that, too.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said.
The niece-to-be wandered around, appraising. “I thought this was like supposed to be done tomorrow.”
“We will be,” he answered her but could not look away from Ava. From her violet-blue eyes silvered with tears and her heart showing.
He brushed at her tears with the pads of his thumbs, feeling like he was ready for this.
He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Rex will be sad he missed you. He has a strict ten o’clock bedtime or he’s grumpy the next day.”
“I’ll make an extra treat for him tomorrow. Will you be here?”
“To do the final walk-through with you. How does four o’clock sound? Will it work with your schedule?”
“I have no idea. Let me check.” She pulled open the top of her enormous shoulder bag and began pawing through it. “No, no, no. Oh, here it is.” She filed through a small appointment book and found the correct date. “It looks like I can make it at four. Will it take very long?”
“Not at all,” he said. “I’ve got plans at five.”
“Perfect.” She ought to be done in plenty of time to babysit for Danielle. “This means that our business will be concluded. Done. Over.”
“That’s right.” He flashed her that drop-dead gorgeous killer grin of his, full wattage, and showed both sets of dimples. “I guess it’s time to work on amending our friends-only policy. I’ll see you at four?”
“Four.” Ava blinked, but that didn’t help. Her mind had gone completely fuzzy. It was as if all her gray matter had turned into one big cotton ball. “If I could say thank you for the next decade without stopping, it wouldn’t feel like enough.”
“It’s enough.” He took a step back and held open the door. “Why are you two out and about this late?”
“The kid and I are on a fast-food run. It’s our last night of inventory and we desperately need nachos to keep going.”
“Let me guess. Mr. Paco’s Tacos. One of my favorite places.”
“Really? And here I thought after visiting your posh house and snazzy pool, that you ate only gourmet. Little did I know we share a love of Mr. Paco’s nachos.”
“The burritos, too.”
“Don’t even go there. My stomach is going to start growling and that would be so embarrassing.” Embarrassing. That word hit her like a punch. She was gaping up at him like she was totally love-struck. How embarrassing was that? As if she’d let herself fall in love with him so fast. Not!
She was in total control of her emotions.
A distant ring penetrated her thoughts and broke the moment between them. Ava stepped back, fished through her bag again and came up with her cell. She saw the bookstore’s number on her screen and she groaned. “It’s Spence. I’m not going to answer this.”
“Spence. He’s a little wound up,” Hayden said. She’d stationed herself by the door. “I don’t like it when he’s so mad. We better go.”
“Yeah, or we’ll be punished with that disappointed look of his.” She dumped her phone back into her bag. Eventually it would stop ringing, but she had bigger concerns right now—and he was standing directly in front of her. Brice. “Should we come back with nachos for you? Or a burrito?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.”
“Okay.” She took a step closer to the door, but she didn’t want to say goodbye. She told herself it was the beautiful woodwork she couldn’t tear herself away from. That wasn’t the truth, but it was easier than admitting the truth.
She didn’t want to leave Brice, because she knew she’d miss him. And in caring for him so much, she was terrified. “Good night,” she said, as if she were in complete control of her heart, went up on tiptoe to brush a chaste kiss to his cheek and walked out of the shop. But when she’d settled i
n the passenger’s side of her SUV, she realized she’d left something behind.
Her heart.
Chapter Eleven
Another drive-by baking. Brice had arrived just in time to see the back of a yellow vehicle far down the street, too far away for her to notice him. Rex seemed disappointed, too. He’d dashed to the kitchen only to find the box and a note on a star-shaped, bright-yellow Post-it note.
Sorry, I promised the teenager monster muffins for her church thing today, so I’m running short on time. I’ve left gifts for the dudes and their families. And a special treat for my true love, Rex.
He wasn’t surprised by her curlicue script or the fact that the note was written in glittery pink ink. There were a dozen medium-sized gift boxes set behind the regular baking box. One had his name on it, so he snooped beneath the lid. A small individually decorated cake and a gift certificate.
Rex whined with impatience, his tail thumping.
“You have one here, too.” Curious, Brice peeked into the box with Rex’s name written in glittery gold ink. It was full of large, bone-shaped snacks.
Ava would have a recipe for fancy dog treats. He tossed one to Rex, who caught it in mid-air and gobbled it in two bites. It had to be delicious because his eyes brightened and he sat perfectly, the very best behavior ever witnessed. This dog obviously wanted another one.
Okay, he was a sucker. Brice tossed him one more before he went straight to work. He had a few touchups to do and the display case glass to pick up.
He was totally beat. He’d put in a hard week’s work, but it was worth it. At exactly four-thirty this afternoon, their final walk-through would be complete and their business deal over. Then their relationship could get personal.
And he’d planned in a big way. He had reservations. A jet. A limo. Everything all lined up. By the time the jet touched back down at the local private airport tonight around ten-thirty, he hoped that Ava would have a better idea just what she meant to him. What he wanted to mean to her.
This might be the hardest thing he’d ever done. To lay his heart on the line. But what choice did he have? He loved her. No holds barred. No going back. All the way until forever—if that’s what she wanted.
The hard thing about falling in love was that it took two to get to there. Ava had to make a decision now. He knew she was afraid, she’d been hurt. It was hard for her to risk again. He knew how she felt. He was scared, too.
With God’s help, maybe they could take that risk together.
The late afternoon sun was in Ava’s eyes as she screeched to a stop in front of the bakery. Wow, no one was around, just one green pickup parked in the shade. The brand new windows were so clean they shone, and gave a perfect view into the cozy little shop space.
It was perfect, and her heart gave a little twist. She’d never dared dream as much as this. Even from the outside, the pale yellow walls warmed with the direct sunshine and seemed to invite a person right in. The empty display case sparkled, too, and the honey-colored wood was a comforting, homey touch.
Best of all, there was Brice, standing with his boots planted, wearing a knit black shirt and trousers, looking like a hundred on a scale of ten. There was no mistaking the intensity of his look or the reason why she felt joy light up in her heart.
It was his joy. His light.
Time to work on amending our friends-only policy, so think about the terms for our next agreement. His words had been troubling her since they’d talked last night.
So had Hayden’s. Once they’d driven away, she’d said so innocently. “Wow, is that your boyfriend? Isn’t he like rich and really cool?”
Yeah, so why was he interested in me? That was another insecurity that had plagued her every second, all day long. But seeing him coming toward her with his powerful athletic stride, knowing the gladness on his face was from seeing her made those insecurities whisper a little more quietly.
She grabbed her bag, tossed her phone inside and hopped out of the car. The door slammed shut before she realized her hand was empty—no keys. But the locks didn’t automatically set, so she could open the door right back up and grab the keys from the ignition—thanks to Brice.
“You are so handy to have around, I can’t believe it,” she smiled at him.
“Good to know.” The look he gave showed her he was glad to see her.
Somehow she had to stop liking him more every time she saw him. Otherwise, she was going to be a total goner. She’d fall all the way in love before the evening was over.
“I dropped the check for the last half of the payment at the office on my way here. Along with a dozen monster muffins.”
“I bet the office staff was happy. That was nice of you. You must be awfully pleased with the work. Everybody waits until after the walk-through and the punch list is finished before they hand over that much money.”
“It just felt strange to give you a check, so I left it with your bookkeeper.”
“Because you’re past the business-only phase, too?” he asked.
Okay, she could officially admit it. “Just a little bit. Maybe.”
“Me, too. Just a little bit. Maybe.” But when he said it, the words sounded as if he didn’t have a doubt in the world. He took her hand, twining his big strong fingers between hers, holding on to her as if she mattered, as if she had so much value to him.
For now, that pesky little voice whispered inside her. That’ll change. Just give him time.
It took all her inner might to silence that voice. To accept the cherished feeling of having him at her side, of his hand to hers, palm to palm.
“Let’s get this over with because I have plans for you.” His fingers tightened on hers, strengthening their connection. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He held the door for her, a gentleman all the way. She tried to keep her emotions in check, but the sunshine spilling over her made her feel more than hopeful. Made her intensely aware of her blessings.
What if this was a sign that her luck in life was changing? This charming shop with wood-wrapped windows, cathedral ceilings and whimsical warmth had once existed only in her dreams.
Now it was real.
Maybe it was time to see if more of her dreams in life could come true.
“Four twenty-nine.” Brice checked his watch and glanced over the top of Ava’s head. No sign of the limo yet, but the driver still had another minute. “I’m glad you’re happy with our work.”
“Happy doesn’t begin to describe it. I still can’t believe this was so painless. And the work your men did here. I’m grateful to all of you.”
He could see that this transition from friends-only to more than friends was hard for her, too. She was nervously glancing toward the front door. Trying to escape before he hit the serious questions? he wondered. Or being afraid that he didn’t have any?
This was tough for him, too. He’d never been this nervous. He’d never felt as if he had so much on the line. Everything was riding on this—his heart, his hopes and his future. It was tough letting go and trusting God’s will for him. Brice took a shaky breath, gathering his courage. He’d have to see how this worked out. It wasn’t easy not knowing.
“There’s the limo now.” He set the clipboard aside to cradle her chin in his hands. “Remember I said I had plans for you?”
“Y-yes. I vaguely recall something to that effect.”
“And that we needed to renegotiate our friends-only policies?”
“Yes, but why the limo?” Panic coiled through her.
He could feel her fear. “It’s okay. I have plans. Nice plans, involving dinner and watching the sun set. It should be painless, maybe even romantic. Are you interested?”
“Tonight? I c-can’t.”
His heart took a blow. He’d really thought she felt this, too. He took a step back and released his hold on her. “Well, I had to ask.”
“Wait—no, I’m not saying ‘no.’” She looked tortured. “When you said
you had plans, I was thinking more of that next step. You know, like you’d ask me out sometime soon. I didn’t know that you meant tonight. Now you’re mad.”
“I’m not mad.”
“I told Danielle that I’d babysit for her. Aubrey has this church thing, and everyone else is busy. Spence could do it, but we don’t want him to scare the children. So there’s nobody else but me. You’re looking madder.”
“No. I just…made…plans.”
See? Already she was messing this up. How did she do it? And so fast. They’d been officially more than friends for two minutes, maybe three? She twisted around to get a good look at the limo. It was shiny white and one of the long ones with sparkling windows and it looked expensive. “What kind of plans did you make?”
“Nothing that can’t be rearranged for another time.”
There it was, the terrible sense of foreboding, that everything so wonderfully right in her life was about to go totally wrong. Doom would strike and then it would all be over. She would never know what it would be like to be cherished by this man.
“I’ll be back.” Brice strode away, shoulders set, spine straight, purposefully.
Oh, no. Every last one of her hopes plummeted. What plans had she messed up? She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to get centered enough to pray. But she couldn’t. She was all messed up inside, as if someone had taken a big stick to her vat of negative feelings and was stirring it hard.
The door opened with a faint swoosh. Brice’s powerful, wonderful presence filled the room.
“C’mon,” he said in his kind voice, the one that made all the fears inside her melt like butter on a hot stove. His hand settled on her nape, and his touch, his kindness, seared through her like hope. He opened the door.