by Tonya Kappes
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Coco St. James is my grandmother, who is best friends with Gloria Beiderman.” He turned in his seat. He looked me square in the eyes. His lips parted in a dazzling display of straight white teeth. “They’ve been trying to set us up for years.”
“Us? Years?” I laughed. “Coco said that she just moved here from California.”
“Ten years ago.” He put his hand on my face. Cupping it, he leaned over and gently kissed me. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
“Every time someone, mostly men, have figured out who I am, they went running for the hills.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easy, Shotgun.” We locked in an embrace before he pulled back.
“I thought you said you were in the food industry.”
“I am. Pet food and other adventures.” He was vague. St. James Pet Stores did sell every possible pet brand you could think of.
“Let’s go face the music.” He grabbed my hand and led me up to the front porch.
I felt a bottomless sense of peace and joy knowing Jase was not going anywhere because of who I was. Hot, sensitive, a gentleman, and loyal…I had hit the jackpot.
Chapter Twenty
The house was busy with people running around in white coats with serving platters in their hands, and had an Arabian feel with large tapestries and pillows tossed all over the back patio.
“Luvie, dear.” Mom came over, grabbed my hand and paid no attention to Jase.
“Mom,” I jerked back. I put my hand around Jase’s arm and hooked my elbow in his. “This is my date, Jase Nelson.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I thought you might be with the party,” Mom stuck her hand out. She had on the big eight-carat, yellow-diamond ring Dad had brought back from Italy. “It’s nice to meet you, Chase.”
“Jase. It’s Jase,” he corrected her, which made me giddy inside. Rarely would anyone dare to correct Mom except for Dad.
“Excuse me.” She pulled her hand back. “Jase. Now,” she put her hands together, “if you two don’t mind following me, I have someone very special for you to meet.”
“Mom,” I stopped her again, “what is all of this?”
“It’s the party we have been planning for over a year, Luvie.”
“What party?”
“For the Sheikh.”
We followed Mom out to the back patio beyond the garden where I heard Birdie laughing hysterically. After we passed the rose garden, Birdie came into sight. She was sitting on the floor next to the Sheikh, who had Iggy in his lap.
“What in the world?” I asked. I shouldn’t be surprised that Birdie was obviously charming the turban off the Sheikh. He was laughing and stroking Iggy like he owned him.
“Birdie is such a lovely girl.” Mom looked as pleased as pie. Birdie had done something in minutes that my parents had being trying to do for years—get the Sheikh to fall in love with the Lady B.
“Luvie!” Birdie raised her hands and her wrist dripped with golden bangles that I knew she didn’t have before. “Omar!” She put her hand on his forearm. “This is my friend and Lucia’s daughter, Luvie.”
The Sheikh gave Iggy to Birdie and stood up. He was much taller than I had anticipated. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to bow or kiss his feet, but I certainly wasn’t kissing his ass like Mom was doing.
“Lovely, just like your name.” He dipped and took my hand. He kissed it.
Jase stepped in and put his hand between the Sheikh and me. “Jase Nelson. Luvie’s boyfriend.”
Boyfriend? I tried to maintain my composure.
“I’d say you are a very lucky man.” The Sheikh put my hand back to my side with ease. He nodded toward Jase and sat back down.
Jase wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “I know I am.” He bent down and kissed me.
When he pulled away, I thought my mom was going to crawl in a hole as Birdie hooted, hollered, and clapped. “It’s about time, Luvie.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Granny, why didn’t you tell me about Jase?” Not that I minded. I was certainly extremely happy about the pairing.
Granny was pruning her roses, so it was the perfect time to visit with her. I had my first client cancellation and it was close to Granny’s retirement community.
“A little matchmaking never hurt anyone.” She clipped here and there. “Does he kiss good?”
“Granny!” I picked up another pair of pruning shears and went to work on one of the bushes next to her. “That is really none of your business. But yes.”
“He is a cute little thing.” Granny stopped. I glanced up to see what she was looking at. “The world must be coming to an end,” Granny said with a voice thick with sarcasm.
I blinked twice to make sure the summer sun wasn’t getting to me. That was one problem with Kentucky weather. One day was rainy and cold, the next day hot and humid with allergens galore.
“I’ll be.” As sure as I was sitting there, Lucia was getting out of her car. She had on a big sun hat, a pair of gardening gloves and her garden caddy in her hand.
“Hi, Beiderman ladies.” Without another word, she sat down at one of Granny’s rose bushes and started to trim it up.
I looked at Granny, giving her sideways grin. She shrugged. Mom made casual conversation about the roses and how her rose garden was so lovely last night and that she had Granny to thank since Granny had taught her everything she knew about gardening after Mom and Dad had gotten married.
“That was a very nice young man you had come to the party with you.” Mom clipped. I could tell she didn’t want to seem too nosy, but she wanted every single detail.
This was a new territory for us. Mom wanted to pick out the cream of the crop when it came to dating. As a teenager, there was no way I wanted her to do that. I had rebelled by picking the guys who were loaded down with earrings, tattoos, and baggy pants, just to piss her off.
There were so many times a boy in a polo, khakis, and topsiders would show up for dinner without her telling me. I’d bail and run to Granny’s. Mom would send Dad to come get me, but Granny always talked Dad into letting me hang with her, which made Mom feel like Dad was taking Granny’s side. Their feuds were either over me, or who had the nicest parties. Rich people things that really didn’t matter in the world.
But it did warm my heart to see Mom reaching out today. And, Granny was very accepting.
“I guess I had better get going to the next appointment.” I stood up and dusted myself off.
“How are the new designs coming along?” Granny asked.
“What designs?” Mom set the shears on the ground and propped up on her knees. “Gloria, we just got her back. You aren’t encouraging her to go back to New York are you?”
“Settle down, Lucia.” Granny shook her head. “Luvie, haven’t you told your parents about your new business?”
“No. I haven’t had time.” Primp My Pet was booming and with any free time I had, I was still working on the pet clothing line. Now I needed to fit some Jase time into the mix.
“Luvie had made a pair of dog shoes for one of her clients who happens to be my friend, Coco St. James, from St. James Pet Stores. Coco loved them and we had breakfast to discuss a pet clothing line that Luvie is going to design for the store.” Granny was so proud as she talked.
It was not a coincidence that the Beidermans had a name for themselves in the horse community. After all, Gloria was the driving force behind it all. When my grandfather had passed, she let Dad step in and take the reins for what he had been groomed to run.
“Luvie!” Mom clasped her hands together. “That is fabulous news.”
“Jase, my friend, is Coco St. James’s grandson and I had no idea when I met him at the dog park.” My mind burned with the memory of his sweet kisses.
“You met him at the dog park?” Granny asked.
“Yep, so your little plan with Coco calling me to bathe Duke was a waste of time.” Not really. If it weren’t for their lit
tle matchmaking scheme, we probably would have never seen each other again.
“Whoo hoo! Luvie!”
We turned to the sound of Coco St. James trotting toward us with her hands in the air, waving to get our attention.
“There’s Coco now,” Granny pointed her spade in Coco’s direction.
“I’m so glad I caught you.” She shone in her pearls and tennis outfit. “When I got off the court, I saw the RV and couldn’t wait to get over here.”
“Coco, this is my mom, Lucia Beiderman.” I introduced the two women, who exchanged pleasantries.
“Jase is a very nice young man.” Mom smiled and patted me on the shoulder. It was her way of giving me a compliment and one of the few times I could remember her giving me one. My heart warmed at the two things Mom had done today to help repair our bond. The first was coming to help Granny without anyone asking her to, and the second was the nice compliment about Jase.
“We are thrilled with the paring, aren’t we Gloria?” Coco raised her brows. Granny smiled. “It’s been in the works for years.” Coco put her hand on my arm. “I know Jase hasn’t told you yet, but all of my boys are in town. We are going to have dinner at Jase’s parents’ place tomorrow night and I want you to come, bring your designs, and join us. A little business meeting of sorts.”
“Are you sure Jase wants me to come?” As far as I knew, Jase hadn’t tried to call and invite me. Actually, I hadn’t heard from him at all today.
He had left me at the Lady B last night. Vivian drove her truck home last night, but drove the RV to work this morning so I could have it for work today. Lillian would give her a ride home tonight.
“Jase hates the business side of our company. If it were up to him, he’d play in those woods all day,” Coco laughed. “Boys.”
“Of course I’ll come.” This was a business deal that really didn’t include Jase. I had to keep business separate from personal. That was what my dad always said.
After I excused myself, I hopped in the RV to go groom my first client. My phone was beeping with messages, but none from Jase.
One from Birdie was marked urgent. I called her back on my way over to the south side of Lexington.
“Where have you been?” Birdie’s voice had a nasally demanding sound. “I’ve been trying to get you all morning.”
“Birdie, I’m working. Is everything okay?” I asked. “Is something wrong with Dad or the Lady B?”
Surely, if something were wrong, Mom would have said something.
“Omar left and I’m sick about it,” she bellowed into the phone and then broke down in sobs.
“The Sheikh?” I aired with caution. Omar?
“We are in love, Luvie. Don’t you understand?” Birdie didn’t believe in love.
“But you don’t believe in love.” At least that was what she had always told me.
“Of course I said that when I didn’t even know what love was.” She sniffed into the phone. “Can you please come home? I need you, just like you needed me here when you got fired.”
“I didn’t need you to come here.” I had no intention of her coming to get Iggy. I planned on returning him to her somewhere between here and New York.
“You say you didn’t, but I knew you did. And look at your relationship with Lucia.” She grunted. “All the repair was done by me because I showed her how awesome you are and how lucky she is to have you for a daughter.”
“Did you really?” No wonder there was a change of heart. Maybe they were good for each other.
“Yes. So the least you can do for me is come home and sit with me in my misery.”
I glanced at the calendar. There were a few open slots and I could move some other appointments if the customers didn’t mind. Plus I could use the time to come up with some new designs for the pet clothing line to bring to the table tomorrow night when I meet Coco and Jase’s family behind the business.
“Fine. I’ll be there soon.”
“Thank you!” Birdie squealed before the line when silent.
On my way back to the Lady B, I called all my clients and rescheduled. Thankfully, they didn’t mind. My last call was to Jase. He didn’t answer on the first try, so I tried again.
“Hey, can I call you back? I’m working,” he whispered. There was some rustling in the background.
“Why are you whispering? Is there a no talking rule in the food industry?” I laughed.
“I’ll call you later.” The phone went dead.
Something didn’t seem right. Granted, I didn’t know much about the pet store industry and the food they offered, but why would Jase be so dismissive and quiet unless he was in a meeting? If that were the case, he shouldn’t have answered.
But he did answer. Hearing his voice was enough to get me through a day with Birdie.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Taking the day off really wasn’t a bad idea. I had convinced Vivian to take the day off since the Sheikh had given her and my dad full access to train his fancy Arabian horse and groom him to be a Triple Crown Winner. She deserved a rest as much as Birdie. Only Vivian wasn’t as smitten with the Sheikh as Birdie was.
“He said that he loved me and he wanted me to be his bride,” Birdie cried most of the day.
Vivian and I cozied up on the couches in the media room watching old movies, which was one of our favorite past times, while Birdie huddled on the floor in a ball recalling every single word that was exchanged between the Sheikh and her.
“It doesn’t surprise me in the least that he fell for you.” I made a few markings on my sketchpad until I came up with some really cute press-on earrings for dogs with scarves to match.
I stopped when my phone buzzed. It was Jase texting me.
Jase: Sorry about this morning. I had to be at work at 4 a.m. and I didn’t want to bother you with all the details. How about a night in and pizza?
Me: No big deal. I’m just happy to hear from you. Birdie is heartbroken so I’ve been here all day designing the new clothes for your grandmother.
Jase: So pizza for everyone? I want to see you.
Me: Sounds good. Why didn’t you ask me to go to your family dinner tomorrow night to discuss the pet clothing line?
Jase: Because business is boring and I don’t want to bore you. Besides, my dad said that we probably wouldn’t be discussing the clothing line. It would be a boring night for you.
Me: I really want to meet your family.
Jase: Granny is all you need on your side with them. And me.
Me: I am going.
Jase: We can talk later. Be over soon with pizza.
“What’s wrong?” Vivian asked. It was though we had a mental connection. She knew when I was down without me telling her and I was the same with her.
“Jase is being weird about me meeting his family.” I shrugged and pulled the quilt up around my neck. The media room was always the coldest since it was in the basement of the house.
“He’s a guy. All guys are weird when it comes to meeting the family.” She waved it off. “Don’t take it personal. His granny adores you and so does he. That’s all that matters right now.”
She was right, and when Jase got there, all of my insecurities melted away.
All four of us ate pizza and tried to calm Birdie down. The only thing that did calm her was when Omar called from his private jet. She ended up leaving us to go upstairs to talk to him, so Vivian decided to go home, leaving Jase and me alone…very alone.
“Finally.” Jase slid across the couch placing his arm around my shoulder, stoking a gently burning fire deep within me. “I’ve been waiting all day to be alone with you.”
“I guess work drained you?” I melted into his body. I fit perfectly, as if he was tailor-made for me.
“Yes, I’m exhausted.” His lips against my temple made me feel all warm and fuzzy. “Let’s not talk about work. I want to just be with you.”
I looked up at him. There was deep desire in his stare. His nearness was overwhelming. Twisting his a
rm, he swept me close to him. His touch was almost unbearable in its tenderness.
“Luvie, I’m falling in love with you,” he whispered. His breath was hot against my ear. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the day I saw you pull up at the pet park.”
Without another word between us, his mouth covered mine hungrily, sending chills of ecstasy through me. I felt my lips quiver like I was a teenager being kissed for the first time.
“Are you okay?” He pulled away slightly. His eyes glowed with a savage inner fire.
I bit the edges of my lip. I pulled him to me, giving myself freely to the passion of his kiss. I’d show him how okay I was.
Gently we eased down on the couch. His lips searched my ears, down my neck and landed on the spot where my shoulder begins. Blood pounded in my brain, leapt from my heart, and made my knees tremble.
Jase’s hand slipped down the neckline of my shirt. His hands glided down my arms, his fingers traced the outline of my waist, landing on my thigh.
Softly I moaned, wanting more.
“Oh my God!” I screamed, pushing Jase off me when someone flipped the lights on.
“Oh shit!” My dad shielded his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
“Dad!” I stood up and adjusted my clothes.
“I’ve got to get something.” Dad rushed over to the wall and pushed open a secret panel with a lock. He pushed numbers making a secret door slide open, revealing a gun vault with every gun imaginable. “Hunters are on the land.”
He took out a few rifles and held one to Jase.
“Jase?” Dad shoved one toward him.
“Damn hunters.” I shook my head. I looked at Jase. “Do you want to help my dad run off the killers? The poor animals.”
“I’m not familiar with the land, sir.” Jase waved his hand in front of him. Dad withdrew the gun.
“Okay, son.” Dad grabbed a couple more guns and rushed back up the steps.
“What was that?” I hesitated, torn by conflicting emotions. “If you are falling in love with me, wouldn’t you want to be a part of the family and what we have to do in order to keep our land free of hunters?”