He looked skeptical. “Like fun how?”
“I don’t know. Where do you have fun?”
“Bars. Baseball stadiums. Video arcades. Rock concerts.”
“Ah.” Eva drummed her fingers on the counter. “Not quite what I was thinking. More like the beach, or the zoo, or...”
“Like kid fun?” He was looking at her as if she was nuts.
Maybe she was. Eva felt herself reddening. “No, huh?”
“I’m not seeing it.” He nodded past her, indicating a customer. “Yo, Tom.”
Eva turned to find Tom at the counter holding his mug for a refill. “Another coffee?”
“Please.”
“So what do you think of changing the decor here? Something a little more welcoming, maybe a little creative whimsy?”
“Uh.” He scanned the store’s interior. “Like...what?”
Eva sighed and handed him his refilled cup. Maybe this was a dumb idea. Or just dumb to ask men about it. Though Ames had seemed enthusiastic about brainstorming with her when she’d tried the previous night. Of course his ideas had been more like lining the walls with sex toys or pictures of her naked.
Such a help. But also such a sweetheart. They’d had more than one fabulous date this past week. Eva had worked hard to keep things light and playful between them, and so far so good. She was really enjoying him.
And what an awesome beastie in bed.
The door opened. Natalie strode in, looking model perfect as usual in a soft brown zippered jacket, a scarf in jewel tones that set off her dark coloring and black leggings tucked into brown ankle boots that showcased her membership in the mile-high-legs club.
Tom made a strangled sound and backed away from the counter, stumbled over a stool and barely managed to keep from spilling his coffee.
“Hey, Eva.”
“Hey, Natalie.” Eva winked at Tom. “What’ll you have?”
“A red eye.” She glanced behind her, noticed Tom, who waved lamely, turning bright red. “Hi, Tom.”
“Hey.” He seemed thrilled she remembered him. “How’s it going?”
“Good.” She glanced past him at his laptop. “Working?”
“Yes.”
“On what?”
“A new piece. A concerto.”
“For?”
“Harmonica.”
“For harmonica? Three movements? Full orchestra?” Her eyebrows flew up in surprise when he nodded. “That is seriously weird.”
“Thanks.” He grinned proudly. “I even know a harmonica player who can pull it off.”
“Ha!” Natalie handed Ben her money. “I’ll have to hear that to believe it.”
“Tom will invite you to the world premiere.” Eva pulled Natalie’s espresso, beaming maternally at them both.
Tom rolled his yes. “Yeah, that might be a while.”
“You never know.” Eva poured the shot into a cup of coffee and handed it to her roommate. “Hey, Natalie, you have some time now? I thought we could brainstorm ideas for the shop.”
“Oh.” Natalie twisted her lip, consulting her watch. Eva sneaked a meaningful look at Tom, who stiffened in panic. “I could spare a few minutes.”
“Tom, okay if we join you?” Eva pointed to Tom’s table. This was too perfect. He and Natalie could get to know each other and fall madly in love in Natalie’s few minutes. “You’re here every day. You should be part of this.”
“Sure. Yes. Okay.” He rushed anxiously to clear the space of his books and laptop.
Natalie brought over her red eye and chose a chair. Tom sat next to her, looking as if he were about to have a seizure.
“So.” Eva sat opposite Tom, hoping she could get them talking so she could leave them alone and finish cleaning to get out of here ASAP. “I’m thinking first of all, the place needs more color.”
“You’re sure Chris is okay with you making changes?” Natalie unzipped her jacket and unwound her scarf, somehow making the simple movements look wildly sensual. Tom’s eyes were barely staying in his head.
“Yes, of course. I talked to her last night. I think the place needs to look a little more unexpected, a little more quirky and a little less—”
“Like Chris.” Natalie spoke matter-of-factly. “And a little more like you.”
“Ack.” Eva clutched her chest. “I would not say that.”
“But that’s what you are saying.”
“I think...” Tom looked back and forth between the women. “Right now the place is Schoenberg, and you want it more Mozart.”
Eva blinked at him. “Uh. I do?”
“Ha.” Natalie gave Tom an admiring look. “Clever.”
“What is he talking about?”
Natalie lifted her chin, tipping her head so her auburn hair swung over one shoulder. She looked insanely beautiful. It was a little sickening. “Right now it’s Thelonious Monk. You want Duke Ellington.”
Eva stopped trying to understand.
“Donizetti instead of Strauss.”
“Gershwin instead of Barber.”
“I’ve got tickets to Norah Jones next week.”
“Say what?” Natalie’s head whipped upright so fast Eva was surprised she didn’t injure herself. “You do? How did you score those?”
Tom shrugged. “I have my ways.”
“Oh, my God, I love Norah! I would kill to go. You are so lucky.”
Tom nodded. Cleared his throat. Nodded again.
Eva sat at attention. Was he working up the nerve to ask her?
Come on, Tom.
“So.” He scratched his neck, turning bright red. “You want to go?”
Natalie’s perfect jaw dropped. “You have an extra ticket for Norah Jones?”
“Uh. Yeah.”
Natalie looked at Eva, as if to say, Can you believe this? “Wow.”
“So do you want to go?” A hint of irritation. Poor guy was a nervous wreck.
“Are you kidding? I would love to.”
“Yeah?” A grin spread across his face. He looked adorable. “Cool.”
“You getting a group together? How many tickets did you get?”
His smile froze. “Just...two.”
“Oh.” Natalie was clearly taken aback. “So it’s you and me going?”
“Yeah.” Tom cleared his throat, pulled at his collar. “Should be a great concert.”
“Well, yes.” Natalie was eyeing him suspiciously. “Yes, it should be.”
Silence.
“Uh, so, Eva.” Tom fidgeted in his chair. “Back to your—”
“Yes, Eva.” Natalie whirled back around. “The shop.”
“Right.” Eva jumped on her cue. “I was thinking of a more playful atmosphere, more inviting, maybe a theme, like beach or jungle or toy store or—”
“No, I don’t think you want to go that far.” Natalie had apparently recovered. “Soften the edges maybe, add color, maybe, but not go crazy.”
“I agree. But Eva, you’re right, the place needs something,” Tom said. “I come here because it’s close to my apartment. But it’s not what I’d call homey.”
“What do you have at home that you’d like here?” Eva asked him.
“Oh...I guess, neon lighting and 24/7 access to large-screen video games and porn.”
The women stared in horror.
“Uh.” Tom cracked a smile. “I’m kidding.”
Natalie and Eva burst into laughter.
“And you believed me.” He shook his head mournfully, clearly eating up the attention.
“Sorry.” Natalie touched his arm, making him blush again. “But I do know people like that.”
“We all do.” Eva sneaked an encouraging wink at Tom. This was going fine! She was so proud of him. She hardly had to do anything!
The shop door opened. Eva turned and gave a shout of pleasure. “Ames!”
He strode to their table, grinning, rain glistening in his hair and on his jacket. “I had a break, thought I’d come get a cup of my favorite coffee. Hi, Tom
“Hello there, stranger. Haven’t seen you for a while.” Natalie plunked her elbow on the table, rested her chin on her hand. She might as well have been saying, By the way, I’m totally naked under my clothes, want to see me prove it?
A good part of Eva’s joy turned sour. “You know each other?”
“Sure.” Natalie winked at Ames.
Eva had never socked someone in the nose before, but she could totally see herself doing it right now. Natalie had slept with half the city—why not the half containing Ames?
“We’ve bumped into each other here once or twice.” Ames sounded politely amused. “I think you made fun of me for bringing Chris a box of pastries she’d just added to her own lineup.”
“Mercilessly, as I remember.” Natalie gave a sexy, satisfied smile. Her voice was lower, dripping sensuality. It was as if she’d turned into a completely different person. An icky one. No wonder she attracted men and then repelled them. She was faking it. “You totally deserved being taunted, Ames.”
Eva gritted her teeth. She rarely gritted her teeth over people’s behavior, but they needed gritting right now. She sneaked a look at Tom, whose jaw was tight enough to assume he was gritting right along with her.
“I probably did deserve it.” Ames pulled up a chair between Natalie and Eva.
Natalie made a show of moving back her chair to make room for him, then yanked it closer after he sat down.
Come to think of it, Eva had never growled at anyone before, either, but...
Well, she was having all kinds of new and unpleasant impulses today, wasn’t she?
“So what are you up to these days, Ames?” Natalie angled her body toward him. “Business going well?”
“Pretty good. A new restaurant here and there, fabulous menus to try. Trips abroad to sample excellent new wines.” He whacked his forehead in despair. “Will it never stop?”
Natalie giggled archly. “You are fun. I had no idea.”
Ames sent Eva a warm smile and put his arm around her. “That’s because I only turned fun recently.”
Natalie looked back and forth between them, clearly astounded. “So this is why Chris hasn’t been complaining that you followed her to California?”
“That’s why.” He rubbed Eva’s back affectionately. “I’m still here.”
“Well.” Natalie turned to glance at Eva as if she’d never seen her before. “Congratulations.”
Congratulations? Now Eva felt like sticking out her tongue. It was totally unlike her to be jealous like this, feel inadequate like this. She was a smart, successful businesswoman—attractive, friendly, fun to be with and...
Why was she even having to give herself this pep talk?
She looked back and forth between Natalie and Ames, and the answer hit her.
Because Natalie and Ames would make a natural and stunning couple. Because they matched, complemented each other, would turn heads wherever they went, have kids perfect enough to star in commercials. Natalie was all the reasons Ames had been pursuing Chris.
The heads turning when she and Ames walked by would be thinking, What does he see in Miley Cyrus?
“Well, I have to get going.” Natalie glanced at her watch and rose gracefully. “I have a client meeting at three across town.”
Tom shot to his feet. “It’s pouring out. I have a car, I can drive you.”
She checked the streaming shop window, then turned to him in amazement, all her sex kitten artifice gone. In Eva’s opinion she was ten times more appealing. “Across town? You’d do that?”
“Why not?”
“No, I’m... I mean, that’s fine, if you’re sure. In fact, it would be really great.” She looked curiously at him as if she couldn’t understand how a guy could actually be nice to her. “Thank you, Tom.”
They walked out, Tom opening the door to the shop for her, then turning back to give Eva and Ames a surreptitious thumbs-up.
Eva returned the gesture, then arched a brow proudly at Ames. “I did that. They’re going to a concert together, too.”
“Natalie and Tom?” Ames gaped at her. “Are you serious?”
Eva sent him the evil eye. “Why not?”
“Well, she’s so... I mean, and he’s so...” He looked supremely uncomfortable.
“Uh...” Eva pointed between herself and Ames. “What are you saying, exactly?”
“Nothing.” He grinned and pulled her in for a kiss. “I just realized I’m not saying anything at all.”
“You are a very smart man.” She got to her feet and offered her hand. “So smart that you are going shopping with me for the rest of the afternoon, and then we’re coming back to decorate the—”
“I wondered why you were closing. I can’t, I’m sorry.” He looked sincerely regretful. “I have a meeting at three-thirty.”
“Why don’t you check your calendar?” She smiled sweetly. “Maybe the meeting got rescheduled.”
Ames stared suspiciously and dug out his cell.
Eva looked over at the wall and counted bricks. Dum-dee-dum-dum.
“Rescheduled.” He folded his arms, glaring at her. “What did you do?”
“Me? Nothing. Not a thing. Except have a short conversation with Jean asking about your calendar this afternoon. What she did after that she did alone.”
He sighed with exaggerated misery. “You realize what this means.”
“You get to spend the afternoon with me instead of talking to annoying people?”
“Life is so unfair.”
She grinned and volunteered him to help her and Ben close. Outside, the rain was letting up, though a chilly, damp wind blew leaves and the occasional crumpled paper or cup down the avenue.
Eva pulled out a list of thrift shops. “Let’s do this thing.”
Three hours later, they were back, pulling up in a loaded taxi outside the store.
“That was fabulous!” Totally energized by their success, Eva managed to beat Ames to paying the driver—not easy, he was a quick draw with his wallet. They emerged onto the curb.
Ames groaned, putting a hand to his back. “I’m exhausted.”
“You need to work on your shopping muscles.”
“I need to work on my food consumption. I’m starving.”
“Me, too. But we did great!” They’d done more than great. They’d had just about the best time Eva had ever had with anyone. Laughing, teasing, coming up with many more bad ideas than good as they roamed through shops sizing up people’s discards. Ames had finally convinced Eva to abandon her theme ideas, and they’d settled on buying whatever appealed and come back with a bounty.
A whimsical teapot in the shape of a camel, various board games, a painting of a graceful flamingo, inexpensive “silver” trays to hold bakery items, an A-frame sidewalk chalkboard for messages and daily specials, paper cutouts of various fresh fruits, and Eva’s favorite, an assortment of topiaries in whimsical materials—a miniature tree of shining red ceramic cherries, silk ivy shaped in a spiral, butterflies, roses, all in varying heights and shapes.
Nothing that couldn’t be changed back in an instant, but Eva was bursting with excitement.
They unloaded the goods onto the sidewalk—miraculously the rain had stopped, though dark skies warned the respite was only temporary.
Eva unlocked the shop and turned on a light in the back office, leaving the door partly open. They carted in their haul, piling it in the middle of the darkened room. “Can you see okay? I don’t want to turn on the big lights. People will think we’re open.”
“Smart.” He smiled, incredibly handsome in the dimness, his earring glinting in the low light. “It’s actually great.”
Eva nodded. She knew what he meant. There was a wonderful sense of intimacy, with the damp city still going through its motions outside the door, and their private, still world so peaceful in here.
But if she kept smiling at him like this, and he kept smiling at her like that, she was going to get wobbly again from all she was feeling.
Maybe she should turn on the lights...
“So where do you want things?” He looked around uncertainly. “I admit interior decorating isn’t really my strength.”
“Me neither. But that never stopped me.” She moved into the center of the space. “Let’s start with the bakery case.”
They lined the bottom of the white shelves with the paper fruit cutouts, then instead of the geometric white porcelain Chris had chosen, loaded in the silver trays, lowest in front, those on pedestals to the back. The effect was exactly as Eva had hoped, elegant but not stuffy, the mismatched trays keeping the display from being perfect, the fruit underneath fun and colorful.
On the long wall facing the tables, they pounded in nails and hung the flamingo, the jungle flowers and the ocean view, then stepped back.
Eva was thrilled. “Beautiful! Like they belong here! I can’t believe how great they look!”
“Mmm, yes.”
She turned to Ames. He was not appreciating art; he was looking at her in that dark-eyed predatory way that signified he was imagining them naked and wrestling.
“Ames,” she said primly.
“Yes, Eva.”
“We need to get this done.”
“Oh, I agree.” He took a step toward her, put his hands at her waist. He still looked predatory, but now his eyes held amusement, and that softness that made her feel all softened and strange. “There’s a lot we need to get done.”
Eva fought a tiny swell of panic. She’d been doing so well for so long keeping this vulnerability under control. What was wrong with her now? “I mean we need to—”
“I know what you mean.” He drew her up against him and kissed her. The rain chose that movie-worthy moment to increase torrentially, hurling itself against the door and front windows.
She was cut in two, half wanting to struggle, to regain her balance, retain her control. The other half wanted to lose itself in this feeling of surrender, of lust and growing sweetness, feelings she was starting to think were new to her, and entirely inconvenient. She was leaving soon. What was the point of falling in love for the very first time in her life with someone she couldn’t have, and who had made it clear he didn’t want someone like her for the long-term anyway?
His mouth was warm and possessive, urging her to passion. His hands roamed her back, then lower, covering her bottom, sliding under the waistband of her kelly-green leggings, then under her panties, exploring her skin. His mouth left hers to go adventuring down the side of her neck, which was probably her third favorite place to be kissed.
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