She glanced at the bottle and then at him.
“It’s water. Drink it. You look like you’re ready to pass out.”
Her gaze searched his. “Tell me this is a nightmare. Tell me that when I wake up it will be over.”
“I wish I could.”
Her bottom lip trembled.
“My beautiful bakery. It’s gone.” Her voice cracked. “It’s all gone.”
Was this shock? She’d heard people talk about out-of-body experiences. Was that what was happening to her?
“Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” Simon asked. The concern was evident on his face.
“The hospital? Why? I wasn’t in the fire.”
“For shock. This can’t be easy for you.”
She had to pull it together. She’d been doing fine on her own. She couldn’t let a fire undo her. She was made of sturdier stuff than that; at least that’s what her grandmother used to always tell her when she missed her mother. The Kane women were made of sturdy stuff. They could get through anything.
Pepper glanced at the water. She didn’t want it, but she knew if she didn’t pull herself together that they would be at the ER posthaste. And that was one more bill she didn’t need.
She pressed the bottle to her dry lips. The cool liquid soothed her scratchy throat. She drank half the bottle. After handing it back to him, she leaned back against the black leather upholstery and closed her eyes.
With her eyes still closed, she asked, “Where are we going?”
“Do you have someplace to go? A relative?”
She shook her head. “There’s just me.”
“A boyfriend?”
Her eyes sprang open and narrowed in on him. “After my last brief but disastrous romantic encounter, I haven’t bothered with dating.”
Simon’s mouth opened, but then he seemed to decide it was best not to say anything at this particular juncture, and his lips pressed together in a firm line.
Good. Because on top of the fire, she didn’t have the energy to argue with him.
“Just let me out here.” Why was she telling Simon? It wasn’t like he was driving the car. She leaned forward, speaking to the driver, “If you could pull over, I’d appreciate it.”
The driver didn’t say anything. But she could see his gaze in the rearview mirror moving to Simon with a question in his eyes.
Simon shook his head.
Pepper huffed out an indignant breath. “Simon, what are you doing? You can’t just kidnap me.”
“I’m not. I’m being your friend. You had a huge shock tonight and I’m worried about you. Until I’m sure you’re okay and have a safe place to go, I’m going to keep an eye on you.”
If he expected her to be grateful, she wasn’t. She was... She was full of pent-up anger. It was like the world was out to get her. Every time she found happiness, the rug somehow got ripped out from under her.
And she was taking all her frustration out on Simon. He watched her with concern in his eyes. And rightfully so. She was acting strangely. And she was pretty certain they were nearing the hospital.
Get it together, Pepper.
“I have to go back. I have to look after the bakery,” her voice wavered, “My home.”
“I’ll take care of it.” He withdrew his phone from his pocket and made a brief phone call. “Your building will be secured.”
She wondered what it was like to make problems disappear with a mere phone call. If only that’s all it took to right all that had gone wrong in her life.
She took a moment to steady her rising emotions. “Where are we going?”
“To my place.”
She shook her head. “I can’t go back there with all of your guests. I couldn’t possibly face them.”
“Don’t worry. We’re not going back to Connecticut. We’re going to stay right here in the city. Home, James.”
The car slowed at the next intersection and turned away from the hospital that was now only a block away. Thank goodness. If it came down to facing a bunch of doctors or facing her ex, if she could call him that, she would pick Simon. She wasn’t sure it was the smartest choice, but it seemed like the simplest at that moment.
* * *
The fight had gone out of her, to the point where he feared she might very well collapse. On the ride up in the elevator, he kept a steady arm around her waist, pulling her weight against him.
Once inside his penthouse, he thought of getting her a drink. Something strong to take the edge off. But he didn’t know what sort of alcohol she drank or even if she drank at all. And then a thought came to him. It was something his mother used to do for him when he was very young and too worked up to sleep after a run-in with his father.
He led Pepper toward the kitchen. She didn’t question where they were going. She simply let him lead the way. If this kept up much longer, he was following through with his initial instinct to take her to the ER.
“Here.” He guided her to one of the stools at the center island. “Sit down.”
She did it without a fuss.
He hesitated to move from her side, afraid without him next to her that she would collapse. But she held her own and sat there, staring blindly ahead.
“I’m just going to get you something warm to drink.” For all intents and purposes, he was talking to himself.
There were just a couple of things he did well in the kitchen. And this happened to be one of them. He set to work.
A couple minutes later, with a warm mug in hand, he turned to Pepper. She looked dazed and lost. Deciding she’d be much more comfortable in one of his guest rooms, he moved to her side.
“How about we make you comfortable?” When she finally looked at him, he asked, “Can you stand?”
She did so without a word.
Together, they made their way to the guest room with the king-size bed. He guided her to it. She sat down on the edge.
He held out the mug. “Here. Have a drink.”
She shook her head. Still no words.
He knelt down in front of her and gazed up at her. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. That had to be a good sign. Right? Something was going on inside of her. Now if he could just get her to talk.
He lifted the mug. “Go ahead. Have some.”
Her gaze moved from him to the mug. “What is it?”
He let out his first full breath since her meltdown back at the bakery. “It’s hot chocolate. It’s what I used to drink when I was little and had a hard time going to sleep. This is good, but it isn’t my secret recipe. I didn’t have time to make it tonight, but I promise to make it for you some other time.”
She reached for the cup. When her fingers brushed his, he noticed how cold she was. While she drank the hot chocolate, he grabbed a fluffy white throw blanket from the bottom of the bed. He draped it around her shoulders.
She set the cup on the nightstand and leaned back against the headboard. He slipped off her shoes, setting them at the foot of the bed. When he glanced up at her, he noticed her swiping away the tears.
He sat on the edge of the bed. He hated this feeling of helplessness. It was a position he wasn’t used to being in. Pepper looked so fragile, as though a breeze could scatter the pieces that made her whole.
He swallowed hard. “Can I get you anything?”
Silence was the only answer.
There had to be something—anything that he could do to help her. He assured himself that it was nothing more than he would feel for a stranger in a similar situation.
“I was thinking—” her soft voice broke through his thoughts “—that I can’t remember what we talked about the last time...the last time we had coffee together at the bakery.”
He didn’t say a word for a moment. This was what she wanted to talk about? With her world crumbling around her, she wanted to
talk about them?
He knew it wasn’t a good idea to go strolling down memory lane. In fact, it was a very dangerous path laced with emotional bombs that could go off at any time. But at least she was communicating with him. He just wasn’t sure how to respond to her.
“I know we talked about a lot of things over the months,” she said. “Those early morning coffees were so cozy because no customers ventured in quite that early. It was my favorite time of the day. It was my chance to enjoy the bakery instead of worrying about producing all of the orders for the day. In those early morning hours before the sunrise, everything held such promise. And the bakery was filled with the most amazing aromas from the fresh baked goods.” She inhaled deeply as though in her mind she could still smell them instead of the lingering scent of smoke that seemed to follow them around.
He should probably say something here. But these were Pepper’s precious memories and he didn’t want to say anything to sully them. So he sat by quietly as she took them both back in time to that very special bakery.
She fidgeted with a loose thread on the throw blanket while averting her gaze. “I looked forward to your Wednesday morning visits. I’d tuck away in my mind all of the interesting things that had happened since we last met, just so I’d have something to talk to you about. Each time we parted, it was just until the next time. I never thought there wouldn’t be a next time. And now I’ve been trying to remember the last time we shared coffee at the bakery...” Her voice cracked.
His mind rewound back in time. He remembered everything about her, from the way she fidgeted with the silver necklace when she was nervous to the way her smiles would light up her emerald green eyes. He’d quickly learned that Pepper was someone he would never forget. No matter how much he tried.
“I was late that morning.” His gaze met hers, hoping he was doing the right thing. “You were wearing an orange, green and red polka-dotted apron. You called it your autumn apron. And you were all excited because you’d just perfected a new recipe.”
As he spoke, she relaxed against the pillows. He longed to reach out and smooth away the strawberry blond curls that rested against her pale cheek. But he didn’t want to frighten her off. She’d had enough turmoil for one evening. And so he kept his hands to himself while doing his best to comfort her with his words.
Still, his chest ached for her and all she’d lost that night. That bakery had been so much more than her job. It had been her life. And he ached for the very special friendship that he’d ruined with one night of passion. By letting go of his common sense and following his desires, he’d lost a dear friend. Pepper had been someone who was so easy to be around. She wasn’t pushy and she wasn’t needy. She was warm and understanding. Sometimes they’d just sit quietly, drinking their coffees and watching as the first morning rays filled the sky.
He clearly recalled the softness of her laughter. Oh, how he missed how her eyes would light up. And he missed how she would tease him about being a workaholic, which he’d often turn around on her, as she worked as many hours as him, if not more.
As her gaze prodded him for more details, he said, “I remember not having time to sit and talk that morning because I was running late. I’d been up most of the night before brainstorming an idea for the Pet Playground. I had a meeting to get to and you had a special order to bake. But we paused at the counter long enough to agree to go out and celebrate after I launched my chain of stores and you added a new line of cakes.”
Her eyes lit up as though the memories were starting to come back to her. “The new recipe was a carrot caramel cake. It was going to be a signature cake.”
He nodded. “It was moist and delicious. When I went to leave, you stepped out from behind the counter and handed me a box of pastries for the office. I caught a whiff of your perfume.” He inhaled deeply, as he had that day. “It was a soft floral fragrance.”
“Lavender.” She settled further down on the pillows. Her eyes looked heavy.
He thought about it for a moment and then nodded. “The scent works for you.”
He couldn’t help but wonder if he were to lean forward, if she would smell of lavender. Instead, he remained perfectly still.
“Those were good times.” Her voice grew softer as utter exhaustion hit her.
“They were the best.” He stood.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Though her voice was barely above a whisper, he could still hear the raw pain.
Sympathy welled up in him. This shouldn’t have happened to her. Pepper was the sweetest, kindest soul. She deserved only the best in life. It was probably the reason she’d dumped him as soon as he’d let down his guard with her. Beneath the stylish haircut and the expensive clothes, he was a damaged soul.
He gave himself a mental shake. This wasn’t the time to consider himself. Right now, Pepper needed all his attention.
As a tear trickled down her cheek, he gently swiped it away. “Shh... Just rest for tonight.”
“Tomorrow...” Her eyes closed.
Tomorrow would come too soon for both of them. Tomorrow she would have to relive the pain of loss all over again. And he would once again experience that helpless feeling. But that was then and this was now.
He retrieved another blanket from the closet and laid it over her. She was still fully dressed and that couldn’t be comfortable to sleep in, but he wasn’t going to disturb her. The fact she was sleeping was miracle enough. He hoped in her sleep she was able to escape the nasty reality of her life. He wished for her the sweetest dreams.
He stopped next to her. A strand of hair lay across her face. He reached out, moving it to the side. She didn’t stir.
It was then that he noticed the tear tracks on her pale cheeks. Sympathy welled up in his chest. He bent over and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. If only he knew how to make this better for her...
He reached for the switch on the bedside light. His hand paused in midair. If she were to suddenly wake up, she would most likely be disoriented. But the constant glare of the light might stir her from some much-needed rest. In the end, he turned it off, hoping she would sleep through the night. He walked softly to the doorway. He paused and glanced back. She hadn’t moved at all. She was out cold.
As he moved toward the master suite, he couldn’t help but recall their early morning chats. If he didn’t know better, he’d have sworn she’d taken him down memory lane just to torture him. But he knew she wasn’t a vengeful person. Tonight, she’d just needed the comfort she found in those memories.
When the sun rose and reality settled in for both of them, it would be quite apparent that too much had happened for them to go back in time and rekindle that friendship. She could stay until other reasonable arrangements could be made, which should be as soon as the insurance company released funds for temporary lodging.
Until that time, he would keep his distance. It was best for both of them.
But just in case Pepper awoke during the night and needed anything, he left his bedroom door ajar. After changing out of his clothes, he lay in the dark. He stared at the ceiling because he knew sleep would be illusive. Sure enough, his thoughts of Pepper kept him awake long into the night.
CHAPTER FIVE
HE WAS WORRIED.
Maybe they should have gone to the hospital last night.
The following morning, Simon was sitting in the living room at ten o’clock. He’d had his first, second and third cup of coffee. He’d skipped his routine of going to the gym because he wanted to be around in case Pepper needed anything. And she still hadn’t roused.
Should he go check on her? After all, he did say he was going to keep an eye on her. Wasn’t it his responsibility to make sure she was fine?
He folded the morning paper that he’d skimmed without really noticing anything on the page. He kept thinking of Pepper and remembering her look of utter devastation. He’d never
seen anyone look so distraught. He couldn’t blame her. He knew how much she cared about the bakery. She was handling the loss far better than he would have should he ever lose Ross Toys.
He moved silently along the hallway toward the guest room. He paused. There were no sounds coming from inside. Maybe she was still sleeping. He glanced at his wristwatch. He doubted it. She was an early riser just like him.
It’s one of the reasons they’d become friends over this past year. And since the paparazzi debacle, he had really missed their friendship. He hadn’t realized just how much he looked forward to their early morning chats over coffee and a pastry in the wee hours before the bakery filled with people.
Because he’d let his guard down—because he’d allowed himself to get caught up in the moment—he’d lost someone who treated him like a normal person instead of like a boss or a rich man or an eligible bachelor. To Pepper, he’d just been a friendly face. And maybe it was selfish of him, but he wanted that friendship back. Would she be willing to give him another chance?
He raised his knuckles to the door.
Tap. Tap.
He waited. No response.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“Pepper?”
Still no response.
He was really starting to worry.
His hand moved toward the door handle. He hesitated. Something could be wrong with her. Or perhaps she’d left during the night and was meandering the streets. The thought twisted his gut with worry.
Or maybe she was in the shower. Or perhaps she hadn’t slept well and was finally dozing. And it wasn’t like they hadn’t spent the night together and he hadn’t seen her in bed. Still, a lot had changed since that night. In fact, everything had changed.
“I’m coming in,” he called out. He eased the door open slowly. “Pepper?”
Silence.
He stuck his head inside the room. He immediately spotted the empty bed and disheveled covers. At least she had gotten some rest.
Just then the door to the en suite opened. Pepper’s surprised gaze met his. But it wasn’t her reaction to him being in her room that bothered him, it was her pale face.
Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise Page 5
