All of the sudden, it hit her in one rushing moment. She had no idea why the thought came to her then, or why Stacey was thinking about her. Truth be told, she was the last person Stacey wanted to be thinking about in that moment.
“She’s an ex,” she murmured.
“Huh?” His eyebrows scrunched together.
“Lori. She’s your ex. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. You two must have had the shop while married and then separated after. That’s why you two have the same last name but she’s a Ms.”
He scratched the back of his neck. “That’s what I was going to talk to you about over dinner, but we were having such a good time that I forgot all about it. I figured it was something you’d want to know.”
Uh oh. Stacey skipped a step and nearly stumbled. Did I make a huge mistake by bringing her up? We just had this wonderful dinner, and here I go, trying to ruin it.
“Yes, Lori’s my ex. We were married once, a long time ago. A relative in another state owned a jewelry shop, so it made sense to learn from him and start our own. It seemed like a good idea at the time to go into business together.”
“Why did she keep your last name?” It was irrational, but deep down, Stacey didn’t like it. It almost felt like Lori was trying to hang onto a piece of Blake when she no longer deserved to.
“She said the reason was because of branding. We both put in years of work to build up Tomlinson Jewelers, and she felt like she’d be giving up the company, in a way, if she changed her name back. Like she’d be losing ownership.”
“But not in reality.”
He shrugged. “We fought about it for a while, but I can’t make her change her name back. I’ve made peace with it.”
She couldn’t keep herself from asking. “What was it like…being married to her?” She left out the part about how she imagined it would be an unspeakable hell. Waking up next to her would sour a person’s whole day.
He stared at a lamppost as if looking right through it. “She was a different person back then. At least when I first married her. And then she changed.”
“I’ve got to ask.” She paused a moment to get her words right. “What is someone like you doing with someone like her? I mean, now that you know what she’s like.”
“Lori’s my ex. I’m not exactly with her.”
“I mean in a business sense. From what I can see, she’s making everything difficult for you. I know it’s not my place to say…”
He stopped in front of a bench and sat down on it. It faced the river in a beautiful spot where it featured a bend in the flow of the water, giving them a nice view in either direction. A couple passed by, hand-in-hand. She tried not to fidget while he processed what he was trying to say.
He spread his hands. “I don’t have a lot of choice in the matter. She owns forty-five percent of the company. She can’t just leave, and neither can I. Although there are many times I wish I could and just start fresh. In business…in everything.”
She placed a hand on his arm. “I trust you’ll find a way to make it work. Maybe one day you can buy her out or something.”
“Maybe,” he said. “It’s a tough business these days. The shop is doing fine, but competition in brick-and-mortar sales has only gotten thicker the past few years. That would be nice, though. I’d love to have the shop without her. I have a lot of ambition, but I’ve been too distracted with putting up with her and her purchases. I’ve thought about expanding the online presence. More jewelry is sold online these days.”
“I can see that. I haven’t bought any online, but I can see how others would.”
He moved his arm from the back of the bench and pulled her closer. She felt warmth flooding from his body to hers. Her head rested below his shoulder, and they looked out at the river. The water rippled, and the city lights danced like pale angels in the night. She pushed her head gently against his chest. She smiled when she heard the faint beating of drum-like heartbeats from his chest. She sensed she was having an effect on him by the way her body was pushed close to his.
“You know, it’s good to have a fresh pair of eyes looking at things like this,” he said. “Someone who hasn’t grown accustomed to the way things are.”
She lifted her head and looked at him. His chiseled features captured the light from the street lamp which stood just above them. His gaze was fixed across the river, and he looked deep in thought. In a way, she couldn’t believe she was sitting this close with him, snuggled up against his body.
Then he turned toward her and placed a warm kiss on her forehead. It was full of affection, gentle and undemanding, a kiss she’d previously never thought would happen. She could sense the way he felt about her, and the gentleness did nothing to dampen the spark and the chemistry which was building between them.
“I hope I didn’t bring up too many unpleasant memories. I appreciate you telling me all that. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.”
“Oh?”
You have no idea. “A bit curious, yes.”
“I could see how it would give you a double-take, with us running the store together and all. I wanted to tell you so that you didn’t think we couldn’t…”
She glanced up. “Couldn’t what?”
“Get to know each other more.”
This was it. The one thing she’d been wanting to know for the longest time. They weren’t married and he was interested in her. She didn’t think anything could ruin that evening.
“I’d like that,” she said.
“It’s no secret I think you’re special. I tried to bury it, because of our work situation, but I’m finding it difficult. I don’t want to take advantage, being your boss and all, so if any of this makes you feel uncomfortable, tell me, and we’ll forget this ever happened.”
“Do you really think I could forget just like that?”
“I’d like to think not, but you’re in the driver’s seat right now.”
He was being sweet not pressing the situation, which he easily could, given his position. He was holding himself back slightly, just out enough to show his interest, but not too much to make her feel cornered. He clearly needed a sign she was okay with this, a gesture to show that she was on board, consenting.
She leaned forward, and the next thing she knew, her lips met his. She could tell he was surprised, because it took him a second or two to respond. His lips pressed against hers, and the inviting warmth of them was just as wonderful as she’d imagined. All the air went out of her lungs until they tinged with a sweet burn. He tasted like the after-dinner mints they grabbed on the way out of the restaurant, and she went in for a second kiss, doing her best to hold her enthusiasm for him at bay.
Although she wished it would continue, he pulled back. The light pooling at the bottom of two nearby lampposts glinted in his eyes. She couldn’t think of a single word to say. Nothing came to her mind that fit in that moment. All that existed in that city, next to that river, was the two of them. Nobody or nothing else mattered.
He slipped his hand in hers, and they finished the rest of the walk. Nothing could ruin her week. She dared anything to try.
Chapter Eleven
On Sunday, her next day off, Stacey replayed her evening with Blake over and over in her mind. She was glad to have some time to think through everything. The kiss had lingered on her lips for a while. They’d shared two, and he’d driven her back to her apartment, but he hadn’t asked to come inside. He was the most wonderful man, a true gentleman even though he’d wanted her and she’d wanted him. The chemistry had been electric.
To say she was distracted that day would be an understatement. Stacey found her mind wandering off on many tangents. Her prevailing thought now was Lori, but in a different way than before. Before that day, Stacey had only worried about Lori getting in the way of her and Blake. But now, Stacey worried about Lori knowing that the two of them were becoming…close. If so, things could get ugly. It had only been one dinner together, but even that could mean troub
le.
Who knew what sort of feelings Lori could still have for him. They’d been married once, after all. Old habits sometimes were the hardest to break. Even if Lori didn’t still have feelings for him, she could simply be territorial. One of those if I can’t have him, nobody can sort of thing. Stacey really hoped it wouldn’t come down to that.
Her mind flickered to thoughts of Lori becoming angry and spraying her apartment door with rotten eggs and lipstick or maybe even writing nasty messages to her online. It was possible that a woman like Lori could get mean, and Stacey wasn’t the type to handle that well. She’d never been into drama, and even in school, she’d walked away from anything that could turn ugly.
She wished she could call Tiffany again, but she was working a double shift at the hospital that day. She wasn’t sure who she could turn to. Maybe she should just chill for a while and read a book. Yes, geological formations in some faraway place, perhaps. It seemed like a silly thing to try to do, though. Reading? She could read the whole thing and not remember a single word right now. He was her dream man, but she was scared of the realness of such a situation. She might have to fight for him…and that made her nervous. And yet, anything worth having was worth fighting for.
She tried to snap herself out of it. How could she be unsure when the universe had granted her wish, at least so far? She turned her head to look at Harrison, who again appeared unimpressed, as usual. She liked to think he was, but hid it well. He seemed to find licking his paws more interesting. It was always the mundane that excited cats, like string or cardboard boxes, yet the excitable things in humans they found rather boring.
“Harrison, I’ve been telling you about Blake for a while now, and you haven’t come up with a word of advice. What kind of friend are you?”
Harrison continued to lick his paws.
“What do I pamper you for, anyway, if you can’t be a good listener?”
He stopped long enough to glance her way. With that, he leaped up onto the living room chair, where his toys had been accumulating. She knew she should cut back on things she bought him, but she couldn’t help herself. She spoiled that cat rotten.
Stacey decided to cook something and freeze the rest. She always did that so she could take out the frozen part if she was too exhausted to make anything. It was her way of adulting that day. Tonight, she would make spaghetti with her mother’s brilliant Neapolitan sauce that everyone complimented her on.
It made her think of her brother. He was in the navy, but it was his favorite, too, and if he’d been in town, there wouldn’t be anything left to freeze. She hadn’t seen him in three months, but he’d be back for Christmas that year, which would be nice. Maybe he can meet Blake, she thought, hoping that Lori didn’t make things complicated to where he had some “business engagement” over the holidays. But surely by then, he’d have figured everything out, and they would no longer have Lori in their lives.
Tiffany had always liked Stacey’s brother because he was warm and kind. She’d told Stacey about her crush on him in high school. He wasn’t like the regular guys she’d become tired of dating—that’s what she’d told Stacey, anyway. But he was engaged to a gorgeous girl by the name of Charla. They’d met when he came home last fall, and she only had eyes for him, and vice versa. She lived in New Jersey, not too far away, but she worked long hours for an accounting firm.
She and Stacey got together once a month for a coffee if they could find the time, and Stacey had enjoyed her company. She didn’t really know her yet, but she seemed a lot like her brother in many ways. Stacey was pleased that he’d found her.
Then, as though he knew she was thinking about him, Blake sent her a text. Have any plans tonight?
Everything in her body wanted to answer it, to invite him over, but the whole Lori thing was driving her crazy. She wanted to be in a relationship with him, but she didn’t know how to deal with all sides of it. She decided it might be best to let it simmer and take her mind off things. The local gym seemed to be the best method for that. Within fifteen minutes of being there, she’d already worked up a sweat and the plan seemed to be working.
“If you keep up like that, you’ll drop before you know it,” a woman on the treadmill next to her said.
Stacey glanced down at the mileage counter on the machine’s dashboard and eased back. “I needed an outlet.”
The woman nodded as if she understood completely. “Good luck. Don’t overdo it, though. It’s never worth it.”
Stacey slowed the speed down to a steady jog, and then she decided to finish by doing some stretches and a ten-minute, medium-paced bout on the rowing machine. She was already feeling better. She needed to get over herself and realize that good things were happening in her life. When she received exactly what she wanted, she was only wasting time by focusing on what wasn’t going her way.
When she arrived back home, she pulled out her phone and thought hard about how she wanted to phrase her text. In the end, she settled with I do have plans, but I’m thinking about you. It was true enough.
The next message came through a few minutes later. No problem. I hope you have a good night.
Was she right to tap the breaks? Was that what she was doing? She just knew she had something good, and she was nervous to mess it up. She’d never found herself in that situation before, dating, or possibly dating, her boss. It had to have worked for someone somewhere, so why couldn’t it for her?
* * *
At work the next day, Blake wasn’t there. When Stacey asked, Lori said he had errands to run, and that was that. Now that she knew she wouldn’t see him that day, she regretted not sending him something more encouraging. It wasn’t that she’d shunned him; she just didn’t want to jump in too quickly, which she could easily see herself doing.
Lori did a great job at keeping Stacey’s mind off of things, better than the treadmill ever had. The day consisted of cleaning, restocking, and pricing. It never ceased to amaze her how quickly a thin layer of dust settled on the jewelry on display. It was like the pieces attracted every morsel of dust nearby. She probably dusted almost as often as she did anything else at the store.
She vacuumed out back and had to rearrange the whole break room the way Lori had “always wanted it.” She didn’t mind the chore, though, and Lori wasn’t being as awful as usual. In fact, she left soon after, as soon as Jinese arrived.
“I’m glad she’s gone,” Jinese said. “Handy that she leaves right when I walk in.”
“You’ve got some luck. I had to work with her all morning. I’m in the mood for some coffee. Want some?”
“Sure. Sounds good to me.”
“It’s a different world back there. I had to rearrange it all today,” Stacey said. “Seriously, if there’s a speck of dust on the carpet, I’d be surprised. I could probably describe every inch of it to you.”
“Oh wow, what a makeover,” she called out. “It looks a lot better back here. What are these new display units for, though?”
Stacey cringed. “Don’t ask Blake. He’s still a bit raw about it.”
“Why? Didn’t he buy it?”
Stacey ran her fingers along one of the edges. Then she stopped before she added any more smudges on the pristine surface. “No, Lori did. Apparently, she went on a shopping spree with the company card.”
“Uh oh. How did he take it?”
“Not well. I was here when he discovered it. I felt so bad for him.”
Jinese gave her a sidelong glance. “I wouldn’t want to be in the room when they work their next shift together. It sounds like lightning bolts might fly.”
“It just might,” Stacey murmured. “I’m just trying to lay low around Lori for the time being.” For more reasons than one.
“That’s probably for the best. Oh hey, speaking of shopping, someone ordered more coffee and tea. Look at these tins. They’re expensive looking. We are moving up in the world.”
“Yeah, but on whose dime?” Stacey surprised herself. Usually, she wouldn
’t care who paid for it as long as she didn’t have to. She wondered if it was because she cared for Blake.
Minutes later, Stacey clasped a steaming mug between her hands. It reminded her of the smell of Blake’s coffee that day at the mall. Hopefully, she’d see him soon. She wondered what type of cologne he wore that day.
“You look deep in thought,” Jinese said. The store was quiet that day, and her voice almost startled Stacey.
“Sorry. Just one of those days.”
Jinese snorted. “Tell me about it. Yesterday I put in my notice to move apartments. Now I know why I’ve stayed put in the same one for so many years. Moving is such a pain.”
“I hear you. I don’t even want to think about moving, myself. I’ve finally gotten rent where I need it.”
“Yeah, it’s not like anything’s getting cheaper these days. Do you ever want a house?”
Stacey’s immediate reaction was to say yes, but she hadn’t given much thought if she actually wanted one. Her imagination flickered to Blake mowing the lawn of a suburban house with a large backyard. He’d stop for a moment, take his hand off the handle, and wipe his brow with the back of his sleeve. Then she’d come out and hand him an ice-cold beer, and he’d press it to his temple long enough for a bead of condensation to roll down his neck and escape under the collar of his T-shirt and—
Stacey looked up and realized that Jinese still waited for an answer. Stacey cleared her throat. “Uh, yes. I do. That would be nice.” It was feeling warm in the shop all of the sudden.
“I’d love a house outside the city,” Jinese said. “My mom often hosts those neighborhood food parties, and I’ve always wanted to do the same. You know, where everyone stops by and marvels at how you’ve decorated the place and spiced your deviled eggs. Maybe those are a Midwest thing.”
“Oh, I’m sure they have those everywhere. It was the same on my block, only for BBQ. My dad swore up and down on a particular rub. He wouldn’t tell anyone where he bought it.”
All That Glitters Page 6
