by V. Vaughn
“I’ve been busy. Your goons left me quite a mess,” she seethed.
His eyes widened with shock briefly before immediately falling back to their angry glare.
“You think I had something to do with this?”
“Who else would it have been?”
“I don’t know, but I assure you that destroying your business is not in my best interests as a buyer.”
“So, you still want to buy it?” Jill asked.
Subconsciously after their night together, she had hoped that he would drop his plans to buy her shop and they could live happily ever after selling her trinkets. Jill should have known better, though. Andru radiated big city living and big city money. Those were two things that Jill would never be.
“Jill, I just want you to answer the phone when I call,” he said, losing some of his anger.
“I didn’t feel like talking then, and I certainly don’t now. There’s nothing even to say anymore Andru. Go back to your fancy penthouse suite in the city. There’s nothing for you here.”
“There is everything for me here,” he said, stopping her from leaving.
“No, there’s not. Whatever we thought was happening between us is over. We’re two entirely different people. You like money and fancy things and I just want to live a simple life, selling trinkets.”
He didn’t say a word. After a minute or so of silence, he moved to the side and she slipped out of the door and headed down the alley to the sidewalk to walk home. She felt his eyes on her the entire walk home, but he never said a word. That was fine with Jill because she wasn’t sure she could survive hearing the word goodbye slip from his lips.
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Chapter 12 - Andru
December came in with a vengeance, dumping snow on top of the city and surrounding areas, drawing everything to a halt. It had been weeks since Andru had watched Jill walk away. Some days the pain of her absence was so intense he couldn’t get out of bed. She had made it obvious that night that there was nothing he could say that would change her mind about him. He spent most of his nights hovered by her house so that he could watch her. He had paid a construction company to go into her building as well as the bakeshop at night and fix everything.
Jill had left him several coarse phone calls after that, but he simply ignored them and told the construction workers to do their job. In the short time he had known her, she had completely changed his thinking. The thought of the small historic shopping district not being around, especially during Christmas time, was unfathomably to him.
He hadn’t been behind the break ins and he wasn’t sure who had been, but he left it for the detectives to figure it out. In the meantime, his focus was on showing Jill he couldn’t have had anything to do with the break ins with actions. Andru knew deep down Jill thought he didn’t have anything to do with it. She was using it as a wall to keep him at bay. Andru had waited his entire life to find his true mate. Jill had learned about it the same day she found out she was his.
Which is why he sat across from his investment bankers earlier in the morning and told them he pulled all funding from the project to overhaul the historic district. All the small shop owners had been contacted that had already sold and were informed of the back out. They were given their Earnest money for their troubles, and Andru even offered to help some of them get opened back up in time to finish out the holiday shopping season. Some of them had cheerfully accepted and opened back up, where others had taken their money and decided to allow him to sell the buildings.
Andru had a different mindset on what type of places he wanted to put in the buildings, though. His assistant spent hours researching the web looking for small web based companies in the area that might have an interest in a brick and mortar store. So far he had filled two of the stores with more ‘mom and pop’ businesses.
He had lost a substantial amount of money on the deal, as well as a clout with the bigger banks, but he didn’t care. Knowing that Jill was happy was all that mattered to him. Andru opened up his desk and took out a small black velvet box. He had contacted the woman who made jewelry for Jill’s store and for a hundred dollars had her construct a beautiful ring for a Christmas present.
The old Andru would have opted to send his personal shopper down to a fancy jewelry shop and drop thousands on a gigantic diamond to sit upon her delicate finger, but that wasn’t Jill. The oval shaped gem was wrapped with two delicate copper wires that made for the band of the ring as well. It was unique and beautiful, just like Jill.
He wouldn’t push her, though. She had told him that they were worlds apart, so he’d have to show her that they weren’t. Andru had simply been waiting his whole life to know who he was and where he was meant to be. Jill was his home. Her small townhouse beaconed to him. He could see them decorating a Christmas tree in the front window that overlooked the street together while a bottle of mulled wine warmed in the kitchen. Most of all he could see her round in the belly with their children. Jill had told him once that there were more riches in the world than money, and he understood that now. He’d give up every single penny he had ever earned to live a life rich in love with her. His cell phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. He tucked the ring back into his desk drawer and answered the call.
“Varcelli.”
“Hello, Mr. Varcelli, this is Megan from the historical foundation. I wanted to invite you to the banner cutting ceremony we’re having for the Little Paws Pet Shop this evening.”
“Hello, Megan. Thank you for the invitation. I believe I’ll take you up on that.”
“Wonderful. You’ve been so beneficial in restoring the historic district, we’d love to have you front and center with us.”
“I appreciate that, but I believe I’d rather be a silent supporter.”
“Understood, Mr. Varcelli. Thank you again for coming and all the help you’ve given us.”
“You’re quite welcome. See you this evening,” Andru said.
“See you then,” Megan replied before disconnecting the call.
Andru set his phone down. If actions spoke louder than words, hopefully Jill heard all he had to say with every new small shop that opened its doors. More importantly, he hoped she’d find her way to the truth; that they were meant to be together.
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Chapter 13 - Jill
The foreman dipped his head to her in parting as he ducked out her front door. Her reservations were finally complete. She knew Andru had been the one behind paying for the construction company. No matter how many times she called to tell him it wasn’t necessary, he never answered or returned her calls. She had gotten so desperate she had even called the police, but the responding officer just looked at her like she was crazy when she explained that she didn’t want someone fixing her building at no cost to her.
It did seem a bit crazy. Even more confusing was that Jill believed that Andru didn’t have anything to do with the break in, in the first place. If he had, it didn’t make any sense that he’d have crews out to her shop as well as the bakeshop the very next day to fix what had been done.
Her door dinged, alerting her to her first customer since construction had been finished. Jill was excited but a bit disappointed because even though she had a brand new store, she didn’t have any inventory, and she had no way of getting much in before the holidays.
“Hello,” she called and shock settled when she realized who was at her door.
“Angela, what are you doing here?” Jill asked her jewelry maker.
“I have a delivery for you. I was told you’d be ready today,” Angela responded, looking a bit confused.
“Well, yes I am, but I know you can’t possibly afford to stock my store this close to Christmas.”
“After the price you paid me, I’ve got everything that was ruined in the break, plus some,” Angela said.
“I what?”
“Your insurance adjuster called me and paid me a sizeable sum from the claim in order to get you restocked before the holidays were ov
er.”
“My insurance adjuster?”
“That’s who he said he was when he called. I didn’t think anything of it because the check about made me faint.”
“Did you see this man?”
“He showed up to personally deliver me the check.”
“Was he tall, broad shoulders, amber eyes?”
“He was probably the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in my life. I did find it strange your insurance adjuster was a shifter, though. You don’t see many shifters working in insurance,” Angela commented.
“Yeah, he’s not like other insurance adjusters,” Jill said with a small smirk.
Andru had paid Angela the money. Even though the thought of him blowing all of his money on her store made her sick to her stomach, it also warmed her heart. The man was going above and beyond to show her how he felt about her. Jill should have run to him with open arms, but she was still overwhelmed and scared. It killed her to be away from him. Some days she’d spend the entire day throwing up, physically sick from missing him.
Her calls remained unanswered though, and if she were being honest with herself she understood why. Andru was making sure she was absolutely sure before she went to him, and when that time came a phone call wouldn’t be sufficient.
Angela and her spent the next hour going through all of the pieces Angela had made. Jill had been blown away with some of them. Angela never failed to astound Jill. She thanked Angela profusely when she walked her out, and then headed to find her cell phone.
His phone went to voicemail, which she had assumed it would.
“Hi. I just got a beautiful delivery of jewelry from Angela. She’s got the hots for my new insurance adjuster,” Jill said, taking a deep breath before she continued. “I’m sorry for accusing you, Andru. I didn’t figure you’d answer, but I wanted you to know that I hear you.”
She hung up and dived into her new pieces with excitement. Jill spent the rest of the day accepting deliveries from all of her suppliers and restocking her shelves. By the end of the day she was on the verge of tears. Andru had left no stone left unturned. He had even sent an interior designer to decorate Jill’s store with Christmas decorations that were almost identical to the ones she had lost. The man overwhelmed her in the best ways possible. Jill was afraid to let herself have hope, but she almost felt as though he felt as strongly about her store as she did, and that was why he was going above and beyond helping her get it back up and running.
A media van pulled up and parked in front of her shop, drawing her attention. She locked up for the night and walked outside to see what was going on. A crowd was forming a few shops down. Angelina had been so tied up in her own problems she hadn’t even thought of the other shops. Jill’s shoulders sagged. She figured someone was closing their doors and the media had come out to do a story on it.
Jill wanted to show her support so she headed down. To her shock, there was a giant red banner strung across the storefront and a brand new sign hung overhead.
“Little Paws Pet Shop,” Jill said out loud to no one in particular.
She moved closer to the crowd. She had never heard of the store before, so it didn’t make any sense seeing as how the shops that were supposed to be moving in were all chain stores.
“Is this part of the new strip mall?” she asked the blonde that was standing next to her snapping pictures.
“Oh no, haven’t you heard?” the woman asked, her smile spreading from ear to ear.
“Heard what?”
“They scrapped the entire project and are giving incentives to small businesses to fill the storefronts.”
“Who did?”
“I’m not sure what his name is, my partner Megan would, though. She said he’s even coming tonight for the ribbon cutting.”
Jill didn’t wait another second. She darted off through the crowd hoping to find him. She knew without a doubt it was Andru. The man had given up his entire deal, probably lost a fortune, so that he could see that her dream came true. When she couldn’t find him she dialed his number, hoping to hear it ring. The crowd made it hard to hear, but she swore she heard the twinkly tones of a cell phone ringing, but she still didn’t find Andru.
She waited until the crowd disappeared before she left on the off chance he’d hang around too, but she was disappointed. He must not have wanted to be found. Jill walked home and threw her bag down on the couch in defeat. She hadn’t even bothered to buy and decorate her own tree. Her house felt lonely for the first time. Even worse, Jill felt lonely.
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Chapter 14 - Andru
He listened to her voicemail over and over again in the following weeks. She heard him. It was a play on the words she had told him about actions speaking louder than words. He had seen her that night at the ribbon cutting ceremony, and he almost went to her, especially when she called him. It had taken everything in him not to go there, but he refused to let her come to him when she was feeling guilty. He knew she felt guilty accepting all of his help, so he had to make sure that wasn’t the reason she finally consented.
It was the day before Christmas Eve and he had thought he would have heard from her already.
For the first time in his entire adult life, he didn’t have to work. Andru had closed the office for the entire week for Christmas. Up to this point he had always had his employees work, sometimes even on Christmas Eve, so he figured he owed them a vacation. He also wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone; anyone except for Jill. He had stalked her house every night, watching her sleep, or on most nights not sleep. He liked to think that he was the reason she wasn’t sleeping, but she hadn’t reached out to him since her last voicemail. More importantly, she hadn’t shown up. That’s what he wanted. He wanted her to come to him when she had been ready to make them work.
Andru flipped the curtain back in his living room and watched as the snow fell. He was anxious for night to come so that he could go back to her place undetected. He wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to be able to stay away from her either. Andru fingered the velvet box in his hand while he thought of her.
The day dragged on until night fell and he was able to go to her. He ran up to the roof and quickly undressed so that he could shift. His dragon roared to life, fire-bursting form his chest. His giant wings lifted him into the air and he soared through the snowy filled night. As her home came into view, his dragon’s restlessness eased. They were almost to Jill; they were almost home. He perched in the darkness on the side of her house as he always did and quickly shifted back to his human form. He had stashed clothes there so he wouldn’t be naked, but when he went to find them they were gone.
Andru frantically searched, thinking maybe he had misplaced them when he heard a rustling behind him.
“Looking for these?” Jill’s asked with a giggle.
A smile spread on his face as he turned. The sight of her so close to him took his breath away. It also made him hard as a rock almost instantly.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi,” he replied.
She tossed his clothes to him.
“How long have you known?”
“For about a week,” she answered.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I was waiting to see if you were going to come in or not.”
“I don’t want to rush you, Jill.”
“You’re not rushing me, Andru. If anything I pushed you away. I can’t even begin to explain how thankful I am for everything you’ve done for me. Not just the store and other shops, but giving me my space.”
“I’d do anything for you, Jill.”
“I know that, and it’s part of what I’m afraid of. I don’t want you to give up being who you are for me.”
“You are the very best part of me. Hell, I wasn’t even living until you came into my life.”
“I don’t want to live in the city though, and my store is enough for me just the way it is.”
“I don’t want to live in the city
anymore. I want to live here, with you.”
“Here, in my little townhome?”
“Growing up I always lived in some big fancy house or suite. There were so many rooms and space between my parents and me. They didn’t care, they could care less if I was around, but I cared. I don’t want my children to grow up in some big suite where we’re all so far away from each other. I want us to have a home. One where there’s fewer space between us.”
“You want kids?” Jill asked.
He nodded, stepping closer to her. He still hadn’t bothered taking the clothes she had tried to hand him.
“I want kids,” she whispered. “I want a lot of kids. It’s no fun being the only child.”
“No, it’s not. We’ll have as many as you want, baby.”
His mouth claimed hers as he pulled her against him. His clothes were smashed in between them, but he could still feel her heat. Her scent flooded his nostrils. Jill pulled away from him.
“You should probably get dressed,” she said.
“Really? I thought we were headed more towards a no clothes reunion,” he joked.
“Well, that may be, but you have to walk out on the street to get in my house, and my neighbors are nosey,” Jill said with a blush.
Andru shot her a wink and quickly got dressed. Jill wrapped her coat around her tighter, no doubt freezing in the pouring snow. Andru wrapped his arm around her as they walked back to the front of her house and hurried inside.
Even though he had seen the inside of her house through the windows often, it was his first time inside. It looked and felt like Jill. Her calm surrounded him like a warm blanket. He felt more at home in the few seconds he had been inside of her home than he had his entire childhood in the mansion he had grown up in.
“This is perfect,” he told her.
