Gift Wrapped (21 page)

Fate stepped in again, drawing his eye to the time on the dashboard clock. 1:15 on a Monday afternoon. Whether she’d scheduled herself for the opening or closing shift, she’d be at work. No cell phones allowed on the sales floor—one of her rules.

It was for the best. Timing and presentation were key. The element of surprise didn’t hurt either. He had one shot at delivering this news, and he sure as hell didn’t plan to waste it.

Chapter Twelve

March had decided to come in like a lion. Outside Brinn’s parents’ living room window, wind picked up grains of snow, whipped them into a frenzy, then whipped them at the glass. Not a storm—yet. Just general winter nastiness so far.

But she couldn’t blame the season for her blah mood. Everything was just…off. And had been since she’d moved. The only truly good thing about her new location was its proximity to her family. The new half-hour drive meant she could visit them more frequently. Once a week, usually. Two, if the weather cooperated with her schedule at the store.

She’d kind of pushed her luck on that front today. However, gambling with the iffy forecast was far more appealing than spending the day alone in her apartment, dwelling on everything lacking in her life.

“You’ve been nursing that cup of hot chocolate for twenty minutes. You haven’t even eaten the marshmallows from the top.” Gently, her mom lifted the mug from Brinn’s hands and placed it on the coffee table, then settled on the other wing chair by the bay window. “Want to talk about it?”

Brinn shook her head. That didn’t stop her mouth from opening, or the words from tumbling out. “The store is making quota every week and my DM is really impressed with my progress there, especially in such a short time. I should be happy, but I feel like I’m just going through the motions. I’ve always loved working with people, setting goals and accomplishing things. But I can’t seem to find the joy or satisfaction anymore, even though I know I’m exceeding expectations.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Brinn’s mom always supported her. Always loved her wholeheartedly. But she was also always a counselor. She asked questions rather than give suggestions, even when what Brinn wanted most was an opinion, or plain-old motherly directions.

“I don’t know. I could look for a new job, I guess.”

“Do you think a different job will make you happy? Or will learning the ropes at something new just be a distraction from the real issue?”

“Maybe,” she whispered. “Okay, yes. But I don’t want to be a needy man-chaser anymore. I want to be like you, Mom. I want a job I enjoy and a happy home with a man I love who can’t wait to see me at the end of the day. I know it’s dumb, but for that short time we were together, I felt those things with Davis. Now I’m just…gray instead of in color. I’ll get over it, I know. Over him. I just haven’t figured out how to do that yet. So hit me with your best counseling shtick, because I’ll try anything at this point.”

Mom sighed, then reached over and squeezed Brinn’s hand. “How about some ‘Mom’ advice instead? Call him back. He’s made it clear he wants to see you.”

“And then what?”

“Follow your heart.”

Brinn snorted. “Because that’s worked so well for me in the past.”

“Yes, honey, it has.” Mom patted her hand, then stood and crossed to the fireplace, where she touched one framed photo after another. Brinn with her dad and the sleigh. Fundraisers she’d organized, community events, college grad, the first store she’d managed. “Look at all the wonderful things that happened when you followed your heart.” From behind one of the frames, she picked up a loose photo. “Including this time.”

A picture from Christmas Day. Mom had taken it of her and Davis in the kitchen, making turkey dinner. He was so handsome, even with the ridiculous apron on. And she was practically glowing. They didn’t look like people who’d only met the night before. They looked like a couple. Two halves of something special.

“May I have that?” she asked when her mom returned to her seat.

“It’s yours.”

Brinn traced the edge of the print with her fingertips. She had the picture. All the memories too. Now she just needed to decide what to do with them.

* * * * *

Crickets chirped inside Brinn’s jacket.

“That’s got to be you,” Zack glanced over from the driver’s seat, “because you’re the only person in this car with insect noises as a text tone.” A minute later, after the reminder tone, he looked over again. “Aren’t you going to check it?”

Brinn sighed and pulled the phone from her pocket. She’d look to appease her brother, not because she needed to. Her parents weren’t quirky enough to text from the back seat. Zack was driving. The new store was running like a well-oiled machine and her assistant manager was incredibly responsible. Though it could be a casual friend texting out of the blue, Brinn’s money was on somebody else. The one person who texted her daily.

She swiped the screen and brought up the incoming message. From Davis, as she’d expected.

Thinking about you right now.

That’s all it said. He always sent a single line, and he didn’t bombard her with messages. Just one per day, at random times.

He hadn’t called since the night she’d declined his invitation to spend time together. The night she’d told him she might have a date. That was three weeks ago, and it
had
been a date, the first of two with Gary. A nice guy with whom she had lots in common, yet paying attention while he talked had taken conscious effort. Holding his hand and kissing him goodnight had been about as exciting as taking a drink of flat soda.

Going out with Gary had been the kind of thing that should have been good, and might have been, if the timing had been different. If she’d met him before Davis.

He was thinking about her right now? Fine, she had a reply for that.
I’m always thinking about you. Damn you.

Usually, she typed a reply, then deleted it. Sometimes she was weak and hit send. This was one of those times.

“I should block him. Or change my number,” she muttered, stuffing the phone back into her pocket.

“If you really didn’t want to hear from him, you would’ve done those things already.”

Her head snapped toward her big brother. “I’m not pathetically hanging on, hoping these crumbs turn into a full meal, Zack.”

“Look at you, being all metaphorical about the chef.” He snorted at the sharp-fingered poke she administered to his shoulder. “I wasn’t insulting you, kiddo. I’m saying you haven’t given up or cut him off hard because Davis isn’t a douche-nozzle like your previous ex. Ex
es
.”

“So eloquently put. Your poetic abilities are wasted on real estate listings.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Zack grinned while issuing a retaliatory brotherly poke to her shoulder. “Let’s call a spade a spade. You didn’t actually love any of your former boyfriends. You wanted to, but that’s all it was—wanting to be in love. With Davis, it was the real deal. Was, and still is. Admit it.”

The backseat had gone completely quiet. Brinn looked over her shoulder at two rapt faces. Great, now her parents were in on things.

“Fine, I admit it.” She met each of their gazes before turning to face Zack—the instigating pot-stirrer—again. “Now, can we please drop it before we get to the restaurant? I just want to have a nice, relaxing dinner with my favorite people in the world. Jokes and anecdotes only from here out. I don’t think I can handle any more deep, emotional discussions on this subject. Please?”

Zack gave her a single nod. “Shallow and superficial are my specialties when it comes to dinner conversation. Ask any of the women I’ve dated.”

“Or his parents,” Mom chimed in from the backseat.

Laughter pushed away the weightiness of the previous moment. Brinn flopped back against the plush upholstery of Zack’s old-man sedan, closing her eyes as the late-afternoon sunshine streamed through the glass. This is what she needed—quality time with people she loved, in the only place that’d ever felt like home. Aside from Davis’s house. But that had nothing to do with the house or its location, and everything to do with its occupant.

She sighed and opened her eyes, just in time to see Zack turn into an empty parking lot in front of an equally vacant building. “Checking the locks after a viewing?” she asked when he parked in front of the main entrance.

Zack never trusted other agents to properly close up after showing his listings. The places that still had residents or tenants weren’t such a big deal, but an unoccupied property with an unsecured door had the potential for all kinds of unpleasantness. Even in a smaller city.

“Actually, the place is sold. The new owner asked me to drop something off before dinner. Hope you don’t mind.”

“No, of course not.”

“Great. Let’s go,” he said, removing the keys from the ignition, then unbuckling his seat belt.

“You need me to go in with you?” Kind of odd, but she followed his lead and exited the car. “Are you delivering something heavy?” she asked while walking around toward the trunk.

Zack looked her up and down. “I don’t think so.” He threw a big-brotherly arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the door. “Pretty sure the owner would agree. Let’s find out.”

“Now you’re freaking me out.” With each step they took toward the blacked-out glass door, her heart beat faster and harder. “Tell me you didn’t set up some weird blind date. Especially not with a guy who’d think it was fun to meet me in an empty automotive dealership.”

“Okay,” he said, pulling the door and nudging her through the opening. “I won’t tell you that.”

The door closed behind her, with Zack on the opposite side. But she wasn’t alone in the building. Davis stood beside a candlelit table for two in the middle of the old showroom. Hands stuffed in the pockets of his black suit pants, separating the bottom of the matching jacket, he was more delicious than the aroma from whatever food he’d prepared. More than anything, she wanted to run across the room. Fling herself into the arms she knew would catch and hold her.

“What is this?” she asked, holding her ground near the door.

“Sunday dinner.”

She turned at the sound of Zack’s engine starting—then fading away. “Oh my god, they left. I can’t believe they did that.” She spun on her heel and speared Davis with a look. “They know how things ended between us. How I’ve felt since…”

“Since we said goodbye.”

“Yes.” She swallowed the lump that’d formed in her throat. “How did you convince them to be part of,” she waved her hands at the massive room with its covered windows and small, single table in the center, “whatever this is?”

“Easily.” Casually as anything, he made the distance between them disappear. A matter of inches separated them. He kept his hands in his pockets, but his gaze wandered over her hair and face like a soft caress. “I called, then I went to see them. I told them what I wanted to do and they agreed to help make it happen.”

“Make what happen?” The whispered words had barely left her lips when the impact of Zack’s comments hit her. She gasped, gaped up at Davis. “Zack was talking about you.
You
bought this place?”

“I did. With an advance on my inheritance.”

“You’ve been in touch with your family?” That in itself was monumental. Even without everything else that was happening.

“Just my grandfather so far. I went to his office prepared for the worst, but that’s not what happened. He was glad to see me. I’d even say he’s missed me. And to my surprise, the feelings turned out to be mutual.”

“Wow. That’s wonderful. I think so, anyway.”

“I do too. And it’s because of you. I had all that stuff locked away where it couldn’t get to me anymore. Then you happened. You’re like a walking, talking, so-fucking-beautiful-inside-and-out-it-takes-my-breath-away key. You made me want things I’d sworn off forever.”

She felt her mouth moving, but nothing came out. All she could do was blink up at him and wait for whatever might be next.

“Then I came to see your brother. We looked at a bunch of properties and decided on this one. He’s very good at his job. I’m going to enlist him to find a house too, if you’re okay with that.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? You know I have no animosity toward you. If you want to hire my brother, that’s your business.”

“No, babe. It’s
our
business.” He gathered her restless, twisting hands and brought them to his lips. Then he released them and cupped her face in his palms. “I don’t want the life I had before you. I want a life with you in it. Every day, here at the restaurant. Every night, when it’s time to go home.”

“You want me to quit my job and come work for you?”

“Hell no. I want you as my partner in this business.” A smile tugged at the corners of his sexy mouth. “I only want to be the boss when we’re alone and naked. In our bedroom.”

How could she not melt at that? But she couldn’t just jump into his arms. Not with so much hanging in the balance. “What would you want from me?”

“In the bedroom? Long list, babe.”

“Not there.”

“Damn,” he said, winking as one of his irresistible grins settled into place on his handsome face.

She giggled in spite of herself, grabbing fistfuls of his suit jacket and tugging him closer. “In the business. Seriously. What you’re suggesting is…beyond huge. I don’t have money to invest. I’ve never used my diploma to actually manage a restaurant. Plus…what if
we
don’t work out?”

“I do accept manual and oral forms of payment.”

“What about penetrative?” she asked, copying the rest of their conversation from Boxing Day.

“Oh yeah. As long as I’m on the penetrating end and the transaction is with you.” His grin changed to a softer smile. “Forget about the money, Brinn, it’s covered. And yeah, there’s going to be a learning curve. For both of us. But with your excellence in people-management and my skill set in the kitchen, we’ve got a solid foundation to get started. As for the last question…we’ll be equal partners. If you want out at some point, you’ll be entitled to half the business.” He stroked her cheek and lips, his gaze never straying from her eyes. “But you’ll walk away with one-hundred percent of my heart.”