Текст книги "Seeing You "

Автор книги: Michelle Lynn

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

CHAPTER TEN

Todd

I escaped the scene before I have to witness Noodle and Davis together. Noodle doesn’t need to know that I’m two minutes away from fucking someone just to get her out of my mind.

Why, all of a sudden, is she filling my thoughts with something more than friendship?

I’m not going to deny that I’ve always been attracted to her. How could a guy not be?

But—and it’s a big but—I don’t shit where I sleep. It was a hard lesson learned, but neighbors aren’t up for any kind of fuckery. I prefer it when they don’t even know where I live.

Davis would be a good fit for Noodle—at least, I keep telling myself that. If only her piercing brown eyes weren’t haunting me right now . . .

She was concerned about me and what was wrong with me. How was I supposed to tell her it was her?

I’ve lived with regret after regret my whole life—like crappy things I did, only to wish I could take them back later. I’m done with that. I’m done with that pit-of-my-stomach guilt that overtakes me. That’s why I have to remember my promise. I’ll never take something that shouldn’t be mine. I’ll never, ever allow myself to fully care about anyone.

Pushing Noodle out of my head as much as possible, I pump myself up for another investor meeting. I’m at five meetings this week alone, and I’m drawing up shit with each one. This one is different, though. Today, I’m meeting with Edith and her daughter, Karla. They’re virgins in the restaurant business but old-timers in developing a brand.

Lavender is the first thing I smell as I step into their perfume store. Edith and Karla developed a line of perfumes, soaps, and anything else for women to smell good. The business is how they made their fortune, and they’ve been wanting to get into the restaurant business for some time. They’ve been coming to CHOPs since I started there, and lately, they’ve been requesting that I come out after their meal to thank me. One evening a month ago, I had the balls to ask them if they’d be interested. Since neither of us felt right doing it under Davis’s nose, here I am.

“Todd.” Karla circles around the display and gives me a kiss on each cheek.

“Hi, Karla. How are you?”

“I’m good. The kids and husband are driving me bonkers, but I’m surviving. What about you? I see you make it to the gym plenty.”

She coyly winks, and I chuckle. Karla constantly rags on me about my Facebook posts.

“Well, I’m single, so it’s not hard to find the time.” I follow her to the back end of the store.

“Oh, I guess we never asked. I’m surprised you’re single.” Her lips turn down. “Hold on, I’m going to grab my mom.”

She disappears through the back door, and my breathing picks up pace. Is it my imagination, or was Karla upset by the fact that I’m single? Shit. My head overflows with a zillion different girls I could ask to be my girlfriend, if that’s a deal-breaker for them.

“Todd.” Edith emerges through the door with her arms extended out to me.

“Good to see you, Edith.”

She hugs me, and the smell of lavender intensifies.

“Come on. We’re going out to lunch.”

She hooks her arm through mine, and I escort her out the door.

Half an hour later, the three of us are seated at a table in the front of a swanky café tucked away on a side street.

“This is amazing.” I sip the split pea soup off the spoon, completely flabbergasted that I didn’t make it.

“I love their food here,” Karla says.

Edith doesn’t chime in. Instead, she places her spoon down, wipes her mouth, and leans back in her chair. I guess the meeting just turned from friends to business.

You got this, Todd.

“So, we have some concerns, Todd,” Edith begins.

Well, shit. This isn’t a good start.

“What are your concerns, Edith?” I wipe my mouth and nudge my bowl of soup to the side.

“We know how Davis is. You don’t get any control in the restaurant, which means you don’t fully know what a restaurant needs to run or how to run one.”

“I’m at CHOPs for the day-to-day operations.”

“Yes, but you don’t do the inventory or the ordering.”

“Believe me, Edith, I know enough.” My stomach twists that this meeting is going nowhere. I’m forever destined to be under someone.

“Hmm . . .” She turns to her daughter, and they share a look.

What the fuck does that look mean?

“There are rumors filling the business circle. Davis is giving investors ultimatums when it comes to you.” Karla pauses and looks at her mom.

Edith nods.

“You know how much Davis has changed Brooklyn as far as restaurants go and how much clout he has in this city.”

I lean up and rest my elbows on the arms of the chairs as my blood boils. “What exactly are you saying, Karla?” My fingers lock together and clench to the point that they hurt.

“He’s telling people if they do business with you, he’ll never help them out. He’s threatening that he knows too many people their businesses rely on.”

“What could he possibly do?”

Karla places her hand on my tightly woven fists. I fight the urge to pull my hands away.

“Their vendors, saying their shipments could be delayed or even canceled. Liquor licenses.”

“Why does he give a shit about what I do? He can get another chef to take my place.”

I swallow to keep my anger at bay. These ladies don’t need my wrath. If I go animalistic, they’ll shoot me down for sure.

“That’s the thing,” Edith says. “In our eyes”—she glances to her daughter, and they smile—“you’re too good to lose, which means you’re the perfect chef for us.”

“If you’re that valuable to Davis, it means you’re more than an aspiring chef, Todd. It means you must be irreplaceable.” Karla gleams.

I can’t fight the smile forming across my lips. My dimples have to be on full display.

I relax back in my chair. “That’s a good thing, right?” I’m not ready to let my guard down just yet.

“That’s a very good thing.”

I exhale a deep breath and allow my heart rate to slow down.

“But . . .” Edith’s eyes pin mine.

Shit.

“There’s another thing that concerns us.”

If Davis sabotaging any business that invests with me doesn’t concern them, I know I can ease any other concerns.

“You’re twenty-seven and single, and we looked you up on Facebook. You model,” Karla says.

It’s confirmed. She doesn’t like that I’m single.

“Clarification, if I can offer one?”

Edith nods. Perspiration beads on my forehead, and I rub my palms down my legs. I need this restaurant. If Edith and Karla are the only two in Brooklyn who are willing to work with me, I need this deal if my dream of owning my own restaurant is going to come true.

“I’m twenty-seven and engaged, and I model for . . . my fiancée, who’s an aspiring photographer.” Shit, where did that come from?

“Really?” Edith asks.

A wide grin splashes across both their faces.

“Yes.”

Don’t divulge too much information. It shows lying.

“You said you were single earlier.” Karla tilts her head to the side.

My heart thunders against my chest. “Technically, I am.” I raise my hand in the air and show no ring.

Please buy the lies spewing out of my mouth.

She slowly nods. “Touché.”

Edith sits up straighter. “We’d love to meet her before we make this whole thing final.”

Final?

My foot starts tapping, and my scream of excitement sits in my lungs.

“Definitely. Name the time and place.”

“We’ll come in one night next week, and we can all go out afterward.”

“Perfect.”

An hour later, after discussing several types of restaurant routes we could go on, I say good-bye to Edith and Karla, my new business partners . . . hopefully.

I pull out my phone, and my fingers tremble while scrolling down to Noodle’s name. My thumb rests over her name, but I can’t click it. This is something we should discuss face-to-face.

I wish that empty feeling of despair inside of me would go the hell away.

This will be easy. She’ll meet them, I’ll get the restaurant, and then we’ll break up.

Easy.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Amelia

Davis and I walk the two blocks to the train, hand in hand, and I wish it felt as comfortable as I want it to. Digging out my cash, I buy Davis a train pass for the day.

“Amelia, I’m the man. I should be paying.” He sighs, pulling out his own wallet.

“I lost the bet, so lock up the wallet, and enjoy the day.” I buy his ticket from the machine and turn around to wait for him.

He’s a stubborn one. After two people swear at me for having to go around me, he finally relents.

“Thanks. That old lady was about to kick my ass for holding up the line.”

He laughs, and his face reddens. His eyes ping around to see if anyone is watching us. I assume me paying must really bother him.

“You know I can just add this in to your paycheck, right?” he says as we wait for the train.

“You’ll have your chance to woo me, Davis.”

“In more ways than one.” He bumps his shoulder with mine.

Now, it’s my turn to flush with heat. “I look forward to it.” I breathe deeply, hoping it slows my heart rate.

The train arrives, and we file in with everyone else.

I take Davis on a tour of art that fills the train stops, making him exit the train at each stop. I point out each of my favorite pieces that happen to be mostly mosaics. They’ve forever made me envious of the talent each artist possesses. To make one solid art form from a zillion different pieces awes me.

“I can’t believe I’ve never noticed this.” Davis’s hand swipes along the art. “It’s beautiful.”

We’re on our fourth stop, and each time, he’s said the same thing. I’m guessing he’s not an art admirer, but he’s trying, and that counts in my book.

“When is the last time you took the train?”

I peer up at him, and his palm rubs his chin. A sly grin crosses his lips, and I giggle.

“That long, huh?”

He nods. “Embarrassingly long.” His eyes cast down to me as his face goes solemn. “I think I’ve stopped seeing what’s around me.”

My breathing staggers from how unnerving his eyes are on me. The train squeals to a stop, and we wait for others to file out before we enter.

“Where to now?” he asks.

I tug on his hand. “Dinner.”

“My specialty.” He releases my hand and places it on the small of my back, guiding me into the train.

With it being later in the day, there are no seats, so Davis stands behind me against the rail. His body shelters me as I grip the metal pole harder.

“Come home with me,” he whispers in my ear.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

“I can’t go home with you. It’s our first date,” I joke, peering over my shoulder at him.

His cheek runs along mine. The five o’clock stubble has grown since we left.

“Just dinner, Amelia.” He lowers his voice again, and the deepness dampens me between my legs.

I twist around and move my hands behind my back to grip the pole to steady myself. Then, I realize this might have been a mistake. He’s so close, those brown eyes piercing into mine. His eyes flicker from my breasts to my lips to my eyes. I wish the appeal of being laid out naked on his bed for him to devour me doesn’t change my mind about going back to his apartment. God, he’d do amazing things with my body.

“I’m taking you to a local joint.” I change the course of conversation before I really do sleep with him on the first date.

He dips down, so his face is mere inches from mine. “My condo is local.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, and I seriously doubt it can be called a joint.”

He chuckles. “You have me there.” His hands graze down my body until they mold against my hips. “I want to cook for you.” The seductiveness in his voice has me second-guessing my decision.

“I bet you say that to all the girls.” I place my hand on his chest to push him away, but his hand lands on top of mine.

“I don’t. I cook for very few people privately, Amelia.”

I stare off to the side and wiggle in his grasp. “Another time, okay?”

He remains focused on me for an unnerving ten seconds before his head slowly moves up and down. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

He releases my hand, and I grip the pole again so I don’t fall into him when the train rocks back and forth.

“Where to then?” He places his hands above my head.

My eyes gaze to his hips. What would it feel like to hold myself steady with his body instead of the metal pole? If he were mine, I could touch him whenever I wanted.

“You’ll see.”

The conductor announces the stop, and my eyes light up. “This is it.”

I take his hand with mine and tug him out of the train and into the subway station. Once we scurry up the steps, the streets are dark, and a light drizzle falls down on top of us. It’s eerily romantic. As we get closer, I catch the sight of the neon sign, and Davis figures out where we’re going.

“You are refusing a five-star gourmet meal for a hot dog?”

I smile. The streetlight casts a glow across his face. He’s drop-dead gorgeous.

“I am.”

“It’d better be a damn good hot dog.”

“Better than you could make,” I tease.

He lets go of my hand and begins tickling my sides.

I squirm away.

“You think so?” He continues his attack.

Soon, he locks me against the wall outside the door to the restaurant.

“I’d make you melt over my food.”

“I think you can make me melt.” The words leak out before I can grab them back. A flush swims up my neck and cheeks.

Davis smiles down to me. There’s no guarded or scared look in his eyes.

“I’m glad,” he says.

He bends, and my breathing stops as I wait for his face to reach mine. His moist lips brush against mine, and my body calms. I thread my fingers through the back of his hair while his tongue parts my lips. He quickly becomes more urgent, his tongue delving deeper into my mouth. A low groan escapes his throat, and it takes every ounce of my willpower not to swing my leg around his hip. He steps into me more, flushing our bodies together against the wall. His fingers dig into my hips, and there’s never been another kiss my whole life that has given me a feeling filled with want.

When he closes the kiss, I inch forward, wanting more.

He holds out his hand. “Shall we?”

I take his hand and allow him to lead me into the restaurant. We order our hot dogs and sit down at one of the few vacant tables. We talk about my enormous family and him growing up as an only child.

“I always wanted brothers,” he says before biting into a hot dog.

It’s his second, actually, so I’m fairly positive I made the right decision on coming here.

“I always wanted sisters.”

Growing up in a houseful of testosterone made for many broken walls from fists slamming into them. Swear words were constantly flung, and that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was the fact that my brothers fiercely protected me as though I were their daughter.

“Guess neither of us had what we wanted.” He sips his soda.

“So?” I gesture toward the food.

He chuckles. “Good find,” he compliments me.

I shrug as though it’s no big deal to bring a famous chef to a hot-dog place and have him love it.

“I found it one day with Todd.”

Davis’s eyes veer toward the wall and then come back my way. “You guys are pretty close, huh?”

“He likes to drag me on expeditions to find hidden gems and restaurants that serve great food. There was this one time—” I stop myself because I see Davis’s blank stare. I shouldn’t be talking about another man while on a date with one. That’s Dating 101. “Do you do that, too?” I round the conversation back his way.

“I used to, but I don’t have time anymore.” He wraps up his garbage into a ball and leans back on his seat. “I’ve turned into a workaholic.”

“I don’t think so. You’re here with me now.”

“Well, I made that a point. If it’s something I want, nothing stands in my way.”

“Something you want?” I wish my voice hadn’t quivered.

He leans across the table. “You, Amelia. I want you,” he whispers.

I attempt to slow my breathing before my head can fall to the table after I faint.

“Oh.”

He laughs, venturing back to his side of the table. “Stop the flushing because it makes it extremely difficult not to drag you home with me.”

His comment only heats up my cheeks more.

“You ready?”

“I am.” He collects our garbage and throws it out.

We jump on the train again. Our legs and shoulders press against one another, and his hand feels warm in mine. This feeling of having someone to share the day with excites me. That yearning to be loved and love another begins to overwhelm me. Could Davis be the guy, the one I’ve been waiting for?

“Are you okay?” Davis’s voice brings me back to the present.

I swallow deep and find his brown eyes overflowing with concern. “I’m perfect.”

He releases my hand and wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him. “You shivered,” he mumbles.

I lay my head on his shoulder, letting him distract me from my thoughts.

* * *

Buzz.

Buzz.

My hand lands on my nightstand, blindly feeling for my phone. I grab it and hold it out in front of me. I squint to see the name.

“Todd.” I sigh.

My finger swipes across the phone. “What?” I clear my throat after I hear how groggily my voice sounds.

“I’m waiting downstairs. Get your sweet ass up if you still want this favor.”

The line goes dead.

“Shit.” What is wrong with me? I can’t be on time for anything to save my life. I scramble out of bed, grab my robe, and run into the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, I’m steadily walking down the hall while tossing my hair into a ponytail when my feet skid to a stop. I purse my lips, and my arm covers my mouth to keep me from laughing.

Tatiana is passed out on the couch. One arm is hanging over the side, and her other hand is still resting on the keyboard of her laptop that’s propped up on her stomach. She was typing away last night when I came home, so after a quick hello and a recap about my date with Davis, I left her alone and went to my room.

I tiptoe over to the couch and slowly move her hand off the keys. Then, I slide the laptop off her stomach. She groans, but I place it on the table, noticing she has an unread email from last night. I close the laptop then pick up her other arm and rest it on her stomach. She mumbles something I can’t understand and rolls to her side.

I chuckle a little bit as I quietly leave our apartment.

Todd is waiting with his hazard lights on outside our building. He agreed to get his Jeep out of storage for a day in order to help me take some of my pieces to Bette to look at. I’m well aware that I’ll be leaving as a basket case after she ridicules them, but whatever.

I slide into his cloth seat, and my door rattles shut. I’d make a joke about his piece-of-shit car right now, but he’s doing me a favor, and I was late. I think I’ll stay under the radar for a little while.

“Late, as usual.” Todd shakes his head.

I look up at his smirk after strapping my seat belt in.

“Here.” He pulls a coffee out from the back and hands it to me.

“You are the best.” I lean over, and my lips slide on his clean-shaven cheek while I take the coffee from his hand.

“So they say.” He shrugs and starts the Jeep up.

“Don’t get too conceited now.” I tentatively bring the coffee to my lips, testing for hotness. “See? If I wasn’t late, my coffee would have been too hot. Now, it’s just right.” I giggle before taking a bigger sip to jolt that caffeine into my body.

“Good to know.” He pulls into traffic.

Luckily, some of my newer pieces are held in the same storage facility as his car, so I gave him the key to my locker, and he picked them up for me.

“Can we talk?” I nibble on my lip, waiting for his reaction.

“Don’t overthink it, Noodle. I just have some shit going on.” He grabs his own coffee and concentrates on the road.

“What? You can always talk to me.” I place my hand on his thigh, and he examines it.

He picks up my hand, squeezes it once, and places it back on my lap.

What the hell?

“I know. I just have to get a handle on this myself first.”

I don’t want to pry, but I sense something more is going on. I’ll push for answers later.

I glance to the back of the Jeep. “How do they look?”

They’re all protected with bubble wrap and placed so the frames won’t break. They aren’t the best frames, but if Bette agrees to showcase me, I’ll have them professionally matted.

“You tell me not to be conceited, but you put me into a room filled with pictures of myself. I had no idea I was that gorgeous.”

He shoots me a smile, and I almost knock into him when he turns at the light.

The traffic isn’t bad at this time on a Saturday morning, but give it an hour, and it will be horrendous. That’s why I have to give Todd an extra special thank-you, because he’s going above and beyond right now.

“You are gorgeous. I’ll give you that. Just start watching your selfie intake.”

“My selfies? See, you’re mistaken. You’re the only one who can photograph me.”

He winks, and I shake my head.

“I’m friends with you on Facebook, Todd. I see the gym selfies popping up on my Feed every ten minutes when you’re on there. Your whole page is filled with gym selfies or food.” I laugh.

He pulls up in front of Art on Wells, and my hand moves to open the door, but Todd’s hand lands on my leg. My whole thigh heats under his touch.

“Do I appear shallow?” he asks.

From his dull eyes, I can tell I’ve upset him.

“No!” I cover his hand with mine. “Believe me, the girls probably eat it up.”

“What do you think? I feel like that’s all I do lately—go to work out and cook.”

His hand slides from my leg, but I clutch it with mine.

“Let’s make a point to do more stuff. Find me a gem, and let’s seek it out.”

We haven’t searched out a hole in the wall with excellent food in a while.

“It’s a date.”

We smile at one another and both escape out our own doors.

“Of course, your date card might be getting filled up soon,” he says when I meet him at the back of the truck.

“It’s never too full for you.” I tilt my head and flutter my eyelids a few times.

“It’d better not be. I’m the number one guy in your life.” His arms are full of photos, and he bends down, placing a kiss on my forehead. “Now, open the door for me.”

I rush over to the door, inserting the key into the lock. Although Bette’s ass is in her office, she refuses to leave the door unlocked, even knowing I’m coming in this morning.

“Thanks.” Todd shuffles through the door.

I follow him in and instruct him to place the pictures on the back table.

“They are beautiful. I have to be the hottest chef in New York.” He peers down at the pictures of himself.

My hand lands on his strong bicep. “I might be biased.”

In my eyes, Davis and Todd are standing right next to each other to get the prize. I wonder why Todd has yet to mention my date with Davis. Every time his name is mentioned, my anxiety goes sky high.

“Relax, Amelia.” He leaves the studio to grab another set of photos. “I haven’t seen you this interested in a guy before, which means you need to be careful,” he warns as he walks backward out the front door.

I know Todd’s right. That warning only brings Cam, my ex, to mind. Cam screwed me every which way but sideways, in every facet of my life. Although he was great in bed and bought me everything I thought I wanted, it was a match made in Hell, and Cam was the devil.

All his gifts came as consolation prizes.

“Please don’t hate me for leaving you behind while attending family obligations.”

“Please don’t hate me for keeping you my own little secret from my hidden world of trust-fund babies.”

I was stupid, and I was on a rebound. I wanted someone to take control for a while.

“Noodle?” Todd’s hand rubs my arm.

I quickly wipe the few tears that have dropped.

“Come here,” he says, pulling me into a hug. “Maybe this thing with Davis is happening too soon.”

I hear his cautious tone, not wanting to upset me more.

“No, things with Cam have been over for six months, and I don’t think I ever loved him anyway. A flood of memories ushered back to my mind, that’s all.” I draw back from our embrace. “Thanks, though.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he says as his eyes stare down at me. “I’m not saying to shy away from Davis. Just don’t go jumping in with two feet.”

“Is that the infamous Todd Hamilton?” Bette’s nails-on-a-chalkboard voice interrupts us.

I roll my eyes, and Todd chuckles before releasing me from his arms and turning his attention to Bette.

“The one and only,” he flirts, kissing her on the cheek.

Bette’s hands grip his biceps, and I release an exaggerated sigh when I notice the bulge because Todd is flexing.

Allowing Todd to work his charm on Bette, I concentrate on my photographs, grouping them into specific collections. At least she’s off my back for the time being. Then, I hear her Jimmy Choos clicking my way. I fight the urge to throw my body across my babies. There’s no way I can handle her judgmental opinions right now with Cam in my head.

“Oh, Amelia, I love them.”

Say what?

Those are not the words I thought would come out of her mouth.

“Too bad you’re not facing forward in this one,” she says sweetly to Todd.

I swallow down the rising bile in my throat, and I’m thankful the phone rings to relieve me from the conversation. Briskly walking away, I make it to the phone on what must have been the last ring before it would have gone to our automated voicemail.

Practically breathless, I answer the phone with my trained line, “Good afternoon. Thank you for calling Art on Wells. This is Amelia. How can I help you?”

A familiar chuckle echoes over the line.

“Did you get that all out okay?” Davis asks.

My stomach somersaults about ten times. I take a seat behind the desk so I won’t fall to the ground from my weak knees.

“It’s the story of my life.” I try to appear nothing but casual.

“I tried your cell but no answer. I hope you don’t mind me calling you there?”

I pick up my cell and notice the black screen. Crap, I really meant to charge it last night.

Scrambling to locate the charger in the drawers, I answer, “Not at all. Bette’s busy flirting with Todd.”

“Todd’s there?” he questions.

An odd silence fills the line.

“Yeah, he helped me bring the photos for Bette to look at.” I’m not sure why I feel an overwhelming obligation to inform Davis of the mundane details. I plug in my charger and notice the red battery light on my screen.

“I could have helped you,” he mentions. I don’t add anything, so he continues, “I was actually calling because a big bridal brunch is scheduled for next Sunday. They’ve rented out the whole restaurant from eleven to two. I know you weren’t scheduled, but would you mind working?”

He’s all business, and now, I’m edgy because of my false assumptions about his phone call. I haven’t talked to Davis in two days, and I’m beginning to think whatever was going on isn’t.

“No problem,” I say, leaving it nothing but professional.

“Great. I was wondering if after . . . would you like to do something together? I have to check out a location at Coney Island for the cooking show I’m doing. So, would you want to ride the Ferris wheel?”

“Why, Mr. Morgan, that depends. Is it the only ride I’ll get?” I could hit myself for letting that line slip out of my mouth after he called me just for business.

“I’ll throw in some bumper boats. You’re bound to get a little wet,” he teases.

I can’t stop the laugh that erupts out of me, vibrating off the walls of the gallery. Todd and Bette turn toward me and I cover my mouth, cupping it over the phone.

“I’m up for that. Maybe I’ll treat you to some mini golf,” I offer.

“One condition, if you accept.” Humor fills the line now.

“Aren’t there always conditions?”

“I pay—”

“But—”

“No buts, Amelia. I pay for . . . everything. You bring your license and your keys. That’s it.”

“Are you going to inspect me, Chef Morgan?”

“Only if I think you’ve disobeyed my wishes.”

“I might forget about my emergency cash for cab fare.”

“I hope you do.”

No humor can be heard in his voice, and a tingling sensation flows through me with the thought of him frisking me with my hands over my head and my legs spread wide.

By this point, I notice Todd is making his way over.

“I really need to get going. I’ll see you tonight,” I whisper into the receiver.

“Thank you, Amelia.”

I absolutely love the sound of my name coming from his lips.

“You’re welcome.” I eye Todd getting closer with every step. “Bye.” I hang up right as Todd reaches the other side of the desk.

“I gotta jet. I’ll see you tonight.”

I round the counter and wrap my arms around him. He gives me his usual bear hug, and I kiss him on the cheek.

“Thanks again.”

“I think the verdict is still out.” He glances over his shoulder to Bette holding her glasses out in front of her, inspecting a picture with Gia in it. “I think I helped you out, though.”

I place my hand on his arm. “She loves you.”

“Who doesn’t?” He winks.

I laugh, escorting him to the door. “I’ll see you tonight.” I give him another big hug.

“I’ll be there.” He steps out of the building.

I stand in the doorway to watch him go.

Right before he circles around his car, he turns around. “They’re good photos, Amelia. You’re so talented. No matter what she says, be proud of them.” Another wink, and he disappears to the other side of his truck.

He’s like my own little self-esteem booster, always giving me doses of compliments that leave me feeling sky-high.

The engine starts, and he waves good-bye to me one more time as his beat-up Wrangler pulls into traffic. I take another breath, preparing myself for Bette, and walk back in to Art on Wells.