nothing either of us can do.”
His words held such sincerity that it was almost impossible for her not to believe everything he'd said. It was very clear he believed every word. But that was insane.
“I have never once failed. Can you not be satisfied with the knowledge that you and your friends will find lifelong happiness for putting up with my presence for just a little while?”
“How—” The word came out sounding like a frog croak, and she was forced to clear her throat. “How long is a little while?” Damn her for asking that. She should be politely yet forcefully making him understand that he could not stay and be part of her life or that of her friends. Period.
He lifted his shoulders in that Gallic way European men had. God, he even shrugged sexy.
“Each time I am summoned is different from the last. I cannot say. Only that if you help me, it will go as swiftly as is possible.”
“And if I refuse?”
He did touch her then. His fingertip traced the line of her jaw and came to rest just under her chin. He exerted the least bit of pressure but brought her chin up just enough so that her eyes directly met his.
“I will do my job anyway. I will not go away until your destiny has been found. For that is my destiny. Neither of us can escape it.”
Chapter 5
J amie sat down across from Ree with their second
I cups of coffee and two pieces of biscotti. Thunder rumbled across the sky, causing the windows to vibrate and the deep-brown liquid in their mugs to shake. Heavy rains lashed the tall storefront windows. They'd had one customer since they'd opened.
“This will let up soon,” Ree predicted. “Morning storms always do. But it's going to be a muggy one this afternoon. Thank goodness Fred got his refrigeration units fixed.”
Fred Bartelone, a retired
Picayune
reporter and Quarter favorite, owned Get the Scoop, the ice cream shop located around the corner from Happily Ever After. “Yeah. Maybe we'll get some of his overflow traffic. Preferably
after
they've finished their ice cream,” Jamie added dryly.
“Shoot,” Ree said, “I'm planning on
being
part of that traffic.”
Jamie smiled, then started when a ripping bolt of lightning was followed by an explosive bang of thunder. “I'm not so sure this one is going to let up anytime soon.”
Ree toasted her with her mug. “More time for ice cream, then.”
“Yeah, well, when we've slurped up what infinitesimal bit of profit we made today on chocolate chip cookie dough, you get to be the one to tell Marta, deal?”
Ree settled back in her chair. “Just be thankful she is such a good accountant. I still can't believe she went up to the market in this mess.” She shook her head. “Who would have pegged her as a thunderstorm junkie?”
“Yeah, and I thought I was the elemental one.”
Ree nodded, then smiled. “I think this whole thing has been good for her. I'm glad she got away from that job in Baton Rouge working for that misogynist SOB of a boss. I don't know why she put up with that company. They used her.”
“Well, she used them, too, Ree. She needed to be needed after Dan died, and they fit the bill.”
“You mean they took advantage of her grief and worked her like a dog.”
Jamie shrugged but nodded. “I know. I just wish we could pay her better here so she didn't have to take in freelance work on the side. She's doing Fred's books too now, you know.”
“Yeah, she told me. I think she likes it, though. People needing her, being in charge of her own work. She told me just the other day that this is the most independent she's ever felt. I mean, she married Dan when we were all still at Tulane, then gave her whole life to Aaron Associates after he died. So this is exciting for her. It's the first time she's taken real control of her life. She's really enjoying this, Jamie.”
Truth be told, Jamie was enjoying it too. More than she'd expected. “It's been good for all of us.”
Ree laughed. “Amazing what a couple of
His words held such sincerity that it was almost impossible for her not to believe everything he'd said. It was very clear he believed every word. But that was insane.
“I have never once failed. Can you not be satisfied with the knowledge that you and your friends will find lifelong happiness for putting up with my presence for just a little while?”
“How—” The word came out sounding like a frog croak, and she was forced to clear her throat. “How long is a little while?” Damn her for asking that. She should be politely yet forcefully making him understand that he could not stay and be part of her life or that of her friends. Period.
He lifted his shoulders in that Gallic way European men had. God, he even shrugged sexy.
“Each time I am summoned is different from the last. I cannot say. Only that if you help me, it will go as swiftly as is possible.”
“And if I refuse?”
He did touch her then. His fingertip traced the line of her jaw and came to rest just under her chin. He exerted the least bit of pressure but brought her chin up just enough so that her eyes directly met his.
“I will do my job anyway. I will not go away until your destiny has been found. For that is my destiny. Neither of us can escape it.”
Chapter 5
J amie sat down across from Ree with their second
I cups of coffee and two pieces of biscotti. Thunder rumbled across the sky, causing the windows to vibrate and the deep-brown liquid in their mugs to shake. Heavy rains lashed the tall storefront windows. They'd had one customer since they'd opened.
“This will let up soon,” Ree predicted. “Morning storms always do. But it's going to be a muggy one this afternoon. Thank goodness Fred got his refrigeration units fixed.”
Fred Bartelone, a retired
Picayune
reporter and Quarter favorite, owned Get the Scoop, the ice cream shop located around the corner from Happily Ever After. “Yeah. Maybe we'll get some of his overflow traffic. Preferably
after
they've finished their ice cream,” Jamie added dryly.
“Shoot,” Ree said, “I'm planning on
being
part of that traffic.”
Jamie smiled, then started when a ripping bolt of lightning was followed by an explosive bang of thunder. “I'm not so sure this one is going to let up anytime soon.”
Ree toasted her with her mug. “More time for ice cream, then.”
“Yeah, well, when we've slurped up what infinitesimal bit of profit we made today on chocolate chip cookie dough, you get to be the one to tell Marta, deal?”
Ree settled back in her chair. “Just be thankful she is such a good accountant. I still can't believe she went up to the market in this mess.” She shook her head. “Who would have pegged her as a thunderstorm junkie?”
“Yeah, and I thought I was the elemental one.”
Ree nodded, then smiled. “I think this whole thing has been good for her. I'm glad she got away from that job in Baton Rouge working for that misogynist SOB of a boss. I don't know why she put up with that company. They used her.”
“Well, she used them, too, Ree. She needed to be needed after Dan died, and they fit the bill.”
“You mean they took advantage of her grief and worked her like a dog.”
Jamie shrugged but nodded. “I know. I just wish we could pay her better here so she didn't have to take in freelance work on the side. She's doing Fred's books too now, you know.”
“Yeah, she told me. I think she likes it, though. People needing her, being in charge of her own work. She told me just the other day that this is the most independent she's ever felt. I mean, she married Dan when we were all still at Tulane, then gave her whole life to Aaron Associates after he died. So this is exciting for her. It's the first time she's taken real control of her life. She's really enjoying this, Jamie.”
Truth be told, Jamie was enjoying it too. More than she'd expected. “It's been good for all of us.”
Ree laughed. “Amazing what a couple of
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