Page 11 of Vincent
"What?"
He gave her a curious glance. "After this, then what?"
"Oh." Her hands fluttered vaguely before settling in her lap. "I have business cards that are left on every table. People will hopefully call for weddings, birthdays, and office functions." She tilted her head to smile at him. "I'm horribly expensive, but worth every penny."
"I'm sure of it." He smiled back, genuinely proud of her. "Thinking of opening a shop?"
She shook her head. "Not just yet. I want to operate from home right now. I'll hire someone to assist with the administration part of it and hire out if I need help. But that's as far as I want to go. I like working alone. I'm not one for planning a menu.
"I would come up with an idea and just run with it. I experiment a lot. I would be in bed, and something would come to me. An idea for a new recipe. Something like that. I want every order to be exclusive, if you know what I mean."
"You always think outside the box." He reached into his jacket and came out with his gold card holder. Fishing out a card, he handed it to her. "My personal number is on the back. I'm definitely going to need you in the near future to come up with something for a dinner party or a function."
She took the card and managed not to beam in pleasure.
"Just let me know."
He nodded and rose reluctantly. "I have to go."
"I should go back in." She slid into her shoes and allowed him to help her on with her coat. "Thanks for the talk and the company."
"Ditto." He touched her cheek lightly. "You did good." Without another word, he strode off, leaving her staring after him, the naked longing on her face.
*****
Her brother descended on her as soon as she walked back in. Pasting a smile on his face, he took her arm and steered her away from the people who had approached her as soon as she entered the room.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he hissed as he pushed her into a corner to obtain some privacy.
"Stop yelling at me."
"I'm going to do more than yell in a very short while." His eyes flashed. "You left me alone to deal with your guests and the damn press. I'm not a bloody chef and there were questions-"
"I was overwhelmed." She held up her hands in defense. "I had a panic attack and just had to get out of here. I'm sorry."
His expression altered immediately, and he became contrite. Taking her hands in his, he squeezed gently. "Honey, you're a sensation. People are raving about your pastries. I had a few of them and had to force myself to stop from being a glutton." He pulled her in for a hug, his cologne wafting over her. "I'm absolutely proud of you."
Letting go, he examined her face. "Feeling better? Ready to go back out?"
Reaching up, she touched his cheek and smiled. "Have I told you that you're the best brother a girl could ever hope for?"
"No. But I already knew that." Leaning down, he kissed her lips. "Let's get back out there to your adoring public."
*****
He went straight to David's room and sat on the side of the bed.
His little boy was burrowed under his pillows, one hand clutching his stuffed dinosaur. A tender smile touched his lips as he stared at the small replica of himself. Dark curls tumbled over his forehead and his face was smashed into the pillows.
Lightly brushing away the curls, he let his fingers linger, careful not to disturb his son's sleep. He and Lizzie had created a miracle. She never got to see what he looked like, and that saddened him most of all.
"Your mom would have adored you," he whispered. Pulling the sheets over him more securely, he rose and checked the monitor as usual. Making sure the night light was working, he left and pulled the door half closed.
Inside his bedroom, he undressed in the partial dark and found himself reflecting on the night, specifically his conversation with Thea. An unconscious smile touched his lips as he remembered her curled up on the seat beneath the gazebo. He would have guessed that nerves had her seeking privacy. He had never known her to be afraid of anything.
That was one of the main things he had admired about her. That and her ability to make him laugh at himself. He had been a geek growing up, too intense, too sober-minded. He came from money and had always been interested in the business even as a kid.
He was always aware of his responsibilities as the heir to the fortune. His parents had never put any pressures on him. To their credit, they always allowed him a lot of leeway and support.
