Page 60 of One Night Stand After Another
The contact for the Venice Beach store was Zane.
Was he here? Had he stayed?
The yarn she thought he’d shipped to her was still in its enormous box. She raced into her bedroom to look for a return address. No postmark or postage. Just her address scrawled on the box. He hadn’t mailed it to her, after all. Had he delivered it himself? Weeks ago?
Was he still in California? Why was he here? Did he know she’d accepted a job with Fiber Kingdom as an accountant, but she was also making flirty cardigans for the Rodeo Drive showroom? Had he seen the roaring success of the store on her website? That she was doing limited runs because of how fast the items sold? Suddenly she wanted to tell him all that and more.
Uncertainty and excitement crashed within her. She had everything she always dreamed she’d wanted. Security. Creativity. The ocean. She was happier in her work life than she had ever hoped to be, but something was missing. She was certain it was Zane. After all, she wouldn’t be here without him. And who knew where she’d be if kissing him hadn’t sent her racing toward business school?
No strings, she’d insisted.
Ridiculous.
Would he ever forgive her?
She sank down onto the bed to make a plan, but then shot instantly to her feet. She grabbed her purse, a light jacket, and her phone. If the last two months had taught her anything, it was that planning could only get you so far.
This time, she was following her heart.
…
Zane dropped into a chair in the nook of the bay window at the café and closed his eyes.Just for a second.It had been a solid two months of eighty-hour weeks. Exhausting himself had been the only way to stay away from Clara, especially when she started posting sweater descriptions like “almost as good as being held,” and “the best way to hide your broken heart.”
It was like she was trying to get him to call her. Had she changed her mind? Should he text? Call? Hire a hot air balloon to fly over Fiber Kingdom?
Nope.
If she wanted him, she knew how to find him. She had his number, and he’d left explicit instructions with the chefs and managers at all of his restaurants. If Clara called, he wanted to know instantly, screw the time change. He kept his phone on at all times. He’d even reviewed the security footage outside the café a few times, just out of curiosity, to see if she maybe came back to the space. He’d drawn the line at driving by her apartment every day. He wasn’t that desperate. Not quite.
Not yet?
He opened his eyes and groaned.
“More coffee, boss?” Jeanine, his barista, manager, and café wingwoman, called from behind the bar.
“Why not?” It was only his fifth cup today.
“Gimme a second—I’m trying something new. It will make midnight feel like the break of day. Instant energy, coming right up.”
Not for the first time this month, he pulled up the screen shot of Jack’s text to him in the Chicago bar.
Jack:The Clara I knew never EVER made impulsive decisions. Five minutes after we broke up, she kissed you. Think about it.
Jack was a smug bastard, but he was often right. Zane was thinking about it. Thinking about how he’d destroyed Clara’s faith in him with one sentence in high school, about how he’d tried to force her down an impulsive path that was wildly outside her comfort zone, and about what it would take to get her to give him yet another chance.
Zane heard a cup hit the counter. “Ready?” he asked.
“Come and get it, sucker.”
He dragged himself to his feet.
Even dead tired, he had to admire all they had accomplished in two months. Gorgeous wood floors, tons of comfortable seating with plenty of room to spread out. Color, everywhere. The prints on the walls had so much life, they even made him want to create something beautiful. His menu was pretty damn good, too. Yes, he was ecstatic with how the café had turned out. He longed to show it to Clara, not because he wanted to change her mind—although that would be amazing if she did—he simply wanted to share his happiness with her.
“Thanks.” He picked up the tiny cup of dense, black liquid, took a cautious sip, and jolted.
Jeanine chuckled. “I’m calling it Instant Arrhythmia.”
“Sounds about right.” But even this much caffeine couldn’t budge the heaviness in his heart. “I’m gonna take a walk. Lock up for me?”
