Chapter 4
“You made the papers today. Yesterday too,” Grandpa Nate told her when he walked into the kitchen before the sun had even risen.
Libby groaned and continued to beat the hell out of the pre-made pizza dough she sold, trying hard not to think about that kiss in the disco a few nights ago. It had kept her up thinking about what could have happened if they hadn’t been in the club full of people. Would those big hands have slid under her skirt or palmed her breasts? Would he have raked his lips across every inch of her skin? She’d wondered about every night since because her brain couldn’t shut off. “Yeah, I saw. You’d think there was nothing else in the world going on!”
She ignored his ten ton stare that pressed down on her, deflating her damn dough. “You gonna tell me what’s going on?” She said nothing. “Why are you all of a sudden dating a Sheikh and how did you meet him?”
“Why? Because he’s handsome and charming.”
“Okay,” he said warily, waiting her out like he’d done her whole life.
She knew what he wanted. “I met him that day I sprained my wrist.”
“And now you’re traipsing around Paris with him?”
“Why not Grandpa? You have Lola and all of your friends, can’t I have just one thing?” While it lasted, she wanted to add but didn’t bother because that would just bring on more questions.
“I’m just worried about you sugarplum. You don’t know anything about this guy.”
“I’m having fun with him Grandpa.”
“And what about the bakery?”
She sighed because she couldn’t help thinking about that. Two weeks was all she had left to find a place before the lease was up. If she waited much longer after that, her customers might forget her. “I’m looking at locations, but none of them are right.” That was, for the most part true. All the buildings they looked at were too expensive and she couldn’t let Amir pay that much for a building. No matter what.
“You know I can help you out Libby. You came to Paris to be close to me and I have to think if not for that, you’d have a booming bakery in California.”
She shook her head. “Grandpa, I can’t let you waste your retirement savings like that. If I don’t find a suitable place then I’ll work on a plan C.” She didn’t have a plan C but it looked a lot like her old neighborhood in Hollywood and the vegan restaurant she worked at as a pastry chef. A groan escaped at the idea.
“You’re stubborn as hell little girl and it’s going to cause you a whole lot of trouble.” He shook his head as he removed his cap. “All right. You know where I’ll be if you change your mind baby girl.”
“Sure thing, Grandpa.” She had a lot to think about with her bakery in limbo and what looked like no future for her new one. She wanted to believe, with everything in her, that things would work out. That they would be okay. But despite her bohemian fashion sense and her love of all things nature, Libby was a realist because life had made her one. She’d lost so much in her life she didn’t think she would be able to hang on to the bakery at all. So she decided she would put her all into it until the very last day and hope for the best while she planned for the worst.
Plan C. Hell, maybe she would need a plan D too.
* * *
“No Amir. Absolutely not, this is too much space!” Libby’s big blue eyes were as wide as saucers as she took in the empty space he’d found for her bakery.
“You’re not paying for it Libby so don’t consider it.” Most women would be angling for a bigger space or maybe just a blank check to find their own space. Not Libby.
“I know that, but there are limits to how much you can and should spend for this.” She looked around again and though some of the features had lit up her eyes like gems, she didn’t seem disappointed or heartbroken over the space. “I appreciate it. God, I really do and I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but it’s just too much.”
Without thinking he wrapped an arm around her and sighed. “Then we’ll keep looking.”
“Do you think this is a bad idea? I mean, you’ve made a lot of money in business on your own, so what do you think, am I fooling myself here?”
“I don’t know. How is your business now?”
She shrugged. “Good. We’re operating in the black, but it’s been less than a year, so who knows how the next six would have been?” They stepped out onto the street and she tilted her head towards the sun, the smile on her face bright enough to rival it. “Enough about me. How are you?”
He grinned at her question. When was the last time a woman other than his mother had asked about him? He knew the answer. Never. Women always asked about where he’d been, where they were going to eat or on vacation, and most important of all how much would he spend on them. “Good. You’ll be happy to know that my parents are pleased. They saw us in the papers and they’re anxious to meet you.”
She froze in the middle of the crowded sidewalk, busy Parisians walking right past her without stopping or even acknowledging her. “What? You never said a word about meeting your parents!”
“Libby we’re getting married. Of course they want to meet you.” He held her close and guided her out of the way of the pedestrian traffic. “Don’t worry, they’ll like you. I’m sure of it.” He wasn’t all that sure, but she was sweet and charming and kind, so they would be nice even if they objected to her as his wife.
“Are you insane? We’ll be lying to them the whole time! This has disaster written all over it.” Her big blue eyes widened up at him, imploring him to understand how crazy this all sounded. “Are you this oblivious or this determined to have your way?”
Amir looked at her, wild reddish blonde waves curling in the humidity, eyes wild and frantic in a long flower patterned dress that clung to her curve before dropping to the floor. And he laughed. “I’m so happy we met Libby, you are absolutely delightful.”
“Delightful? Delightful! You’re insane, I hope you know that.” She shook her head, running a hand through her waves. “More importantly I hope your parents know the future leader of an entire nation is completely bonkers!”
He laughed again at the animated way she spoke, wild waving arms and windblown hair. “I don’t think anyone has ever called me bonkers before. In fact, it was more like the opposite. People thought he was strict, staid. Conservative. Sure, they also thought he was a jet-setting playboy, but that was only because he’d yet to settle down.
“Well, they should. Because you are,” she glared at him, arms crossed. “I can’t believe you waited to spring this on me.”
He froze at her words. “Are you backing out?” He wouldn’t be surprised but what did surprise him was the disappointment he felt over the idea.
“No, of course not. I gave you my word and I intend to honor it. Just don’t make it too awful, okay?”
Her voice lowered and he looked around, noticing that they had started to draw an audience and the last thing he needed was a story in the paper about a public fight and impending breakup. “Let’s take this off the street shall we?” Looking around, he spotted a few cameras and smiled and leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead.
Libby looked up, stunned and then looked around, finally noticing what he had. Their audience. “Oh sure,” she smiled and placed a hand on his chest and sliding down to his waistband until their hands were twined together. “Where to?”
He pointed toward a building a few feet off, guiding her through the crowd until they stood in front of a small red brick building with smoked glass doors. “In here.” They stepped inside and Amir froze as he took in all the glass cases dotted around the room. A jewelry store.
Libby laughed and brushed her fingers down the stubble he hadn’t bothered to get rid of this morning. “Don’t look so terrified Amir, we’re not really engaged,” she whispered.
“Maybe not, darling. But we are so I think we should look around. Don’t you?”
“You know best honey bunny,” she cooed, struggling to contain her laughter.
They walked around the store hand in hand, looking at rings and other jewelry and he realized this was a unique way to learn more about the intriguing woman at his side. Instead of giant flawless diamonds, she gravitated towards precious gems and quirky designs. Just like her. He laughed each time she gasped at the prices, assuring her that it was no big deal. “If you keep doing that he’ll think I’m the cheapest man on the planet.”
“Or he’ll wonder what else you have going on that I don’t want to spend all your money.”
Again he laughed. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
She stopped and studied him. “You think your cash is all you have to offer?”
“And my crown,” he joked, but the look in her eyes told him she knew he’d only been half-joking.
“Don’t sell yourself short Amir. You’re handsome and you kiss like a fantasy. Plus, you’re funny and charming.” She gave him another of those looks that saw too much. “And you’re probably dynamite in the sack.”
He choked on the words he’d been about to utter and her small hand rubbed soothing circles on his back while asking the jeweler for water. “I’m okay.” He took the water, taking a long sip as his gaze stayed on Libby who’d stopped, seemingly transfixed by something. Intrigued, he went to her. “What’s got you looking like you’ve spotted a unicorn?”
“It’s so gorgeous,” he replied, voice filled with awe.
He turned to see which bauble caught her attention and even he could admit it was a stunning piece of jewelry. A platinum band held a flower with pink and yellow diamonds. It was what Libby would be if she were a piece of jewelry. “Can we try this on, please?”
“Oh no Amir, I wasn’t-,”
“I know, but anything that lights up your face like that deserves a try, don’t you think?”
Her skin flushed and she bit her bottom lip indecisively. “Well, I guess there wouldn’t be any harm in trying it on, right?”
Without a word he took it from the velvet holder and slid it on her left finger. It fit perfectly. “We’ll take it.”
“No Amir, you can’t.”
“I can and I will,” he told her and discreetly slid the black card across the glass counter.
Out on the street, she beamed a smile up at him as she gazed at the ring. “You know I’m giving this back to you when this is all over, right?”
“I know you think you will but we’ll see about that.” She stared at him in a way that that lured him in, gaze settled on her lush mouth. They seemed to be moving closer together, lips determined to touch. To taste again.
Common sense hit her first and her blue eyes widened before she took a step back. “I, ah, should get going. Thanks for a fun day and I will be returning this to you.”
His lips curled up. “I’ll see you soon, Libby.”