Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Delia
I love this place. When Nikita first told me she was thinking of opening a candy store, I was completely on board. In fact, I offered to help fund the endeavor. She was wary at first because we both heard horror stories of friends going into business together only for it to tear the relationship apart, but that hasn’t happened with us.
In fact, we grew closer as I promised that all I wanted to be was a silent partner and an understanding ear when she needed someone to listen.
Since she launched the store a few years ago, it’s become a staple in New York City. Residents and tourists flock here because Kita offers bars crafted from the very best chocolate in the world and a myriad of sweet treats that can’t be found anywhere else.
Her front-end staff consists of a handful of people but she has a small factory operation a few blocks from here where everything is made. Since she started offering overnight delivery of everything she sells, her bottom line and mine, has increased substantially.
“You know how much I appreciate this, right?” She slides a hand along my back as we enjoy a short lull for the first time today.
“You know how much I love helping you, right?”
She wraps her arms around me for a quick embrace. “You’ve helped me more than I can ever possibly thank you for, Delia. I wouldn’t have this life if it wasn’t for you.”
Her brother, Nicholas, is incredibly wealthy and I know that he also offered to invest in the business. He did, in fact, at the same percentage I did. He’s also a silent partner since the majority of his time is spent writing and spending time with his wife and two daughters.
“It’s more than the money,” she says as though she can read my mind. “You’re am amazing best friend.”
“I feel the same about you,” I tell her as I get to work fixing a display of cherry suckers that have been picked over.
She glances toward the door when the bell above signals its opening. “How do you feel about Donovan Hunt?”
“We’re not going there.” I shake my head.
“Oh, you’re going there,” she says with a wink.
“What does that mean?”
She points toward the entrance. “He just walked in with your brother. Why don’t you take care of what he needs?”
In a repeat of recent history, I drop something as soon as I turn around and see Donovan standing mere feet away from me.
This time the cherry lollipop in my hand falls to the floor, but thankfully since it’s wrapped in a clear package with a heart shaped print, the shattered pieces stay within that.
Kita dips down to scoop it up. “I’ll go toss this in the trash in my office.”
“There’s a wastebasket right over there.” I point at the one near the counter.
“I know,” she says, as she turns to walk away. She tosses my brother and my boss a wave on her way to the back. “Hey Matt! Hi Donovan!”
They both mimic her movement by raising their hands in greeting, too.
As she disappears out of sight, Matt approaches me with open arms. He’s dressed much like Donovan is in dark blue pants and a button-down shirt. Matt’s is white. Donovan is wearing a light blue one that only serves to accentuate the unique shade of his eyes. It’s obvious that he’s shaved since we left the ship.
He didn’t bother doing that after we shut ourselves in his room so by the time the ship docked in Miami at the end of our journey, he was sporting the beginnings of a beard.
Today, he’s clean shaven.
“Delia, this is Donovan,” Matt introduces me to the man I can’t stop thinking about it. “He’s the guy who has made most of my career dreams come true.”
That hits hard and is an instant reminder of why I can’t go anywhere near Donovan again.
I feel like I was falling for him - hard. It was more than great sex. It was the beginnings of real feelings based on how much I enjoyed just hanging out with him.
Donovan extends his right hand. “It’s a pleasure.”
It has been a pleasure, and it can never be again.
I take his hand for a very quick shake before I drop it. “Hi.”
Matt looks at me. “You haven’t touched base in a while. Callum told me you had fun on the cruise.”
All I told my younger brother is that I appreciated the gift and used the time to enjoy myself.
I’ve never spoken truer words in my life.
“It was great,” I play it off because the man responsible for the good time I had on the ship is less than a foot away from me.
“Good,” he says as he scans the interior of the store. “It’s Carolyn’s birthday today so we need chocolate.”
“You came to the right place.” I turn my back to both men to face a wall of candy bars. Each is a distinctive flavor and I can personally attest to the deliciousness of each one since I’ve sampled everything in this store.
“Kita sells baskets of chocolate bars, right?” Matt rounds me to face me. “With a dozen different ones I think. Assorted types.”
“Yes.” I nod. “I can grab a couple of examples for you to check out.”
“Do you like chocolate, Delia?” Donovan asks from behind me.
“Yes,” I say again, but softer this time.
“You strike me as a woman with excellent taste, so choose what you prefer.”
Matthew nods. “She does have excellent taste, and I think that’s a smart way to go.”
“Follow me and I’ll ring you up,” I say to my brother.
“It’s on me.” Donovan moves into my view. “Why don’t I follow you so you can ring me up?”
“Sure,” I say just as my brother’s phone starts ringing.
He slides it out of his pocket. “It’s Faith. I’ve got to take it.”
Before I can beg him to stay, he’s headed toward the door he just entered.
“Alone at last,” Donovan whispers as soon as he spots my brother on the sidewalk in front of the store. “How are you, Delia?”
Lonely. Aching. Wishing the ship had veered off course for a year long journey around the world.
“I’m fine,” I say with a small smile. “How are you?”
“Truthfully?” he asks.
I want to say no, but I can’t. I need to know how he truly is, so I nod.
“I fucking miss you,” he confesses, his hand raking through his dark hair. “I want to pick up where we left off.”
Before I can get a word out in response, my brother wanders back into the store. “All is good. Faith aced a test so I had to tell her how fucking proud I am of her.”
Faith is on her way to becoming a doctor. She’s going to devote her life to working in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology. I’m secretly envious of the fact that my future sister-in-law who is set to celebrate her twenty-second birthday soon knows exactly what she’s supposed to do professionally.
“I’ll text her to tell her I am, too,” I say.
“She’d love that, Delia.” Matt smiles. “Are we good to go?”
“I need to ring up the gift basket.” I start walking toward the checkout counter. “Once I do that, I can grab it from the back.”
The two men follow close behind me. As my hands tremble and my heart thunders in my chest, I shut my eyes briefly, hoping that I can keep it together until they exit the store.