9. Chapter 9
Chapter 9
I knocked on the door to apartment 302 with a pink box in my hand.
“Hang on,” a voice came from inside a second before the door swung open. “Lehra, hey.”
But I couldn’t respond because Cruz Estrada stood in the doorway in only a pair of sweat-stained gray shorts. Dear god in heaven! I didn’t think men like this existed in real life.
Sweat dripped down his slick tan chest, the droplets tangling with just the right amount of hair, which arrowed down over a spectacular set of abs and into the waistband of those damp shorts. Beautifully done tattoos covered his upper arms. Dammit! Why does he have to have tats?
His right bicep featured a large ornate cross with dark-red roses as the background, and on the other arm was an arrow alongside an intricate feather.
“Lehra, did you need something?”
I realized I was awkwardly gawking when he spoke, and I lifted guilty eyes to his. “Hi, I came over to…” My addled brain couldn’t quite remember why I’d come over here. To ogle? No, that couldn’t be it. Then I realized I was holding a box and held it before me in triumph as I remembered. “I brought you more cookies.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” he said, swiping sweat from his face with a white towel. “I just finished a workout. You want to come in?”
Yes.
“No, that’s okay. I better get back to my place.” I gestured vaguely toward my apartment which was across the hall and two doors down.
“Okay. Well, thanks for the cookies.”
I turned to walk away and then realized I was still holding the box. “Oh, sorry,” I said with a forced laugh, handing over the snacks.
Good grief! What is wrong with me?
As soon as I got back to my apartment, I checked my phone on the glass-and-chrome coffee table, and guilt instantly sank into my pores when I saw a missed call from Dwight. Ogling another man while your boyfriend is calling? Not cool, Lehra.
I immediately curled up on the couch and dialed him back. “Hi, babe,” he answered.
“Hey, I saw you called.”
“Yeahhhh.” The way he drew out the word had a sliver of dread inching down my back. “About this weekend, I’m not going to be able to make it, babe.”
My hand clenched into a fist against my thigh, and my voice thickened with sadness. “Why?”
“My mom is having a garage sale in a few weeks, and she wants me to help her price things.”
“Can’t you do that next weekend? We only get to see each other once a month. Plus, it’s Halloween, and I got us some costumes.” I thought of the Superman costume I’d rented for him and my sexy Lois Lane outfit.
“This is how long-distance relationships work, Lehra.” His tone was patronizing, and it grated on my nerves.
“Oh, I thought they worked by both parties following through and showing up when they said they would. You skipped August too.”
I heard a long sigh trek down the phone line. “I should have known you were going to be immature about this.”
Ouch.
As the anger and hurt rose, my knuckles pressed so hard into my leg I would probably have little circular bruises tomorrow. “You’re right, Dwight. I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”
“All right, babe,” he said easily, like he hadn’t just upset me. “Let me know your flight information for November, and I’ll pick you up at the airport.”
“I will.” My voice sounded defeated, and I was tempted to tell him I was too busy in November, but that would be immature .
“Love you, Lehra.”
“Love you too,” I mumbled before hanging up.
Needing wine, I got up and poured myself a glass of pinot grigio, leaning against the marble-top counter and taking a long gulp of the crisp white. I heard my phone ping from the living room and smiled over the top of my glass. That was probably Dwight messaging to apologize for insulting me.
I crossed the light hardwood floor and picked up my phone, seeing a message from Cruz.
Cruz: Thanks for the cookies!
A picture accompanied the text, one of Cruz holding up one of the cookies with a goofy grin on his face. It made me smile.
I honestly didn’t like those almond-cherry cookies. They were dry and brittle to me. But Cruz seemed to love them, so I’d keep making them for him.
Christmas came around fast this year. I was at the annual Bouvier office holiday party wearing an adorable strapless red dress with beading at the top and a flirty hemline. I’d pulled my hair up on top of my head, allowing the springy curls to drape down around my ears.
“You look ah-maziiiing!” Gianna sang as she approached me at one of the many food tables. The lobby of the Bouvier building was decked out in bright reds and snowy whites, with sparkly snowflakes draped from the thirty-foot ceilings.
“You do too,” I gushed. Auburn Bouvier’s new fiancée was decked out in a fitted red cocktail dress and sky-high heels that showed off her long legs. “We’re rocking the red dresses tonight.”
“We are. Let’s take a selfie.” She held up her phone at the perfect angle, and we smiled. Our smiles turned into laughter when Auburn Bouvier himself photobombed us with a cheesy grin on his handsome face.
I was so damned happy for these two. Gianna Moschella had swept into the billionaire’s world and turned it upside down. After dating in secret for a while, they’d finally told Gianna’s dad, Tony, about their relationship. I’m sure that was awkward at first, but he seemed to be coming around.
“You two look gorgeous tonight,” Auburn said. It was nice of him to include me, but he only had eyes for Gia.
“Thanks, boss. You’re looking mighty suave as well.” He was wearing a charcoal-gray suit, no tie, and a red pocket square that precisely matched his fiancée’s dress. No doubt coordinated by Devereaux, the head designer here.
“He is,” Gianna said, looking adoringly up at him.
He pressed a kiss against her neck and whispered something in her ear that caused her to giggle and smack at his hip. I was still getting used to seeing my boss acting playfully. He’d been so stoic for years.
“How are the kids?” Gia asked, and Auburn's face melted into softness like a popsicle in Arizona.
“I just checked on them. They’re with Abby. Jane is eating every sweet she can find, and Jaxon is flirting with all the models.”
We laughed. Jaxon and Jane were the twins the couple planned to adopt, and they were freaking precious.
“Where are they? I need to go say hi to my little buddies,” I said, glancing around the crowd of people for the five-year-olds.
“That means you’re going to give them candy, right?” Gia asked flatly.
I waved a dismissive hand. “They know they can always count on Auntie Lehra to come through with the goods.”
“They’re over there with Abby. She’s one of the teens from the children’s home,” Auburn explained, gesturing to his left. “We hired her to come help us with the twins for the evening.”
“We wanted them to be able to come and have fun, but my fiancé needs to do his duty and mingle with everyone , right?” she asked pointedly, lifting her eyebrows at him.
Auburn Bouvier put on a grimace of a smile. “Yay. Mingling is my favorite.” Then he stroked a hand down Gianna’s arm and gave her a look that said he’d be doing some horizontal mingling with her later tonight.
Jealousy spiked through me, and I wished Dwight looked at me like that. With the kind of desire that radiated heat and wanting with every glance. Shoving that feeling away, I said goodbye to the couple and detoured to the reception desk, which was covered with a red cloth and dotted with elegant flower arrangements in white vases. Carefully lifting the back edge of it, I located the drawer that held my stash of candy I kept for when the twins visited.
Assuming the kids would be dressed up, I took a hard pass on the chocolate, instead opting for a couple Blow Pops, red for Jane and purple for Jaxon. Then I went to find them.
Jaxon was wearing a suit that perfectly matched his soon-to-be dad’s, except his pocket square was white to match his sister’s dress. He had both hands in his pockets and was speaking with a leggy brunette, obviously one of the models.
“You are the most beautiful woman in this room,” he told her, and I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud. The boy’s a little player . The woman, whose name was Angie, I think, laughed and ruffled his hair before heading to the drink table.
“Heeeey,” I chirped when I drew near, and both kids waved exuberantly. I squatted to their level and handed over the candy. “I brought you both something.”
“Thank you, Auntie Lehra,” they replied in unison while unwrapping the suckers.
Jaxon pointed his at me and waggled his eyebrows. “Have I told you you’re the most beautiful woman in this room?” I stifled a snicker.
Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to his cheek, leaving a lip print there. He already had two on the other side. “Thank you, Jaxon. That means a lot coming from you.” I straightened the lapel of his little jacket. “You look incredibly handsome in this suit.”
“Thanks, babe.” Oh my god, this crazy kid.
I turned to his twin in her wheelchair. “Janie, that dress is so pretty.” She was wearing white on white with a small faux fur shrug. Brilliant snowflakes danced across the shiny material of the dress.
“Thank you. Lolli made it for me.”
“Did I hear my name?” a voice sing-songed from behind me, and I stood and turned to find Tora and Tony approaching with matching smiles on their faces. They had recently come out as a couple, and I couldn’t have been happier for them.
“Lolli! Pops!” Janie squealed before accepting hugs from her soon-to-be grandfathers.
As the guys visited with the kids, I introduced myself to Abby, their babysitter for the evening, and learned that she wanted to be a pediatrician one day. She had long hair braided into cornrows and the emerald dress she was wearing set off her smooth, dark skin.
“That dress is stunning,” I told her, and she beamed.
“Mr. Auburn brought it for me.” Her eyes widened. “He said I could keep it. And he and Ms. Gianna bought a new Christmas tree for the home and got presents for everyone.”
My heart was full, and I’d never been prouder to work for Bouvier .
“Merry Christmas, Tink.” I would have recognized the voice even without the nickname.
Twisting my head, I found Cruz standing beside me at the canapé table. “Merry Christmas,” I said, lifting my glass of wine in a toast. “You look nice.”
Actually, nice wasn’t exactly the right word for how he looked in a solid black suit and shirt, the first two buttons open at the neck to reveal a masculine smattering of chest hair, but I figured he might not take it as a compliment if I called him dark and dangerous.
“And you look… wow.” He patted his chest. “I think you gave me palpitations in that dress.”
I laughed and elbowed him. “Stop teasing.”
He gave me a once-over that made my skin flush before turning to the table and picking up a canapé with some kind of creamy spread and a rosette made of a thinly sliced meat. Studying it, his brow creased.
“I need man food.”
“Man food?” I scoffed, and he nodded.
“These are tiny. Just big enough to piss me off.” He popped it into his mouth and chewed. “It’s tasty, but they need to make them bigger.”
“They’re canapés. They’re supposed to be cute and small,” I argued.
Giving me a mock scowl, he said, “Cute is not something I look for in food.”
I stacked four of them on top of each other and handed them to him. “There ya go. Manly canapés.” He crammed them into his mouth, and I laughed. “Are you satisfied now?”
Swallowing the enormous bite, he crooked his lips up on one side in a sexy half-grin. “Not quite, but it’s a start.”
Oh. My. Was that statement filled with innuendo or what?
I drained my wine in a single gulp, and Cruz looked down at my now-empty glass. “You want another drink?”
“That would be awesome. I’m drinking the chardonnay.”
“Be right back,” he said, heading for the elegantly decorated bar in the corner.
Picking up one of the tiny snacks, I ate it and had to agree with Cruz. It was barely enough to whet the appetite. My eyes scanned the room, and I had to do a double take when I saw who was walking toward me with a big smile on his face.
“Dwight?”
“Hey, babe,” he said, jogging the last few feet and wrapping me in a hug.
“I’m… what are… oh my god!” He set me down, and I rested my hands on his shoulders and smiled happily at him. We were the same height with my heels on. “I can’t believe you’re here. I thought you were headed to Aspen.”
“I was about to, but I wanted to stop by and—”
Surprise me by telling me you packed me a bag so I can go with you? I thought hopefully.
Dwight was interrupted from finishing when Cruz returned with my drink. “One chardonnay for the lady,” he said before noticing the newcomer and holding out his hand for a friendly shake. “Hey, man. I don’t think I know you. I’m Cruz Estrada.”
“Dwight Jones.”
“Oh, Lehra’s boyfriend. Nice to meet you.”
“And who are you? One of the servers?” Dwight asked, and his snooty tone instantly annoyed me, though Cruz just smiled easily.
“No, I’m Auburn Bouvier’s driver and personal security.”
Embarrassed by Dwight’s arrogance, I said, “Cruz is also a reserve police officer. He works with the Emergency Service Unit.”
“You’re like a paramedic or something?”
Cruz shook his head and took a sip of the brown liquid in his glass. “No, though we are trained in medical and rescue operations. We serve as the city’s SWAT team.”
“Oh,” Dwight said with a fake smile. “I could never do that. I abhor violence.”
Cruz’s smile showed all his teeth before he responded with a curt, “As do I, Dwight . We’re tasked with preventing violence, not causing it.”
Oh, eek! The look on Cruz’s face said he might reconsider causing a bit of violence just then, and I broke in. “Dwight surprised me tonight. He was just about to tell me why he’s here.” I linked my arm with his and gave him a warning squeeze.
“I was just about to reveal the big surprise,” he said, taking my glass and handing it to Cruz before leading me to the center of the room.
What is he doing? I wondered, still hoping he planned to invite me on his family’s Christmas trip. My mouth fell open when Dwight dropped to one knee and took my hand. Oh. My. God.
The crowd slowly caught on and spread out, every eye on us as the room was bathed in silence.
“Lehra,” Dwight said with a huge smile on his face and a ring box suddenly in his hand, “you are the bright spot in my life, and I love you more than anything. Please honor me by being my wife.”
I was sure my face was as red as my dress while I processed what he’d just said. He’s proposing? Now?
We’d talked vaguely about marriage a couple times, but I never expected him to do this now. We didn’t even live in the same city.
I loved Dwight, but I wasn’t ready for this. Was I?
“Lehra?” he prompted, his smile faltering a little, and I felt like a million tons of pressure had landed directly on top of my head. Everyone was looking at me expectantly, so I forced out the only words I could say in this situation.
“Yes, of course.”
Everyone clapped as Dwight slid the ring on my finger before standing and wrapping me in his arms. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too,” I replied, meaning every word, but I was still conflicted about getting engaged without more discussion about our future.
Someone handed us each a glass of champagne, and everyone came up to congratulate us as we sipped. I showed off my ring, which was huge and a little busy for my taste, but I couldn’t deny it was a beautiful piece of jewelry.
The well-wishers finally drifted off, and I squeezed Dwight’s hand. “Can we talk for a second?”
“Yeah, sure,” he said easily. “Let’s go outside.” Linking his fingers with mine, he stopped at the security desk and grabbed his wheeled suitcase before leading me out the front door. He took off his jacket and hung it on my shoulders when I shivered from the cold.
“Well, that was a surprise,” I started as Dwight looked down and tapped on his phone.
“Good. Glad I could surprise you. Do you need a ride home?”
“I, uh, what?”
“I’m calling an Uber to take me to the airport. I was wondering if you wanted me to drop you off or if you’re staying a bit longer.”
“The airport?” I asked stupidly, like I’d never heard the word before.
“Yes, I’m taking a late flight to Aspen.”
I blinked. We’d just gotten engaged a half hour ago. “And you’re not taking me?”
He tilted his head to the side, an apologetic smile on his face. “Babe, we’ve talked about this. My mom only allows family on these trips. It was the same with my brother. Tiffany didn’t start coming with us until after she and Daniel got married.”
“Oh, I guess I just thought…” My voice trailed off.
Dwight gave me a soft kiss on the lips and then returned to his phone. “Don’t worry. As soon as we get married, you can come with me. It’s really fun. We all ride snowmobiles up into the mountains, and then at night we relax in the hot tub with drinks.”
“That does sound fun,” I murmured. Too bad I’m not invited.
“The car is only a minute away,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close. “I’m so excited to marry you, Lehra. I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world.”
The chill inside me thawed a bit, and I nuzzled my lips against his neck. “I wish you could stay.”
“Me too, but you know I can’t. My mother would be so disappointed if I missed Christmas.”
What about me? I wanted to ask but didn’t have time. A Hyundai pulled up to the curb, and after another kiss, Dwight pulled his jacket from me and slipped it back on.
“Bye, fiancée,” he said with a wink as the driver loaded his suitcase into the back.
And then he was gone, leaving me feeling very, very alone.