13. CHAPTER 13
Zuri
Besides him accompanying me to the monthly cookout at the mental hospital, we went to another company event—bowling—as a couple, and I teamed up with Jeremy. The air buzzed with the clamor of tumbling pins and spirited victory shouts, a backdrop to our connection. Even Damien, who has been slow to warm up to Jeremy, shows signs of thawing, especially after receiving recognition at work. His gradual, if reluctant, acceptance feels like a victory in itself.
Our adventures span from rain-soaked hikes through lush forests, breathing in the rich aroma of wet earth and foliage, to hours spent collaborating on the café’s renovation, business strategy, and necessary insurance coverage. Insurance is something I’d underestimated, but so crucial. In addition to collecting data, he created a slideshow that outlined a vision for the new-and-improved café. I still don’t grasp all the business lingo, but I can leave the business planning for him. He’s smart, experienced, and confident—which boosts my confidence that my business won’t be a flop.
Jeremy has woven himself into my daily life. The meals we share, whether planned or spontaneous, remain each day’s peak moments. I’ve learned so much about his personality—the things that make him laugh, the quirks that make him Jeremy, and the aspirations that make him driven. With each revelation, my heart grows fonder.
Yet, as our connection deepens, so does the complexity of my emotions. One question haunts me: Is this merely an act, or have I fallen for him? The answer seems clear, especially now as I stand in my café, supposedly working, but instead imagining what he’s doing at the moment. He’s all I can think of.
I should be supervising the final touches, but being in the building is just an excuse to have delivered lunch to Jeremy earlier. The painters are busy at work, covering the walls in the sage green that should be the perfect soothing color to add a calm freshness to the space.
The man on the ladder strokes the brush alongside the ceiling, the color transforming the room. But the corner looks slightly off. Maybe he just needs to add another coat.
I walk over to the person mixing paint, his back curved over on the tarp covering the floor. When I approach, he stops stirring. “Can we make that corner brighter?” I point to a spot near the window. The rain outside has changed from pouring hard to falling softly. “I want the sunlight to show off the colors.”
He shakes his head. “Ma’am, I can go get another color if you like. But then we have to paint the whole wall again so it matches. If it looks dark to you right now, remember it has to dry.”
Right. How silly of me. Then I ask if he needs something to drink, but he tells me he still has the water I gave him two hours ago.
Time is flying as we get closer to the café’s big opening day at the end of April. Every day, I feel more excited and nervous. More than a dream coming true, this is showing a part of me to the world.
My time with Jeremy these last two months has been like a storybook romance. To our friends and even my brother and Jeremy’s assistant, we seem like a couple. Jill lights up when I come to see Jeremy and always says, “Go right on, sugar,” even if he’s in a meeting online.
I find reasons to visit, sometimes just to see him, and he always makes time for me. He never seems bothered, just calls for a fifteen-minute recess and steps away to focus on me.
And I enjoy these moments more than I thought I would. His office has become a special place where our pretend relationship feels more real. Every time he smiles at me, my heart thrums, and I forget we’re a fake couple.
Jeremy might feel the same way too.
With these thoughts in my head, I retreat to my makeshift office in the kitchen where my computer awaits on the counter. I have to add pictures to the recipes to upload on my blog.
The rain’s rhythmic slap against the windowpane weaves a serene soundscape as my fingertips dance across the keyboard. The air, still tinged with fresh paint, makes me want to bake something to replace the artificial smell with a warm, comforting aroma. Maybe I’ll bake some cookies to thank the painters for their hard work.
I stop typing the recipe to upload the photos Lexi took a few days ago. The clock on my computer says it’s three. The new fridge buzzes in the background. The freezer was salvageable, so I didn’t have to buy a new one. All the appliances remind me of my temporary relationship with Jeremy—a deal we made.
I’ve taken two weeks off to focus on getting the café ready. Besides editing blog photos and volunteering at the rehab center, I’ve attended a networking meeting with other café and restaurant owners to hear their insights and explore potential partnerships. I’ve also been finalizing permits, insurance, and other legal requirements for the café. Additionally, I’ve met with potential suppliers at the farmer’s market and conducted research to get a feel for café trends in the area.
My blog followers, especially those in San Francisco, are excited about the opening, so the café should do well once it starts. I’ll be able to pay back Jeremy for any money borrowed from him.
Falling for him complicates things, which is why I insisted on a loan rather than accepting his money. We haven’t agreed yet on whether he’ll let me pay back or not.
Lost in thought, my name barely penetrates until I hear it again, clearer this time—the one that only one person calls me. “Zee.”
Jeremy’s in the doorway, his smile soft, tender. He’s rolling up his sleeves, a gesture that offers a glimpse of his strong forearms, a view I’ve come to appreciate more than I’d like to admit.
“I didn’t realize you take breaks from work.” My heart light, a flutter in my chest, I rise to my feet.
“Just wanted to see if you have any snacks tucked away.” A spark lights his eyes.
Approaching, he opens his arms the way he’s done so much lately. It’s become familiar and comforting in the days since our golf game. Stepping into his embrace feels like coming home. His arms encircle me in a sheltering warmth, and I allow myself to relish the closeness.
“I wanted to show you something,” he murmurs against my hair.
“Yeah?” I draw back, my arms still loose around his waist.
“Got a minute?” He tucks my curls back from my cheeks, holding my gaze.
With a wink, I indulge in our charade. “I always have time for my fiancé.” The title still tastes sweet, though it’s coated in sorrow whenever I think of how soon this will be over.
He takes my hand, laces our fingers, then lifts our hands, and kisses the back of mine. It sends shivers down my spine.
“Where to?” I inquire as we head toward the elevator.
“It’s a surprise.”
The elevator ascends in silence. The numbers rise higher, and soon we pass the fifty-eighth floor. “I’ve never been past your floor.”
“We’re going up another, to the boss’s office.”
The elevator doors part.
Emma, familiar from company gatherings, greets us before Jeremy leads me on. We navigate through corridors to a door marked Rooftop Access. He pushes it open, and the city unfolds before us, its buildings glisten like jewels under the rain.
We step onto the rooftop, the rain envelops us, and its caress adds shimmery magic to the moment. Jeremy faces me, both hands holding mine and his gaze intense beneath the cloudy sky.
“You know it’s raining.” I taste the raindrops trickling onto my lips. Jeremy’s eyes, alight with an unspoken fervor, hold my gaze, and my pulse accelerates.
“This might all seem fake, unrealistic.” He squeezes my hand, the rain softening his words to a whisper. “But you are real to me, and every moment I spend with you highlights my day. So, let’s imagine, just for now, that this moment is real.”
His statement hangs between us as his words sink in. Just what is he trying to say?
He reaches into a pocket and retrieves a small velvet box—revealing a ring that gleams even under the storm’s shadow. My breath halts.
“Zuri.” A quiver in his voice underplays my name. “These last two months spent with you have been some of the happiest moments in my life. What began as pretense has turned into something very real for me. I find myself thinking about you at random moments, looking at my door anticipating your arrival at any given time of day. I care about you, more than I ever expected.”
The rain’s patter fades into the background. Unshed tears blur my vision as the world shrinks until it’s only us, two hearts in the midst of a rain.
“Would you consider us? Take this leap with me?” He holds up the ring, sincerity brimming his blue eyes. “Will you marry me?”
I study his face, and while I need a ring for his brother’s wedding, he’s looking at me like I’m everything to him. Even if his proposal is a charade, it stirs something genuine within me, and my tears stream to join the rain. Jeremy and I could be something real, and maybe this is our turning point.
“You should say something,” he prompts. Is that fear in his eyes, the same fear lacing his tone?
“Yes!” I say, my heart beating, and somehow, I have no hesitation whatsoever. “Yes, Jeremy.” Laughter and tears choke my voice. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He lets out a long breath, clearly relieved from whatever fears as he slips the ring onto my finger, its presence anchors the pretend moment in reality. My pulse hiccups when he lowers his face toward mine, and determined for something to happen this time, I step on tiptoes and grip his shirt collar.
Our lips touch, and my knees mush like jelly. Jeremy Kress is kissing me! A slight abrasion from his beard rubs against my skin, but who says I intend to complain? He’s kissing me without hesitation or any indication he’s playing a game. He’s kissing me as if this engagement means something to him, as if he’s fallen in love with me and he’s been thinking about this day and this proposal. When his fingers move through my wet hair, shivers course down my neck and through my spine, igniting every nerve with a startling intensity. I kiss him fervently, with such longing that the world beyond us fades. This kiss, unlike the timid experiments of my past, feels like the real thing. My first three kisses? They all pale in comparison.
Raindrops fall on our lips, and that’s when I realize we’re catching a breath. Embarrassed by how eager I acted, I try to hide by ducking my head.
“Not bad,” he says, his breathlessness mirroring my ragged breathing. He then tips my head to face him. His gaze searches mine for confirmation of this shared dream. I nod, too overwhelmed for words. This surprise engagement is a wish fulfilled beyond my wildest dreams.
He smiles, a shy, uncertain smile that sends my heart soaring. Then he leans close, and his arm offers support as my legs threaten to give way. “Lexi would love a photo of this.”
Before I can protest the lack of a camera, he produces his phone. Our cheeks brush as he captures the moment—two figures, joyously drenched in rain, but both happy and sincere.
When we return indoors and step into the elevator, my mind is in a whirl. The proposal, that kiss—it transcends the realm of pretense, plunging me into a sea of raw emotion. My heart races, excitement coursing through me so strong I scarcely notice our arrival on his floor until Jill’s greeting snaps me back to reality.
“Hello, sugar.” She beams, her smile infectious as she eyes our drenched clothes. “Why are you all soaked?”
With a surge of joy I can’t contain, I flash my newly adorned hand. “I’m engaged.”
How surreal those words are!
“Yes, we are.” Jeremy chimes in, his tone brimming with genuine enthusiasm, devoid of any previous hesitations.
Jill squeals, steps away from her desk, and closes the distance between us. As she examines the ring, the diamonds catch the office light in a dazzling display, and she nods her approval. “Jeremy Kress, I might have sold you short.”
“And why’s that?” he asks.
“You’ve made a wise choice.” She gives me a knowing look. “Congratulations are in order.”
“Thank you.” He pats my shoulder. His gaze dips, slow and heated as it skims my dress. “Jill, could you retrieve the duffel bag from the conference room closet? It contains spare company shirts, and my fiancée needs to change out of her wet clothes.”
The way he articulates “my fiancée” resonates, frosting our current fa?ade with a sweet layer of undeniable reality.