Chapter Nine #2
The gas grill fired right up and within minutes he had the steaks cooking. It had been the perfect time for him to escape the kitchen and Angelique. Tonight, he was feeling particularly vulnerable to his own feelings where she was concerned.
He was in love with her. The sudden realization struck him like a thunderbolt out of the sky.
He didn’t know exactly when it had happened.
He couldn’t pick out one specific moment when he’d fallen for her.
And in any case, it didn’t matter. What did matter was he was hopelessly, crazy in love with her and he wasn’t sure what to do about it.
Do nothing, he told himself. No good could come from him sharing his feelings for her.
Besides, just because he was in love with her, that didn’t mean she felt the same way about him.
He might just be the first in a long string of lovers she’d take.
The very idea of her casually taking lovers hurt his heart. She deserved so much more than that.
By the time the steaks were cooked, he had his emotions back under control. He carried the steaks inside, where he plated them along with the baked potatoes.
“This looks yummy,” she said as he set her plate before her.
“I hope it tastes yummy,” he replied as he sank down across from her. “Do you need any steak sauce?”
“Heavens no, why would I want to mess with the taste of the steak?”
He laughed. “I’ll ask you about the steak sauce again once you’ve taken a bite. You might need to mess with the taste of the steak.”
As they ate, they talked about the Fourth of July celebration that had just passed. “It was a lot of fun,” she said. “It’s always fun when a carnival comes to town.”
“We’re lucky to get the carnival since we’re such a small town,” he replied.
He’d been on duty that day, but he’d seen the three Santori women together, enjoying themselves. “Did you try to win a stuffed animal at any of the booths?”
“We shot guns and picked up floating ducks and played ring toss, but none of the three of us won anything.”
“Did you get a ride on the Ferris wheel?” he asked.
“Not me,” she said and laughed. “Dominique and Monique rode it but I don’t like heights.”
“Really? I would have guessed there was nothing you were afraid of,” he replied. Except falling in love again, he thought.
“There aren’t many things I’m afraid of, but heights is definitely one of them. What about you? Do you have any fears like that?” Her beautiful eyes gazed at him curiously.
“I have a secret fear of dancing deer in pink bikinis,” he replied somberly.
Her lips twitched with a suppressed grin. “Are you afraid of normal deer?”
“No, they’re just fine. It’s the ones that dance and wear the bikinis that frighten me.”
She laughed. “You are a real goof,” she said.
“I know,” he replied with a wide grin.
“I like that about you.” She took several bites of her potato.
Her words warmed his heart. Damn, he had it bad for her and that wasn’t necessarily good. It made it all that much more important that he stop spending time with her every night.
“I INSIST ON helping with the cleanup,” she said once they were finished eating.
“And I insist you don’t,” he countered. “It will just take me a couple of minutes to get things cleared away, and then we can sit and chat in the living room.”
She watched him as he carried the dirty dishes to the sink, rinsed them and then put them into the dishwasher. “That’s one thing I wish I could have in my shanty,” she said.
“A dishwasher? I would think you’d rather have a refrigerator than a dishwasher,” he replied.
“It’s a toss-up.”
He retrieved the butter and sour cream from the table and put them into the refrigerator. “Have you ever thought about moving to town? Maybe when you open that storefront you want?”
“I’ve considered it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the swamp and I will always think of it as home, but once I have the store, it will be a long trek back and forth every day from the shanty. I’ve been considering maybe renting a small apartment.”
“Still keeping the shanty?” he asked.
“Dominique would probably move into it. Her place is really small, and she’s mentioned that if I move to town, then she’d move into my shanty.”
“It would be quite a change for you,” he observed.
“Yeah, I could have a refrigerator and a dishwasher,” she replied with a grin.
By that time the kitchen was clean. “Why don’t we head into the living room? Would you like an after-dinner drink? I have some wine, if you’d like a glass. I should have offered you some before dinner.”
She got up from the table. “No, thank you on the wine. I’m good.” She didn’t want anything that might dizzy her senses. They were already dizzied enough by his handsome presence.
There was just something about Daniel that made her feel young and innocent again. He brought forth a girlish delight when his gaze lingered on her for a touch too long or when his smile was so open and warm.
“Thank you for the meal,” she said as she sat on the dark brown sofa. His living room was a pleasant space, although it didn’t give away much as to the man who lived here. There was nothing personal in the room at all. “It was all really delicious,” she added.
“Grilling steaks is the one kind of cooking I can do right,” he replied as he sank down next to her. “So, what’s on your agenda for tomorrow?” he asked.
“I’m actually meeting with the Realtor, Julia Moore, and she’s going to show me some of the available storefronts in town.”
An edge of excitement surged inside her. It was finally coming to fruition. She believed she’d saved an adequate amount of money to commit to making the move into owning a store.
“Wow…so it’s really happening for you,” he said, his eyes lighting up.
“A little faster than I’d expected,” she admitted. “But I’m more than ready for it.”
“If you see a place that you like tomorrow, then what happens?” he asked.
“Then I sign a contract. It will probably take me another month or two to get the store interior the way I want it—I’ve seen in it my dreams a million times—and then it will take me some time to gather my inventory.
I…” She broke off, aware that she was rambling.
“Sorry…needless to say I’m getting excited about it all. ”
“As you should be. Please, don’t apologize. I love your passion,” he replied, his gaze warm on her.
“I know it sounds rather silly, but I feel like this is a way to keep my mother’s legacy alive. No matter what people thought about her, she was a healer first, and that’s what I want people to remember about her.”
“I’m sure the shop is going to be very successful,” he replied. “However, there’s one thing I need you to remember whenever you’re out running around.”
His eyes appeared to darken and simmer with concern. “You don’t have to tell me, Daniel,” she said. “I never forget that somebody is after me, and I’m on guard for another attack every time I leave the shanty.”
“Dammit,” he said. “I hate this for you, and I hate the fact that we can’t get this person identified and behind bars.”
“Eventually whoever it is will be caught,” she said with a confidence she didn’t quite feel. “Besides, nothing has happened since the note was left on my door. Maybe the person has moved on and is no longer after me.”
“That’s dangerous thinking,” he warned her. “You can’t think that way because it might make you careless with your safety.”
“I know.” She released a deep sigh.
For the next hour or so they talked about more pleasant things. She told him more about her vision for the shop, and he shared with her funny stories of his police work. She then shared funny stories about growing up with her sisters.
It was a pleasant time and she thoroughly enjoyed their conversation. She gazed out the window, where twilight shadows had moved in.
“I think it’s probably time for me to head home.”
“Before you go, there’s one more thing I want to talk to you about,” he said.
“What’s that?” He suddenly looked so serious, and a wave of apprehension shot off inside her.
“Since the cases have stalled, there’s really no reason for me to continue with the nightly check-ins. I think it’s time I change them to once a week or so.”
She wanted to protest, but she knew he was probably right. He’d been very accommodating to do the nightly check-ins with her for as long as he had. It would be selfish of her to demand he continue them.
“I understand,” she replied. “Daniel, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me so far.”
“So, how about we set it up that I’ll check in with you every Saturday night,” he suggested.
“Okay, that works for me,” she agreed, even though she would miss seeing him every night. “And now, if that’s it, I’m going to get out of your hair and head home.” She got up from the sofa and he rose as well.
“Thank you again, Daniel, for the lovely dinner.” She walked to the front door and then turned to face him.
His gaze on her was so warm. There had been a simmer going on between them all evening. If he asked her to stay the night, she would. There was really nothing more she’d rather do than finish the night being held in his arms.
But he didn’t ask and so she didn’t stay. Fifteen minutes later she was in her car and headed home. It was probably a good thing they were only going to see each other once a week from here on out.
Her feelings for him had become more complicated. She enjoyed spending her evenings with him. She liked everything about him. In fact, if she allowed it, she might be falling in love with him. And that scared her.
It was definitely time to put the brakes on. She didn’t want a relationship with him, so there was no point in spending any more extra time with Daniel. She wanted updates on the investigations from him and nothing more.
She just wasn’t sure why these thoughts caused a shaft of pain to sear through her.
THE NEXT WEEK the days flew by. She found the storefront she wanted and signed a year-long contract. Thankfully the interior was already set up with display shelves and counters.
She arranged for Matt Green, the local contractor and handyman, to paint the interior a light seafoam green. Then she talked to Larry Carlson, who owned a sign company, about what she wanted as a sign outside the store.
When she wasn’t working at her regular job, she surfed the internet, looking for items she could sell that would make good companions to her homemade remedies.
As fun and exciting as the days were, in contrast the evenings dragged on long and lonely. She missed Daniel. She missed their long conversations and their shared laughter. She missed the scent of him and his very presence.
She hadn’t realized just how much she’d enjoyed having his company each night until it was gone. It irritated her that she’d allowed him to get so close, that she’d allowed him to creep so deeply into her heart.
Did he miss her? Or had he been relieved that he no longer had to spend each evening with her? And why did she care? It wasn’t like they had a real relationship.
On Friday afternoon, she stood outside her storefront and watched as Larry and his assistant hung the new sign over the front door.
Mystique’s Magic. The letters were in bright purple against a seafoam green. The sign was quite eye-catching. She’d decided to make the store an homage to her mother.
“Angelique.”
She whirled around at the sound of the familiar voice. “Hi, George,” she said.
George approached her with a wide grin. He pointed to the sign. “So, you’re finally doing it,” he said.
“I am,” she agreed with a smile of her own. In the brief time she had dated George, she had spoken to him about her desire to open a storefront.
“Your mother would be so very proud of you,” he replied.
“Thanks, I like to think so.” Her heart warmed. She knew her mother was smiling down on her from Heaven. “Where’s Desiree?”
“She ran into the dress shop for a minute. I’m just out here cooling my heels and waiting for her,” he replied. “So, when do you expect to open up for business?”
“It will be another month or so,” she replied. She turned back and watched as Larry and his assistant got down from their ladders and folded them up.
“Is that good?” Larry asked her.
“It’s absolutely perfect,” she replied. “Thank you, Larry.”
“No problem,” he told her.
“It’s quite eye-catching,” George said.
“That’s what we want,” Larry said. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you, Miss Santori.”
“I will, and again, thank you,” Angelique said.
The sign men took their ladders and carried them to their truck parked nearby. At that moment Desiree approached with a dress bag in her hand.
“Look, honey. Angelique is getting ready to open her shop. Isn’t that terrific?” George said to her.
“Terrific,” she said. “Hi, Angelique.”
“Hi, Desiree,” Angelique replied.
“I hope this is all very successful for you,” Desiree said.
Angelique smiled at the beautiful woman next to George. “Thanks. I’m just eager to offer some help to people.”
“Best of luck,” Desiree said and then looked at George.
“I’m so darned happy to see this,” he said to Angelique. “But I really shouldn’t be surprised. I know how smart you are and how hard you’ve worked to make this happen.”
Desiree tugged on his shirtsleeve. “Come on, honey. It’s hot out here.”
“Yeah, okay. We’re on our way to the café to grab a bite to eat,” George said.
“Enjoy,” Angelique said and then watched as the two ambled on down the sidewalk.
She turned back around to look at her sign. A warm wash of pleasure swept over her. It was only the beginning, but finally it had begun. She was getting her dream and she couldn’t be happier.
The warm pleasure suddenly iced over as the creepy feeling of being watched took its place. It was as palpable as a hot breath on the back of her neck or icy fingers walking up her spine.
She looked to the left and then slowly scanned to the right, but she saw nobody to give her pause. Still, she knew somebody was there…watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to come after her again.