Demand - Lisa Renee Jones Page 0,41
fork and knife and then hands them to me. “Our way is this way.”
“You’re making me work for my meal,” I say, accepting the utensils. “I can live with that,” and boy, do I. In one bite I’m moaning with the delicious, rich taste of the white sauce under the cheese, and as silly as it might be, I wish that I were experiencing this with Kayden for the first time. But I’m not and I’m eating it now, and eating it all, with a bonus of Marabella and Giada giving me a language lesson. And before long, the food is gone, and with Marabella and Giada’s prodding, I’m repeating English words and their Italian equivalents, writing them down in the back of my journal, and I’ve lost track of time.
We’re just talking about coffee when the buzzer at the door goes off again, and Marabella glances at her watch. “I bet that’s your clothes for tonight,” she says, having obviously spoken to Kayden. She heads toward the door.
“What’s tonight?” Giada asks.
“Some political function Kayden and I are attending,” I say, standing, my body stiff from sitting so long. “I’d better go help Marabella.”
“I’ll clean up our mess,” Giada says, while I head toward the front of the store.
Rounding the corner, I come face-to-face with Adriel as he enters the living area. “It’s football time, and since it’s still my store, and my TV, I’m taking over this room.”
“Never let it be said that I stood between a man and his football,” I proclaim, “but your sister might be another story.”
He grumbles something Italian that tells me I’ve hit a sore spot, and I laugh, stepping around him with a fond memory of my father and his pals sitting around the TV, yelling at football, carrying me to the front of the store. I find Marabella setting a collection of bags next to another collection of bags.
“What the heck is all of this?” I ask, noting several garment bags on top of the counter, as well. “Please tell me this isn’t all for me? It’s one party. I need one dress.”
Marabella holds up her hands. “I didn’t do it. It was Kayden.” She offers me a black shopping bag with silk handles. “This came by way of a special, separate delivery, which seems to justify special attention.”
“You don’t know what it is?” I ask, accepting the bag, tons of black and white tissue paper sticking out from the top.
“No idea at all,” she confirms. “But there’s a card poking out of the top.”
Locating it, I remove it from the paper, and silently read the handwritten words Open this package alone printed on the front of it. As silly as it might be, what affects me is not the idea of a private gift, it’s the fact that it’s Kayden’s script on the note.
“Something good?” Marabella asks.
“I don’t know yet,” I say, stuffing the envelope back inside the bag. “I need to open it once I’m upstairs.”
Her eyes light. “Something good for sure. I’m sure you’re eager to get to your tower and explore all your new things. I think if we both load up we can get it all in one trip. Once you go through it all, you can let me know if you need anything else.”
“Hair color,” I say. “I have roots.”
She gives me a keen eye. “Oh yes. I see that now. What color is it naturally?”
“I have no idea,” I reply, Giada’s communication with Gallo dictating my noncommittal answer. “But the roots don’t lie. They need to be covered.”
“I’ll get you some once we get you upstairs,” she promises, draping one of the garment bags over her arm.
“Thank you, Marabella,” I say, reaching for some of the bags, when I suddenly remember my journal on the coffee table in the other room, and drop the bags, my panic instant. “I need to grab something from the living room.” As I hurry away I hear her call out, “I’ll head on to the tower.”
I cut left and quickly pass under the archway to the living area. A soccer game, Italian “football,” is playing on the TV. I round the couch to find Adriel occupying my prior position, my gaze going to the coffee table where my journal should rest but does not, setting my heart thundering in my chest.
“Do you want to watch the games with us?” Giada asks from behind the kitchen island.
“I need to unwind for tonight and figure out what I’m wearing,” I reply,