at all to return to that life. I have roots here. My life’s here. My wife-to-be is here.”
She turned her palm over to mesh their fingers together.
“I can’t bear the disappointment for you, Dom.”
His heavy sigh snaked around them both. “I won’t say I’m not disappointed myself. But I tried. And my smoked brisket won this.” He pointed to the award.
She twisted her lips. “I’m pretty sure my special sauce and spice rub won.”
He grinned at her challenging tone. He started to say something, but she sucked in a sharp breath as realization hit.
She stared at him for a long minute and then looked beyond him to Savage’s, closed up for the night and soon to be forever.
“I have an idea,” she said slowly.
“Uh-oh. Does it involve paint?”
She gave him an exasperated look. “No. I’ve retired my paintbrush. I’m talking about this.” She pointed to the award. “We did this. We’re the best in three counties, maybe up and down the coast if we want to try to win those titles too.”
He arched a brow. “What are you saying?”
“That we pooled our efforts and succeeded. We should do it again.”
He blinked at her.
“We should combine our businesses. We’re going to be married anyway. Having competing businesses doesn’t even make sense anymore. And here’s my confession—I’m not doing that well either. I’ve struggled for two months to make my payment to Mortimer.”
“Damn,” he said quietly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Same reason you didn’t tell me—pride. And we were adversaries. But not anymore. We’re smart, savvy business owners that realize something needs to change in order to make ourselves successful. I say we move your smoker over here to Mortimer’s kitchen and we serve Savage’s brisket and my award-winning sauce on the menu. We combine the menus into one and we work together to get all the business in Crossroads.”
Her excitement was contagious, and he bobbed his head as more ideas came to mind. “We dissolve the names and call it Crossroads Barbecue. We already have a sign from the fair.”
She grinned. “We do! It’s almost like it’s meant to be, Dom.”
“I think it is.” He thought of closing his doors on the space he toiled so hard in for these past months, and felt a weight of depression. But he knew it was the right decision for both of them and for their combined future.
“Now we’ve been friends,” she began.
His gaze locked on hers. “And rivals.”
“Lovers.” Her tone took a breathlessness that had his jeans tightening.
“Partners.”
“Business partners,” she added to their new venture.
“And then spouses,” he finished.
She grinned, eyes sparkling. “Sounds perfect.”
“Sounds like a happily ever after to me.” He leaned across the table to press his lips to hers, feeling less worried about his future now that he’d worked it out with the only person in the world who mattered—the love of his life.
* * * * *
Jada zipped her suitcase and then walked to her bed to fold over the cardboard flaps of the box to secure it shut.
She looked around her empty bedroom and at the boxes she had yet to carry to her truck. The suitcase, box and Thimble her cat and his belongings were the last to go in for this trip, and then she’d be on her way.
The decision to leave her rental left her with a pang. This had been her first place all on her own. Also, Joss had stayed with her here when she fled from New York City. It had sheltered them through many of their hopes and dreams. And it was time to move on.
At least she hoped.
She hadn’t exactly asked Dom if she could move in with him yet.
She carried the suitcase out and then the box. Finally, she grabbed the cat under one arm and his cage full of food dishes, food and toys in the other and placed them in the passenger side. Then she started her truck and drove across town to Dom’s.
Helping him to transfer items to Mortimer’s this afternoon had drained them both, and she’d recognized the slump in his shoulders at the end of the day. It had taken her only seconds to make the rash decision to combine their lives in another way. If he could give up his restaurant, she could give up her home.
As she neared his street, her insides jittered, her nerves like popcorn in a popcorn machine. “This is it, Thimble. Our new home. At least I hope.”
She parked in his driveway behind his truck and set the