Better Than Chocolate (14 page)

      “You also don’t want people coming into the gallery/café and looking up into your living area.”

      She grimaced. “Ugh. It would be like being on display 24-7.”

      “Exactly.”

      She stood surveying Elena’s. Her dream was becoming a reality. And then what? Where did Brad come into all this? She’d worry about it later she decided twirling around. For now … This was her dream!

      She was still walking on clouds when she arrived back at the Sea Side, feeling on top of the world, to find her mother waiting for her.

      “Darling, you’re late,” her mother exclaimed, hurrying towards her.

      “I’m not,” she protested. “I’m early.”

      “But I was hoping we’d have a chance to talk before everyone else arrived,” her mother said.

      “About what?” Elena said, looking around wildly for other family members.

      “Everything,” her mother said, taking her by the arm. “I never see you anymore. You’re always so busy with your art and now your gallery.”

      “We talk,” Elena said defensively.

      “Not the way I’d like,” her mother said.

      Elena rolled her eyes mentally. “Well, we’re together now.”

      “Yes and I’m just dying to find out how you’re doing – I mean really,” her mother said leading her to a table set up for twenty or so over-looking the water.

      “I’m fine,” she said. “I’m just really busy with this opening.”

      “Is there anyone special in your life?”

      “No,” Elena said shortly.

      “But what about this Brad? He’s gorgeous.”

      “It’s business mom.”

      “Nothing’s ever just business,” her mother said knowingly.

      “Well, this is,” Elena said stubbornly. She was not going to tell her mother anything else, give her any idea that they had ever kissed.

      Her mother sighed as they sat down at her table. “If you were only more like Suzanne.”

      Oh God, not the sainted Suzanne. She ordered a martini from the waitress and contemplated ordering a double. “Besides I’m still young.”

      “Not that young,” her mother said sharply.

      “Most people wait longer now,” Elena, said, noting in relief that her father was making his way across the room.

      “Not always. Maria’s daughter just got married. And Kathleen’s.”

      “So I have to be just like them?”

      “That’s not what I meant darling.”

      “Have I missed anything?” her dad said, giving her Mother a light kiss on the cheek as he sat down, joining them.

      “Nothing important,” Elena said firmly.

      “I was just pointing out that we were married by the time I was Elena’s age,” her mother said.

      “There’s lots of time for that,” her Dad said heartily. “Let her have some fun. Besides getting a new business going takes a lot of time and energy.”

      “I just don’t want her spending all her time working and not having any fun.”

      “She’s over the worst of it now,” her dad said. “Once she’s got it up and running she’ll be able to ease off. Maybe we can all go on a trip together.”

      Her mother brightened noticeably. “That might be just the thing. Maybe the Caribbean or Brazil.”

      “I’m not committing to anything,” Elena said hurriedly. “Right now I just want to concentrate on the business.”

      “You sound just like your father,” her mother pouted.

      Thank God other members of the family were arriving. Suzanne and Mark were walking in now with her brother Nathan and his friends. She jumped up to meet them excited to see them again after so long. Talk turned to Mark’s latest business venture and Suzanne’s latest shopping acquisitions on Robson Street. Carefully not mentioned was Nathan’s recent decision to drop out of college. She’d have to try and get Nathan on his own for at least a few minutes this weekend and find out what was going on with him.

She loved her family. Just in small doses.

      She looked up to find Mary coming in along with Bente and Jim who had Meghan and Star in tow. The baby was nowhere in sight. She greeted them with joy.

      “I’m so glad to see you all! Mary I want you to meet my family.” She introduced them all slowly. “You’ve already met Bente and Jim. Let me introduce Star and Meghan.”

      Star lit up with all the attention. “I’m so happy to meet you all,” she said in her most grown-up voice.”

      “And we’re so happy to meet you,” her mother exclaimed. “You’re part of the family.”

      She looked confused. “But you’re not my mother or …”

      “She means because Elena’s your godmother Bente said hurriedly.”

      Star’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “That’s right!” She turned in confusion to Elena. “Does that mean she’s my God-Grandmother?”
      “I guess it could,” Elena said laughing.

      Star looked at her Mother more closely. “OK, but I still like my real Grandmother better.”

      “That’s OK,” her Mother said laughing.

      “Can I sit next to Elena?” Star asked.

      “I think there’s already someone else sitting there,” her Mother said gently.

      “Where. I don’t see anyone?”

      “Because there isn’t anyone,” Elena said happily. “I’d be honoured to have you sit next to me.”

      Her dad looked upset.

      “Is there something wrong?”     

      “No. No. It’s just that I bumped into Brad earlier and I invited him. I thought maybe he could sit there.”
      “It doesn’t look like he’s here so that’s not a problem,” she said lightly even as she felt her heart lurch.

      “I guess not,” her dad said. He gave Star a big smile.

      She talked to her Aunt Margaret and Angie who she hadn’t seen since high-school and was shocked to find her youngest cousin Mara was now finished high-school herself and living on her own. Hours later she said her good-byes to the last remaining guest and made her way down to Elena’s for one last look. Plus, it gave her a chance to set up the ice-machines and make sure everything was ready for tomorrow.

      Tomorrow!

      There was a light up in her apartment. Assuming it was Grant and his crew putting some last minutes touches to it she made her way upstairs.

      “Brad!”

      He looked up, surprised. “I thought you’d be out for dinner.”

      “But – what?” The bed-sofa had been turned out and a beautiful duvet and pillow set put on. A beautiful scent of vanilla and orange filled the room. But somehow she only had eyes for Brad. He looked tired, she thought.

      “I sent Grant home,” he said simply. “I wanted to finish it myself.”

      “You shouldn’t have. You could’ve come to dinner.”

      He just shook his head. “That’s for you and your family.”

      “In case you haven’t noticed it my family’s crazy about you,” she said wryly.

      He stood up before her, his eyes searching hers. “But are you?”

      “I,” she felt her breath catch in her throat as she turned from him. “You know I am,” she said.

      “So what’s the problem?”

      She turned to him, eyes full of fear and apprehension. “I’m not ready for this! I’m just trying to get Elena’s going. I don’t have time to think about – us,” she said.

      He stepped closer, putting his hand on her chin and tipping it towards his. He kissed her lightly so that it took every ounce of her willpower not to throw her arms around him and show him just how she felt about him.

      “I’m not asking for anything you can’t give,” Brad said, stepping back out of the danger zone. “I’ll wait.”

      “I’m not ready for a relationship right now,” she said helplessly.

      “I understand,“ he said lightly. “Like I said I won’t ask for anything you’re not ready to give.”

      “Good,” she said desperately trying to mean it. That was what she wanted wasn’t it?

      But did he have to look so happy about it? As if he’d narrowly escaped a fate worse than death? Men! When would she ever figure them out? Or at least this one.

      “You’ll be at the opening,” she said cautiously.

      “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he said. He kissed her lightly on the lips again. “But I’m calling it a day for now. Don’t stay up too late.”

      She felt a shiver of desire even as she said lightly. “I just need to get the ices going and then I’m done.”

      “Mmm.” He could think of all kinds of things to do after that. All of them X-rated. He could wait. For now he let himself out.

      Ice. Cold. She needed something to cool herself down she thought desperately pulling out the raspberry puree and mixing it with the ice-chips and light cream She set the ice-machine on low. Then she began the margarita mix. She juiced some limes and fresh lemons mixing it with super-fine berry sugar, crushed ice and coconut milk, then turned the ice-machine on low and watched it start to churn around in her sleek new machines.

      Trays of brownies along with fresh fruit pies would be coming from the bakery tomorrow. She’d be busy cutting up lemons and more lemons for the fresh lemonade. Mary had suggested juicing the lemons today but she’d vetoed that. “I want everything as fresh as possible,” she’d declared.

      She hugged herself, exited. Elena’s was real now. And tomorrow was the first day. She couldn’t wait!

      There was a light tap on the door. She turned to see Suzanne standing there and let her in hurriedly. “What are you doing here?”

      “Are you kidding me? I wanted to get a look at Elena’s before the crowds started.” She looked around. “This is pretty incredible.”

      “I like it,” Elena said simply. “Come on, you want a gallery tour?”

      “Of course I do.”

      She showed her around the gallery quickly, happy when Suzanne oohed and aahed over all the pictures.

      “I can’t believe it. My baby sister’s all grown up.”

      Elena grinned. “Had to happen sometime.”

      “I guess so. So does that make me old?” Suzanne groaned lightly. “I don’t think I like that!”

      “You’ll never be old,” Elena said laughing.

      “OK, I can live with that. Anything I can do to get Elena’s ready for tomorrow?”

      “It’s all done,” Elena said proudly. “I was just going to walk up to Mary’s and go to bed.”

      “I’ll walk with you.”

      “OK.” They walked along quiet streets talking of olden days when they’d stolen each others clothes, fought over who got the front seat, the later bed-time.

“Remember your wedding? Mom totally took it over. Did you even know how many were there in the end.”

      “I lost count after a thousand,” Suzanne said laughing. “But it was fun.”

      Elena smiled. “That’s true.”

      “And I got to ride off into the sunset with Prince Charming.”

      “Are you still happy?”

      “Pretty much. Oh we have our ups and downs but yeah.”

      “Don’t you ever want to do anything out of the ordinary, break out of the mould,” Elena said.

      “What makes you think I don’t?” Suzanne said laughing.

      “Saint Suzanne?” Elena said in horror.

      “That’s just mom. She can’t believe you’d want anything more than marriage to someone rich and a life just like hers. The trick is to maker her think that’s what you’ve got and then do what you want.”

      “Such as…” Elena said, casting her sister a sideways glance.

      “Well … last year I made three times as much trading stocks as Mark did.”

      “What!?”

      “I like buying and selling stocks. It’s kind of like shopping on a grand scale – and I’m good at it.”

      “But why wouldn’t you tell them? I mean dad would be so proud of you.”

      “Sure, but then mom would feel like she wasn’t doing enough. And she’d worry. What’s the point?”

      “But…”

      “Mark’s spending more time designing that eco-lodge he was talking about at dinner. He loves that. He loves the outdoors and getting it up and running. I think he’d move there if he could.”

      “Isn’t it up in the Kootenays?”
      “I know. It’s just a little too rural for me. I think what we’ll probably do is spend from June to September up there and either close it down or have an on-site manager for the rest of the year. But it’s beautiful. And you can get down to Vancouver by private plane in an hour. With the internet you’re totally connected to the rest of the world.”

      “You’re serious about this.”

      “We’re putting a lot of thought into it.”

      Elena shook her head in shock. “My sister running an Eco-lodge away from civilization.”

      “Hardly that,” Suzanne said wryly. “It’s in Rossland which a nice little town.”