Sisters in Bloom (Love in Bloom: Snow Sisters #2), Contemporary Romance (18 page)

Danica’s stomach twisted into knots as she opened the front door of the café where she and Blake had first met. Blake waved from a table in the corner.

Danica whispered, “Excuse me, as she wove around the too-close-together tables. She smoothed her shirt and fiddled with her hands on the way to the table. “Hi,” she said in a thin voice.

Blake stood and kissed her. “How’s your day going?” he asked as she sat down.

Danica told him about her morning, the whole time searching his eyes for a hint of what he had on his mind. “How did your inventory go?”

“That’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you, but let me get our orders first. I got you a Caesar salad. I hope that’s okay.”

“Perfect.” She tried to sound grateful, but there was no way food would stay down with butterflies taking on fight night in her stomach. She watched him cross the café.
Calm down.
Danica took several deep breaths.
You just told him you’d move in. He’s not going to dump you for not marrying him.

Blake set the tray on the table and set an iced tea in front of Danica. “One Sweet’N Low, two lemons, extra ice.”

Oh, God, please don’t break up with me! I love all these little things.
Danica took a deep breath.
Shut up and think positive
.

“Remember when we met?” Blake took a bite of his grilled chicken.

Danica rubbed her nose. “How could I forget?” She still got the shivers when she recalled Blake’s hand on her arm for the first time, the way her body had responded to his touch, his eyes, his voice, and the way the pain in her bloody nose—which he’d just elbowed—was silent until he’d stolen a glance at a blonde and she’d realized he was just like every other asshole out there.
Only he wasn’t. He was so very different.
She pushed away that part of the memory and hung on to the rest. She reached for his hand. “Blake, I think we should talk.”

“I know. We should,” he said with a confident smile.

“I don’t want you to end things with me just because I can’t agree to get married right now.”

Blake set his sandwich down. “End things? Danica, after all we went through to be together, do you really think I’d end things, just like that?”

“But you want to get married.”

“No. I want to marry you. There’s a difference. But I don’t care if it’s next month or ten years from now. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her throat thickened.

He reached for both of her hands across the table and narrowed his serious eyes. “Danica Snow, stop worrying about silliness.”

She nodded vehemently, unable to find her voice.

“Alyssa and I were doing inventory today and we came across all these boxes of old files. Nothing too interesting, but something that I had forgotten all about. When we’d first opened the business together, we signed a pact.”

“A pact? This is about a pact with Dave?” Danica let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“Yes, and I know it sounds like we were twelve or something, but it’s not really that kind of pact. We didn’t know how well the business would do, or if we’d even like running the store, so we made a pact that in five years, if we weren’t having fun anymore, we’d sell the business.”

“Sounds reasonable. It’s been three years, right?” Danica had no idea what that had to do with her, though she was glad he was including her.

“Right, well, it got me thinking. I’ve been holding on to enough money to buy Dave out of the partnership, just in case he ever wanted out. And I finally got the courage to talk to Sally, because, you know, now that she’s had some time to think, we had to figure out what she wanted to do with her half of the store. I could buy her out, or she could remain as fifty-percent owner.”

Again, Danica wasn’t sure where he was going with the conversation, but at least where it was, it was heading away from the subject of marriage.

“She wants to remain fifty-percent owner.” Blake’s eyes locked on Danica’s. “So, now that I’m not buying her out, I thought maybe I’d hold on to it for a honeymoon. Whenever you’re ready, of course. But I know honeymoons are important to women, so I can assure you, we can go anywhere you want.” The gleam in Blake’s eyes told Danica how much this meant to him.

“That’s…wonderful,” she said, and wondered if he meant to quietly apply pressure, or if it was really just coincidental.
Stop thinking like a therapist!

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Yeah. You’re so thoughtful. You just blow me away sometimes. Are you sure there isn’t something else you want to buy? For yourself? For your store? I mean, I’m not like most women. That’s your money, Blake. You don’t need my permission to spend it, and I won’t be upset if you do.”

“I knew you’d say that. In the therapist side of your mind, which you deny exists, you’re wondering if I’m asking you about this so that if I do buy something else with it, you can’t be upset about the money not being there for an elaborate honeymoon.”

The more he accepted her little idiosyncrasies, the deeper she fell in love with him. He knew she wouldn’t want an elaborate honeymoon, or an expensive wedding. Hell, she didn’t even care if they lived in either his or her condominium for years to come. She only cared that they were together.
Where is he going with this?

“That’s not going to be an issue,” he continued. “You see, I knew you would care about the bigger picture rather than the little picture, so I did buy something.”

“Blake—”
Tell me you didn’t buy a ring, or pay for a honeymoon!

“Don’t worry. It’s not a honeymoon. But you did say you’d move in with me. One of the reasons I can always be honest with you is that you make sound decisions, and I trust your decisions.”

She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. His thick dark hair needed a trim. Its fullness made him look younger, more carefree. And when she shifted her gaze to his excited green eyes, she wanted to jump up and kiss him right then and there, before he even completed his thoughts.

 “You think things through and always give me clear, honest answers. I can count on that, the same way you can count on me never leaving you.”

The look Danica always dreamed of—the one where he looked at her like he couldn’t imagine ever looking at anyone else, like she was his total focus—made Danica’s stomach dip.
You’re too good to be true.

He reached for her hand. “Since you’re obviously not going to eat, let’s take these to go. I have something to show you.”

“This is great news!” Max jumped up from behind her desk and hugged Chaz. “You’ll own it all? So no more worries about Lea sneaking in?”

“Not if I go through with it.” Chaz had come into the office after meeting with Cooper, and as he looked around the small warehouse space, the walls stocked high with festival posters, yard signs, and other festival paraphernalia, he knew he was making the right decision.

“Can you afford to buy them both out? We’re always scraping by to make ends meet with the festival, Chaz. Where will you get the money?"

“Max—”

Max paced in her jeans shorts and T-shirt. “No, no, you’re right. This is none of my business.” She spun around with an ear-to-ear grin. “I’m just so happy for you!”

Chaz had to laugh at her enthusiasm. She looked so young with her black Converse and ponytail that he had to remind himself she wasn’t eighteen, but twentysomething. How could he not know how old she was? She’d worked with him long enough. He remembered her last birthday, but could not remember her age.
Strange
.

“How old are you Max?”

“Why, ’cause I act like a child?” She laughed.

“No. I just can’t remember.”

“That’s because I never told you.” She sat back down at her desk. “What about Lea?”

“Nice change of subject. What about her?”

“What happens now? She called you, so are you calling her back?”

Chaz sat across from her. “After everything we’ve been through, and what Cooper said? No way. You’ve got the sponsorships covered, right?”

“Almost,” she said. “We’re a little low, but I didn’t want to say anything because I thought a few more might come through.”

“Max.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get them. I went out on a limb and called some people and asked them to pull any strings they could.” Max picked up the phone to call another potential sponsor. “Give me time. I’ll get something.”

He saw the doubt in Max’s eyes, and as much as he hated it, if he had to dip into his trust fund, he’d do it to keep Lea out of their lives. He realized that he could have just used the money that he was using to buy out his partners to sponsor the festival, but that was money that he’d earmarked as a nest egg for security. With Kaylie in his life, he wanted that security, just in case the festival ever tumbled down around him. It gave him a bundle of cash that he’d earned and that wasn’t tied up in investments. Using that money for the partnership made much more sense than using it on sponsorships. Ownership was security.
Max will figure this out.
She always took care of things.

Max left a message and when she hung up, the message light flashed on the console. She called voicemail and noted the message. “Chaz!” She jumped up from her seat and ran to him. “Looks like we’ve got our sponsor!”

“Who is it? I thought I heard you leave a message.”

“I did. It’s not them. Take Enterprises? Do you know of them? I’m not sure who they are, but I’ll research them and then call them back. They want a banner.”

“A banner? That’s twenty grand. An unknown is giving us twenty grand? Make sure Lea’s not behind it.”

“Are you even going to give me a hint of where we’re going?” Danica asked as Blake pulled out of town. “Oh, damn, I forgot to call Camille.” She took out her cell phone and dialed Camille on speed dial. “Hey, sorry. I forgot to call back.”

Danica listened as Camille filled her in on who was attending the baby shower. She still would have liked to see Kaylie extend an olive branch to her mother at least once before the shower, but she could push only so hard.

“No cancellations? Kaylie’s going to be so surprised.” She smiled at Blake.

“Nope. Your mom called and she said she was not only coming, but also baking cookies to bring along. She’s so damn sweet. My mom would have brought the vodka.”

Danica laughed and thought of her mother’s recent advice. “Yeah, she’s sweet all right. She’s smart, too.”

“Rub it in, why don’t ya?” Camille joked.

“Sorry. What do we have left? What can I do?”

“Get her to the party on time. That’s it. Just that one little thing.”

“I can handle that. Hey, Camille, I really appreciate all you and the girls are doing. Please tell them I said thank you. I know I kinda left you guys hanging through all of this. I’ve been feeling so guilty because I’ve been too tied up with the No Limitz event to help out at all. I owe you big-time.”

“No need to feel guilty, but paybacks are hell, so be prepared.”

They said goodbye and Danica tucked her phone into her purse. “Hey, why are we headed toward Kaylie’s?”

Blake drove up the long mountain road toward Kaylie’s and Chaz’s chalet. “I have to get something. Do me a favor? There’s a file full of stuff I wanted to show you from the store. Can you grab it from the backseat?”

Danica turned around just as Blake turned down a narrow driveway, shaded on both sides by an umbrella of trees.

Danica reached to the floor behind her. “I can’t reach it.”

“Yes, you can. Just try.” Blake couldn’t stop grinning as the house came into view. A perfect stretch of lush green grass surrounded slate walkways leading around the little chalet-style home.

Danica threw her hands up and faced forward. “I can’t reach—where are we? Whose house is this?”

“I’ve gotta take a look at a set of antique skis, so come on. No one’s home. We’ll go around back and use the back door.”

“Blake, you can’t just traipse into someone else’s house. What do you have to look at?”

He was already halfway around the house. Danica looked up at the enormous windows. “Wow, someone loves nature.” She followed him down a stone path and around to the back of the house, where the blue sky met the tops of the trees that cascaded away from the house at a slight incline; wildflowers peppered the grassy lawn which met an artistically laid slate patio. Danica gasped at the beauty of it, and her concerns of traipsing on someone else’s property fell away. “It’s so serene. Look at those blooms.” She walked onto the lawn, her fingers trailing along a bed of wildflowers.

Blake stood back and watched her as she spun slowly around, her arms outstretched.

“Can you imagine what this would be like?” She pointed to two Adirondack chairs. “I can just see the owners sitting in those, looking out at the incredibly blue sky.”

Blake walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, watching Danica marvel at the view.

Danica turned on him. “Blake, get up. What if they come home?”

“What if they do?”

“Look at those skis and let’s go. I don’t want the owners to think we’re some sort of freaky squatters or something.”

Blake took the key from his key chain and opened the back door. “You’re such a goof. I have a key. Come on.”

Danica followed him inside. “Would you look at those wide planked floors? They must have cost a fortune.” She ran her finger along the smooth cherry wood of the bar to their right and then set her eyes upon the luxurious stone fireplace. “We shouldn’t be here,” she whispered. “Look.” She pointed to a bottle of champagne on ice and two wineglasses. “We’re interrupting something.”

Blake walked over and picked up a glass, filled it with champagne.

“What are you doing?” Danica shot a look at the stairs that led from the basement to the first floor and then glanced back at the open glass doors.

Blake put the slim stemware in her hand and wrapped his hand around hers. “You’re always worried about Kaylie, and now that she’s having a baby—”

“What? Blake, can’t we talk about this in your car?” She spotted antique skis hanging above the fireplace. “Are those the skis? Look, do what you have to do, and let’s go.”

Blake tried to quell his smile. “Danica, they’re my skis. I had them at the shop.”

Danica blinked as understanding set in. “Blake? Blake. What’s going on?”

“Welcome home,” he said.

“Home?”
He bought a house. A house. Blake bought a house. For us
. She didn’t know whether to jump for joy or run for the hills.

Blake must have read her contemplation. “Don’t get all freaked out. No pressure to get married. I’ll wait forever, but with Kaylie having a baby, I know you’ll be checking on her all the time, and why drive all the way back into town?”

“Wait, is this the house by Kaylie’s?”

His Cheshire cat grin told her everything she needed to know.

“You’ll be a mile away from Kaylie.”

The trembling started in her legs and slithered like a snake up her middle, down her arms, and finally, up her neck, to her lower lip. “Blake,” she whispered.
Can this even be possible? Is anyone really this romantic?

“Do you like it? I know it’s kind of impulsive, but we can afford it. It’s the same monthly payment as your condo and my condo together.”

“You want me to…”

“No, not sell your condo. Rent it. I know you need time for things, Danica. I know you like to process and mull things over, and selling your condo would mean a real commitment, bigger than a house even. It would leave you no escape route.”

“I don’t escape. That’s Kaylie.”

“Okay, that was unfair, but still. It makes it harder to leave if you give it up. You’d have no place to go if things didn’t work out, and I know you like to have backup plans, so keep it. Keep the condo. I can afford the house payment on my own. I want us to have a place of our own. Not something filled with our pasts. Danica, I want to build a life with you.” He took the stemware from her hands and pulled her in close. “If you hate it, we can stay in the condo. I just put a down payment on it. It’s not really ours yet, and if you hate it, we won’t buy it. But you’d be a mile from your sister, and you can decorate it however you want.”

“However we want.”

“However we want.” He searched her eyes for an answer.

She took his face between her hands, the stubble on his cheeks tickling her palms. “Blake Carter.” Words didn’t feel big enough for what she felt. She felt full. Heart, mind, and soul completely one hundred percent, full. She lifted up on her toes and laid her lips on his, kissing him until he kissed her back. She felt herself opening up to him with new depth in a way she’d never before experienced. She didn’t weigh the pros and cons. She didn’t think about Kaylie or her reaction. She didn’t think at all. She pulled back from him, and with the sweet taste of him still on her lips, she said, “Thank you. Thank you for our house.”