“Yeah. It’s exciting and scary at the same time. I love working for myself though. I miss the guys at Ray’s, but not working those hours.”
“The guys?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes, ignoring a tingle of warmth at his jealousy.
He sighed. “Well, you can always go back for a beer with me if you want.”
“Only with you?”
Axel shifted in his seat. “I meant I’d go with you. If you wanted. You don’t have to go with me, of course.”
She grinned. “Relax. I’m giving you a hard time on purpose.”
“Minx.”
She started. “Did you just call me a minx? Have the 1940s come back when I wasn’t looking?”
“Was?” he asked in German.
“That means ‘what,’ right?”
“Yes. I make a German out of you yet.” He chuckled and murmured something in German she didn’t understand.
“What did you say?”
“You’ll just have to learn enough to find out.” He stood and cleared their plates. “No, no. You sit. You are a guest.”
“If you keep spoiling me, I’ll never leave.” It surprised her to learn she meant it.
Though she’d been attracted to Axel for a long time, she never could have guessed he’d be fun and charming. Or that he could talk so much! They’d been having real conversations, so much more than the one or two sentences he’d share at Ray’s. Even better, his conversation had been personal, not just about sports or the weather. Thank God.
He returned to her with a glass of wine. “This is a nice after-dinner wine to go with a present for you.”
She warmed. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Ja.I did.” He walked to the coffee table and brought back a pink envelope and a box that looked suspiciously like chocolates. “Open this,bitte.”
Rena loved gifts and always had. But she tried not to show it because she didn’t want to be seen as mercenary. Her cousins had teased her mercilessly while growing up about her addiction to wrapping paper. Heck, Axel could have gotten her a roll of toilet paper. It was the unveiling of the surprise that triggered her happy place.
She started for the card, but he pushed the package at her.
“That first.”
Happy to oblige, she opened the box to find a twenty-eight-piece box of truffles from one of her favorite chocolate shops in Queen Anne—Chocolopolis. And they weren’t cheap. “Oh, Axel. This is amazing. You shouldn’t have.”
He looked anxious. “You like this?”
“Yes, I do.” She reached across the table to take his hand and squeeze. “Thank you. Do you want one?”
“Maybe after.” He swallowed, and she realized he was nervous. “Open this one.”
She frowned at the envelope, wondering why he seemed so anxious. Not wasting any time, she opened and read the card. It had hearts all over the front. “You make my heart glow,” she read and smiled at him. “Cute. I love the hearts.” Then she opened it up. It was blank but for one line:Be My Valentine.
“Axel?”
“I mean this. I want you to be mine.” He paused. “My valentine.”
Her heart sped up, confusion, longing, and more confusion setting in. “What does this mean?”
