“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I’ll wait for you to lock up then go.” He turned and left, video in hand.
* * *
Rena didn’t know what had just happened. All she’d wanted was a sincere apology for overstepping. Period. But Axel hadn’t been sincere. He’d been annoyed with her, a first in their new relationship. But just to leave with a quietI’m sorry? No discussion?
She locked up the back and saw him sitting in his truck by her car. She didn’t bother saying anything, and neither did he.
Their little fight felt odd. No yelling or theatrics, nothing like the drama her mother would have engaged in. It was as if an icy blanket had smothered the flames of their connection, leaving her on the outs. Still, the big overstepper followed her home and watched her enter her locked townhome before leaving.
Huh. What to make of that?
* * *
Two days of silence later, she sat with Chi-Chi, her doggie buddy she’d decided to foster until someone could find the little guy a home, and watched mindless television while her brain raced. She and Axel had never fought. This period of quiet between them would be a good indicator of how he handled conflict.
Which wasn’t to say he’d been totally absent the past two days. He’d been waiting in her lot while she opened and was there to watch her close. And he’d left two more gifts on her front step.
A small box of liquor-infused chocolates that had almost made her hurl and a pretty little bunny frame with his picture in it. That she kept at the office, aware the Easter-themed frame had nothing to do with the gorgeous—and stubborn—man inside it but understanding his little rabbit reference.
To date, that was her favorite present.
She grabbed a new book from a pile and started reading. But after rereading the same page for the twentieth time, she put the book down and pulled out her laptop.
After catching up on some book blogs and Facebook, she still found no satisfaction. About to close everything and go to bed early, she almost missed a message from Abby, of all people. Abby, the famous romance author, was also Del’s sister-in-law.
You know this man?!?!?
Confused, Rena clicked on the link and saw the picture of Axel taken after his haircut.
Then her phone beeped. The same text from Abby. The phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Oh my God. Answer your messages!” Abby sounded shrill.
“Abby?”
“Do you know the bearded Adonis or what?”
“Um, yes.”He’s my angry boyfriend, I think.“Why?”
“He’s viral!”
“What?” Axel wasn’t diseased, he was…oh. “Wait. Why?”
“Click on this.” A new Facebook message popped up with a link. When she clicked on it, she saw that nearly 500,000 people had liked his picture, with comments fromhe’s so sexytowhere can I get my own Viking?to the more extremewhat I’d do with himdescriptions. She cringed at a few of the more overly graphic ones.
“Where did these come from?” she asked Abby.
“I saw it on Instagram. I think one of your stylists posted this picture a few days ago, and it’s taken off. I mean, this guy is drool-worthy, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. A friend of mine shared it to her romance reader group. So of course she tagged me to see it, and I recognized your salon. I have to meet this man!”
“Aren’t you married?”
“Rena, do not play with me! He’s got to be my next cover model! Come on. Can’t you see him on the cover of my new MC series?”
“I thought you didn’t like motorcycle club romances.”
“I don’t. He’d be an undercover DEA agent or something riding a motorcycle. But he’d look like that.”
