CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Helia glanced out the window as the first of the supplemental kitchen staff arrived, folks whose sole job was to ensure the food made it from the kitchen to the staging area. From there, the waitstaff would deliver it to the table and be the face of Sundaram for the partygoers, her and her parents lingering in the background in case anything needed troubleshooting.
Returning her focus to the inventory, paying bills, and placing orders, the familiar sounds of Sundaram coming to life for an event played like a comforting symphony in the background.
An hour later, a burst of laughter floated up the stairs as she shut the computer down, making her smile. They had great contract waitstaff, many of whom had worked for Sundaram for years. They might be joking and teasing now, but they’d be the epitome of professional when the guests arrived.
Rising from her seat, she leaned against the edge of the window. At three in the afternoon, the sun still hung in the blue sky, although this time of the year, the light felt soft and quiet, as if holding its breath for night to fall.
Her parents crossed the courtyard to the supply shed, the sight of her mom reminding her of their earlier conversation.She hadn’t made a list of the organizations she worked with yet, and she pulled her device to open the notes app, only to find two missed messages. One from her mom reminding her to drop off a few items to the accountant in town that she’d promised to take care of before the holidays. The second from Collin asking her to call him when she had a chance. She frowned at the time stamp, three hours ago. She’d had her phone on silent and missed it.
Helia:Sorry I missed your text, set my phone to silent then forgot
Collin:No problem, wanted to see when you might be back? I can come get you when you’re done for the day
She’d gone seventeen years without seeing him. Six hours wasn’t even a blip.
Helia:I have to head into town to drop off some paperwork. Come with me and maybe we can grab a quick bite before I have to be back at Sundaram?
Just because shecouldgo six hours without seeing him didn’t mean she had to.
Collin:I’m in town now, grocery shopping. Meet you after your errand at that coffee shop south of town by the grocery store. Don’t remember the name
At this time on a Friday, it would take her forever to get south of town.
Helia:Can you venture back north? I need to wrap up a few things, then I’ll head out. That will give you time to finish your shopping and then we’ll both be closer to home
She sent the message, then followed up with a link to a small café far enough from the crowds that they’d be able to get a table.
Collin:Deal, see you then
She closed out the thread, then sent a quick note to her mom that she was going into town to drop the file and asking if they needed anything. When her mom replied in the negative, shegrabbed the financial documents and exited her office, locking the door behind her.
She waved to the servers as she made her way through the building, stopping to talk with a few. By the time she made it to her little house, she’d almost forgotten what she’d come home to the night before. But seeing evidence of the new security cameras brought her to a halt. The cameras weren’t installed yet, but a ladder lay against the house, and either Dulcie or Collin had started pulling the electrical lines.
Some of her anxiety eased knowing they’d been there. They would have searched the house when they arrived. Maybe when they left, too. Although it wasn’t so much the prospect of someone jumping out of her closet that made her hesitate, it was the memory of the night before—that powerful, ugly beastie.
With a shake of her head, she forced herself to step forward, open the door, and walk in. Not giving herself any time to think about who else might have been in her space, she jogged up the stairs. Mechanically, she went through her drawers, gathering a few more items to take to the castle. Even once the security system was installed, she didn’t plan to stay at home, not unless Collin stayed with her. She didn’t know how much time they had together, and she had no intention of wasting any of it.
Well, that wasn’t exactly true, she thought as she tossed her hair care products into her bathroom kit. They’d have the time they made together, but she didn’t know what that time would look like. The distance between their respective homes and businesses was a real thing, not a hurdle that would simply fade away because it was inconvenient to their feelings for each other. Whatever happened between them would have to be a conscious, active decision on their part—one that involved compromise.
A heavy thought, but she’d rather mullthatover than think about the break-in. And by the time she grew bored ofruminating on the possibilities for her future with Collin, she’d packed her bag and was headed to her car.
Twenty minutes later, she handed the documents over to the company’s CPA and walked back out into the crisp late-afternoon air. Far enough away from the main part of town not to be filled with holiday tourist crowds, locals still browsed the shops and filled the cafés and restaurants.
Smiling at the festive atmosphere, she made her way toward the café to meet Collin. A family with two kids—twins—on push-trikes passed by, and she scooted closer to the building on her left, a high-end men’s shaving goods shop. A few products for women dotted the window display, too, but the men’s called to her. A familiar laugh pulled her focus in another direction, and Helia scanned the crowd. Standing at the door of a café, talking to a man Helia didn’t recognize, was Kelly. Judging by the way she held her coat and a small to-go bag, they’d finished eating. Who knew which direction she’d head after saying goodbye, but Helia had no desire to run into her.
Double-checking the time, she ducked into the shop to have a look around, killing two birds with one stone. In the next few minutes, Kelly would pass by, or she’d head the other way. Either way, Helia would dodge herandhave a chance to find a gift for Collin. Christmas was only a few days away, and while she and Collin hadn’t talked about where they’d be or what they’d do for the holiday, she wanted to get him a present.
She wandered around the shop, half the size of its neighbors, reading labels, smelling products, and chatting with the guy behind the counter. Ten minutes later, she had a beard brush, some balm, and a conditioner in a small bag. She liked the scent, and the employee assured her it would soften Collin’s beard. It didn’t need softening, but since she planned to get up close and personal with that beard, she figured it was a present for them both.
With the sun behind the western mountains, the temperature had dropped, and she tugged her beanie down lower as she stepped back outside. She only wore her puffer vest, but at least her hair provided another layer of warmth across her back.
Dodging around a couple holding hands, she rounded the corner toward the café to see Collin striding down the street from the opposite direction. She paused and watched him, his long legs eating the ground, the purposeful way he moved, shoulders back, eyes alert. Hot as hell. She thought about the first day she’d seen him back, the way she’d jumped into his arms and how easily he’d held her.
He caught sight of her and lifted a hand, pulling her from the sexy thoughts forming in her head involving him holding her—against a wall, in the shower, really, the options were limitless. She smiled and waved. Forgetting the bag hanging from her wrist, it banged against her forearm just as a sting poked her in the side.
She jerked, more from the possibility of a bug crawling under her clothes than from the actual pain. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, she fluttered it, hoping whatever was inside took the opportunity to flee. She really didn’t want to strip off her clothes in the middle of Napa, but the idea of a spider crawling all over her had her considering the option.
