“Yes, that does sound good.”
It would be wonderful to take her out in the evenings and indulge her.She’d need some new outfits first, of course, but then, we both would.
“And the décor looks pleasing,” she continued, evidently buoyed by my positive feedback.“I like the clean black and white styling of the interior.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, little girl.”I smiled as she met my eyes, her gaze bewildered.“For when we have somewhere of our own.It’s nice to hear what styles you like.”
“Oh.”Releasing the cup, she tucked her hair behind her ear.“Yes.”
“And the bedrooms?”I prompted, already knowing the details but enjoying her overview.
“There are two,” she started.
“I hope you’re not planning on separate bedrooms.”I smirked.“I think it’s a little late for modesty.”
“No, Sir,” she whispered, seemingly conscious that the patrons at other tables might have overheard.
Glancing around, I had news for her.None of the other visitors to the quiet café looked even vaguely interested in our upcoming plans, although the guy sitting at the next table smiled from over the top of his newspaper as we made eye contact.
“I just mean the place has some space.”
“For all our furniture, you mean?”I couldn’t resist playing with her and chuckled at her exasperated expression.“Caroline, it’s perfect.Why don’t you go ahead and book?”
“Me?”She sounded stunned, as though I’d suggested she crawl across the ceiling upside down.
“Yes, you.”I slid the phone across the wooden table in her direction.
“I guess I’m still not used to doing things.”She blew out a breath.“It’s going to take some getting used to.”
“Nonsense,” I chided gently.“You used to do things for me all the time.”I winked at her, remembering all those dark and delicious orders I’d so enjoyed giving.“And anyway, this is a fresh start, remember?”
Lips curling, she reached for the phone, but as I produced the bank account details from my pocket, her smile faltered.
“What is it?”I knew her expressions, and the one currently painting her face didn’t bode well.
“I just thought...we won’t be able to pay for this with a bank transfer.”Her shoulders fell.“Airbnb needs a credit or a debit card.”
“Ah.”That was going to be a problem since the bank would take days to produce one, and as of that moment, we had no address for them to send one to.
“Shit.”Her brows knitted.“What are we going to do?We have all this money and nowhere to stay.”
“It’s okay,” I soothed, though I wasn’t sure how I was going to find a solution, and with the morning bleeding into the afternoon, we urgently needed somewhere safe to stay.
“Verzeihung.”
I turned as the man from the table beside us interrupted our conversation.
“Yes?”The rising stress meant my tone was terser than I’d intended it to be.
“Excuse the intrusion.”He placed his newspaper down on the table before him.“I couldn’t help but overhear some of your predicament, and I wonder if I can help.”
My pulse accelerated at his admission.Caroline and I hadn’t been talking about anything confidential, and I didn’t think we’d done anything to identify our pasts, but it was still disconcerting to hear she’d been right.The innocuous man with the broadsheet had overheard what we were saying.
“How can you help?”
It was Caroline who answered him, and peering her way, I was once again surprised at the way she kept her composure.With no credit card and only one forged passport, we were staring down the barrel of a night on the streets, yet her chin rose, and her voice was steady as she spoke.
“I own a number of properties available for short-term let off Seestrasse,” the stranger continued.“And I’d be happy to accept cash for one if you wanted to lease it.”
