Before them was the empty shop she’d pointed out that first afternoon.
He dug into the interior pocket of his great coat, then held up a key like a magician revealing his trick. “Would you do the honors, milady?”
Though her eyes sparkled with curiosity barely held at bay, she hesitated the slenderest of seconds, searching his gaze. Then she accepted the key and twisted it in the lock. A few seconds later, they were stepping into the empty shop. It wasn’t a large space, but it didn’t need to be for Tilly’s purposes.
Rhys closed the door and propped a shoulder against it while he watched her slowly navigate the space. She’d gone quiet, and he wasn’t sure what to make of a quiet Tilly. But when she turned and met his gaze from the middle of the floor, he knew she wasn’t about to be silent for long.
“Rhys,” she said, “what is this?”
“It’s your Christmas gift, Tilly.”
“I don’t understand.”
But he thought she did—and was too afraid to believe in what was so plainly apparent before her. She’d been disappointed by life—by men—before.
Well, not today and not him—ever.
“Do you remember the day we walked past this shop?” he asked.
“Aye.”
“Do you remember what you said?”
“I’m not sure.” A bemused laugh escaped her. “I had a multitude of things to say that day.”
He smiled, and with that smile came a subtle release of tension and, perhaps, a budding of hope. “You said an entrepreneurial spirit could make something of it.”
Her gaze locked fast onto his, she nodded.
“That entrepreneurial spirit is you, Tilly.”
“But I…” A trace of panic skittered behind her eyes. “I’m not ready. I still have fifteen years.”
“Your time is now,” he said, firm, almost commanding. “You’re ready.”
“But this…” She indicated the shop around them. “I’ll owe you for this.”
“I have a solution for that.”
“Oh?”
“Cut me in.”
A vertical line appeared between her eyebrows. “Cut you in?”
“Let me be your business partner.”
She blinked. “My business partner?”
Rhys steeled himself. He’d practiced this part—in front of a mirror. “The thing is, Tilly, before I met you, I never had a dream of my own. But I like your dream. I believe in your dream. And I would like to share in it.” Before she could protest, he continued making his case, “You would be, undeniably, the talent in this enterprise, but I have certain qualities I can bring to the partnership.”
She tipped her head to the side and crossed her arms over her chest. Was that a smile twitching about her mouth? “Such as?”
“Well, I was able to get us the lease on this shop.”
“Fair play.”
“And there’s the Lord before my name,” he said, honestly. “It will help.”
