"Ugh," Juliet grumbled, but I could see she was hiding a grin. "Sounds kinky when you say it like that."
Eileen picked up a dish towel and flicked it at her. Juliet jumped down from the counter and headed for the coffee machine while Eileen put a large plate piled high with toast on the table and returned to the stove. Juliet poured her coffee and took the seat opposite mine.
"So where do we go from here?" she asked, completely unconcerned by Eileen's presence in the kitchen. "Are we an official couple now?"
"You mean like Facebook official?"
"Oh, hell no, I am not posting my relationship status for the world to comment on. I mean, do you see us as a couple?"
"Of course."
"So what happens when Kane is dealt with? Do we — do I go back to L.A.?"
"Like hell you will," Eileen blustered from across the kitchen. "We didn't put all that effort into planning our supper club just for you to go swanning off to the city."
Juliet laughed. "I didn't plan to dump that on you. I just thought I would go back to representing my family's business during the week and come out here at the weekends to help make the meals."
"And drive back and forth, all the way from Los Angeles?" Eileen came and slammed the pan of scrambled eggs downon the table, her disapproval obvious. "Not bloody likely. You can't…"
Though I was pleased my aunt cared enough about Juliet to become impassioned about the future, this was something Juliet and I needed to sort out. I held up a hand to silence her. "Eileen, I've got this. Why don't you enjoy your breakfast on the porch this morning?"
My aunt huffed but took the hint. She loaded a plate with eggs and toast, grabbed a knife and fork, and headed outside.
"I'm sorry about her."
Juliet shook her head. "Don't be. It's nice to know she cares."
I nodded, glad that Juliet could see Eileen meant well.
"So going back to L.A. and working for your family again. Is that what you want to do?"
"No," Juliet admitted.
"Then stay here with me. Run your supper club with Eileen and see what develops from there."
"Okay." Juliet reached for a slice of toast. She buttered it and then took a large bite. "If you're happy for me to do that, I'll stay."
"I'm more than happy. I don't want the woman I love to spend so much time away from me." I helped myself to some toast and spooned a heap of scrambled egg onto my plate. "There's been some news on the Kane front."
"Oh?" Juliet set down the piece of toast she was eating to give me her full attention.
"The woman Scott found in Chicago is willing to tell her story. Things are moving along nicely."
She nodded slowly. She picked up her coffee cup and set it down again. I watched her process the information.
"How long will it be before we can go public with what we know?"
"Not long. Days, rather than months, I think."
"Good and my mother? Do we know any more about her involvement with him?"
"Scott is looking into it."
"Good." The tension in her shoulders eased. "I should call my mom. Not yet, but soon. She needs to know I'm not coming back."
"But?"
"But I want to enjoy us for a while before she starts demanding to know every detail."
