He bends down, his lips near my ear. “Yes, chef.”
“Well, I guess I found a new praise kink,” I utter, trying to suppress my laugh.
His lips leave my ear and trail below on my neck while he says it over and over. I can feel my knees weaken and my body screaming for him. I raise my shoulder to cover my neck and let out a laugh.
“Rowan, not here.”
“Mmm, fine.” He groans into my ear. He stands up straight and nods to Riley and Hailey in greeting.
“Here, take this,” Riley tells him, handing him a white bag filled with desserts. “This is for your dad and Amy. Do not steal any of this. It’s only for them.” She points. “Ellie, go have fun. Hailey and I can handle it from here.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind staying.”
“Rowan, take your woman and go,” Riley commands.
“Aye, aye captain.” He takes the bag, and we walk over to where his dad and Amy are.
They’re standing in front of a table where there is homemade jewelry spread across the table. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings. I scan over everything; all the sparkles and pretty colors draw me in like a moth to a flame.
“Look at these, aren’t they beautiful?” Amy asks, showing me a pair of amethyst stone earrings.
“Oh, wow, those are gorgeous,” I say.
“Do you really like them?” She hands them to me so I can look closer. The little purple crystals glimmer in the sunshine. If you turn them directly toward the light, you can see the different shades of purple that run through the stone.
“This is actually my birthstone color.” I hand them back to her with a smile.
“Oh? When is your birthday?”
“It’s in February.” I smile.
“Well, then.” She walks to the other side of the table where a woman is sitting, creating more jewelry while everyone looks around at the products. “Hello, I’d like to buy this, please.”
The woman looks up and smiles at her, quickly setting down what was in her hands and getting a small box ready. When I realize what’s happening, I walk to Amy.
“Are you getting those for yourself?” I ask curiously.
“I’m getting them for you, darling,” she tells me sweetly.
“Oh, you don’t need to do that.”
“I want to. As a thank you. I see the way you’ve helped Rowan. Not just with his dad but with a lot of things. He told your dad so much about you when you guys came over. He is absolutely in love with you, and it just makes me so happy that he has someone like you in his life.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat, fighting the tears that are creeping up on me. I’ve only spoken to Amy a few times since we first met, and she’s the sweetest person I’ve come to know. She welcomed both me and Rowan with open arms. No judgment, no questions.
“Thank you,” I tell her quietly.
“Of course.” She turns to me and hands me the small box. I see her arms open, and she gestures for a hug. I take in her embrace.
When we pull back, she looks at me and asks, “Are you coming to dinner with us tonight?”
“Oh, uh, maybe. What time are you guys going to eat?”
Amy looks at her watch and then goes back to me. “In about three hours. Do come. I would love for you to join us.”
“Okay, that sounds great.”
* * *
