Moving into the room, she smiled, “It’s more than okay, you know that.”
Wow, she makes even a lab coat look sexy, he thought.
“You’re looking pretty good in that lab coat, Ms. Genovese. Like a sexy scientist.”
She paused, then pulled the pencil from her bun, shaking her hair out, giving him a smile that was warm and wicked in equal measure.
Holy Hell - that was hot - like some kind of 1980s video vixen.
Moving slowly across the room, Bella came to a stop between Jack’s legs, reaching out to take his face in her hands, then leaned in, kissing him.
Jack wrapped his arms around, returning her passion with his own, when he felt Bella lean into him more, deliberately pressing him back against the desk.
Wait? Is this happening? Are we about to make love on the top of her desk? OMG - we are! This is like one of my fantasies come to life!
Much later, lying still, Jack thought:No, that was better than any fantasy could ever be.
The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing at home, puttering about the house, lounging by the pool, and walking the dogs. With so much of their time both spent with otherpeople, they had learned to hoard their alone time like dragons with gold. Jack caught a short flight to Houston late Sunday night, as NASA required him bright and early Monday morning, and the girls were due back from camp the following weekend. School would start up shortly after Labor Day, so that meant the weekend would be spent doing last minute school shopping.
As he let himself into the house, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, indicating a text message. It was from Bella.
Captain Calloway?
Yes Ms. Genovese?
You can step into my office anytime you like, followed by a winky face emoji.
Grin on his face, he headed to the kitchen for a cool glass of water before heading to bed.
Back at Bella Pelle on Monday morning, the reaction to Stelle di Mare was immediate. Jerome and Carrie had loved the fragrance she'd come up with for the new body balm and adored the name.
"So evocative," Carrie said.
Jerome's eyes had gone wide, his mind already racing — he could already see it: a cobalt blue tin with an enameled Amalfi coastline across the lid.
By the end of the meeting, they'd signed off on the formula, excited to launch the following spring as a companion to Astra Seta.
September came and went and all of a sudden, it was October. True to her word, Bella had met up with the Hansens while in San Diego, meeting them for lunch at the Hotel del Coronado. They gave her a mini tour afterwards, driving pastNAS North Island where she could see helicopters taking off and an aircraft carrier in port.
This is where Jack will come after he returns from the moon.
From there they drove in silence to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma, where Susan had been laid to rest — she had been eligible as the spouse of a veteran. It was beautiful and peaceful, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Bella took the bouquet she'd brought from the car and hung back, letting the Hansens have a moment alone at the gravesite. After a few minutes Wendy turned and gently beckoned her over. Bella approached while Bill and Wendy quietly stepped back.
She knelt and gently laid the bouquet of pink and white gladiolus — Jack had told her they were Susan's favorites. He hadn't told her what to write on the card, so she had written simply:With love forever — Jack, Piper, and Sloane.
“Hi Susan - can I call you Susan? It’s me, Bella. I hope it’s okay that I’m here - if not, give me a sign and I'll go.” Bella waited. Nothing. She continued.
“Jack and the girls miss you - they will be coming to visit soon. They love and miss you so much. I wanted you to know how grateful I am that they came into my life. I will never take your place - I don’t want to, but I'd like to love them and take care of them — for as long as they'll let me. I promise I will always be there. Well, I guess that’s it really. Is that okay with you?” Bella saw a flutter from the corner of her eye - a Monarch butterfly, drifting lazily before settling gently on the gladiolus. Bella smiled and she knew.
“Thank you,” she said, pulling a small rock from her pocket and leaving it on the headstone.
Turning, she saw Wendy and Bill watching, wiping tears from their eyes.
“That was beautiful, Bella. Truly,” Wendy said softly.
Bella squeezed her hand. “Thank you for bringing me here to visit.”
