He got suddenly busy mashing the inside of his baked potato with his fork. “Have you gotten your sight back?”
“I have,” she said.
“I hope so,” was all he said in return.
Prince Pumpkin insisted on paying for the meal, reminding her that she was unemployed.
“Okay, how about I pay for lattes and blueberry scones tomorrow then?” she offered.
“It’s a deal,” he said.
As they drove home, she couldn’t help wondering if he’dtry to kiss her. She wanted him to. After all, they were starting over. Shouldn’t they seal the bargain with a kiss? Yet he made no move to.
“You could kiss me good night, you know,” she said.
“I could,” he agreed.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
He leaned across her and opened her door. “Waiting to make sure this is real.”
“It is,” she assured him.
But she didn’t press. When it came to sowing humiliation all around her, she’d done plenty—and she had no desire to reap any more that night. Maybe, at some point, he’d see that she really had changed. There was no hurry. It wasn’t as though she had a job to rush back to after the holidays.
Her father and Cole were in the den watchingAlien vs. Predator, a cheery little holiday movie, and Mom and Erika were at the kitchen table playing gin rummy.
“How did it go?” Erika asked.
“Great. We’re having coffee tomorrow.”
“Lucky you,” said Erika.
“Yes, lucky me,” Darby agreed.
“It’s nice to see you two connecting again,” Mom said.
Way more than nice.
She went up to her room, pulled out her journal, and wrote:
I feel like a deflated balloon that just got a fresh shot of helium. Forgiveness is the most amazing gift anyone can give you. Nothing in Santa’s bag of goodies can top it!
When Darby and Gregory arrived at Brewed Awakenings the next day, Janice had a smile for Gregory, but she looked less than thrilled to see Darby returning to her coffee shop. She cheerfully filled his order and silently handed Darby hers.
Here was a bridge that had not only burned but also completely washed away. There was no time like the present to haul in some more lumber and get to work.
“I see you’re not busy now,” Darby began.
That hadn’t been the best way to begin. Oh, yes, she was so good with words.
Janice stiffened. “We just had our rush.”
“That’s what I figured. So, I’m hoping, since you’re in between customers, you could spare a couple of minutes to talk.” Right there, in front of Gregory. Pretty humiliating, but he wasn’t going to hear anything new. He’d seen her past behavior.
Janice looked like she’d rather be doused with scalding coffee than chat with Darby. “So talk.”
Darby got right to the point. “I owe you an apology. Well, more like a few hundred, really.” She could feel Gregory staring at her, feel that heat of a blush running up her neck again.
