Fable inhales sharply before her eyes meet mine, her lips parting ever so slightly. “We can wait till Monday. I wanted to sit down and have a meeting too.”
I shrug, pushing off the table. “I’m not busy now. I can show you around, and then we can do business on Monday.”
All eyes fall on her, but her eyes stay locked with mine. “Are you really going to sit down with me, or would you rather throw a fit?”
Little sassy ass. I fight back the smile, crossing my arms over my chest. “I was caught off guard, just as you were.”
“Doesn’t mean your behavior was acceptable.”
I swallow, licking my lips. “Want an apology, ice princess?”
“No,” she says. “I want a chance to make something great. With you.”
With you.
Her words are like a pinball bouncing around in my head as I hold her gaze. I don’t think hersomething greatand mine align, but fuck me sideways if I don’t wish they did.
Damn it, am I really thinking I want to ask for my something great?
What would she say if I just came clean and told her how badly I want her?
A lump forms in my throat as I nod, brushing my fingers along the hair on my jaw to keep from grinning at her like a fool. “I can make that happen.”
Fable doesn’t hide her excitement. It’s all over her face, her eyes bright and sparkling as she wiggles out of her chair. She grabs her beer before coming up beside me. She has her head tipped back, looking up at me, and I can’t help but take in every single one of her curves and wish like hell I could grab ahold of them.
Thankfully, before I do something stupid like that, she says, “Good. Then show me around, pretty boy.”
And just like that, I’m reminded how much I love being her pretty boy.
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
The Belles
“I still can’t believe Phillip did that,” Bea announces as she and the Belles watch Jett and Fable walk out of the rink. Even with her annoyance, she can’t help but notice how close they walk together, their arms almost brushing with each step.
Dotheyknow how close they are?
Or about the smitten look that Jett only wears around her?
Or the reserved but longing look Fable wears?
With guilt all over her face, Kitty says, “I know. I feel so damn bad, but he wrote me a note and said that he felt that, this way, JT will have an even more thriving business once the year is up. His intention was to help JT.”
Hazel nods. “We know,” she says, patting Kitty’s hand. “We just hate seeing him upset.”
“He loves this place,” Maggie adds, her eyes still trained on the kids. “But she has always meant more.”
They watch through the doors as Jett shows Fable the birthday rooms. Fable looks up at him with such awe in her eyes, like she is memorizing his face. Fable has always been the kindof girl to cower in on herself. That’s her parents’ doing since they never let the girl shine like she was supposed to.
She doesn’t cower around Jett, though.
“So much time has passed,” Hazel mutters.
“Yet they still look so good together,” Bea says.
In a low voice, Kitty adds, “Phillip knew how much she means to him.”