White Chocolate Moments (27 page)

"I think so." Arcineh slanted a look at him. My aunt tells me I'm supposed to snap you up."

Gage laughed softly before saying, "Remind me to thank her:'

Arcineh looked at him for a long moment. If she doubted the interest she thought she might have noticed in his eyes, she doubted no longer. Gage did nothing to hide his attraction, his gaze taking in every detail of her face and hair before settling back on her eyes.

She looked away before saying, "I don't think you know what you'd be getting yourself into. I'm damaged goods--rather broken right now:'

"All of us would have to say that," Gage countered. "But I come with extra Band-Aids:'

Arcineh turned again to look at him and then couldn't pull her eyes away. It was a remarkably kind and romantic thing to say. She would have questioned him about it or just gone on looking into his eyes if Tiffany hadn't returned. That lady walked into the room, her voice alone demanding everyone's attention.

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"I wasn't going to do this right now," Quinn began. She was nursing Megan and had caught Arcineh alone after lunch. "I mean, I was going to write to you and not try this in person, but you're here and I want to say I'm sorry. I treated you so badly when all you wanted was my friendship, and I'm sorry, Arcie. I can't tell you how sorry I am:'

"Why did you, Quinn?" Arcineh asked. "What was it about me that you hated?"

"I think I was just jealous and insecure to begin with, and then I saw you having Grandpa to yourself all the time. It didn't have anything to do with you--there was enough of him to go around--but I didn't see it that way at the time:'

"Sam told me you'd talked to him about it:"

"He really didn't know," Quinn said with a small shake of her head. "He really thought that you were as much to blame as I was. I was sick when I realized what I'd done. All the lies I'd told. When you left, I never dreamed you'd stay away. Grandpa was angry at first, but then he began to miss you. For a while I was even threatened by that, but then the months went by and I missed you too. Your leaving was supposed to take care of all my problems, but it didn't come close. And then when you didn't come back for all those years, I knew I had to tell Sam how bad it had been. Did you call a few times?" Quinn suddenly asked.

"Yes:'

"I knew it. At first I was glad you hung up, but then I wanted to talk to you. I tried dialing that call-back number, but I must have written the number down wrong because it never worked:'

"It wouldn't have done any good," Arcineh admitted. "I was angry for a long time:'

"I don't expect you to just get over it, Arcie," Quinn knew she had to add. "It's not that easy. But I did want you to know how much I regret my actions:'

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"Thank you:' Arcineh said, not sure what the correct reply might

be.

An awkward silence fell on them just then. Arcineh didn't want to talk about it anymore, but she didn't know how to change the subject.

"Do you want to hold her now?" Quinn asked, done with nursing.

Arcineh nodded, taking the one-month-old baby in her arms, glad that no other words were needed. The silence was no longer uncomfortable. Both women were content to sit and watch the baby sleep.

Arcineh actually enjoyed her day. Her Uncle Jeremy was perfectly delighted to see her and made the same assumption as Quinn had that Gage and Arcineh were a couple. Tiffany was just the same, gossiping about this and that, but unlike the past, Sam and Quinn never commented or argued with her.

And Gage was simply constant. He stayed fairly close to Arcineh but didn't act as though no one else was in the room. The ride home was much more relaxed, and the three of them talked.

"I'll walk you to your door:' Gage offered when Sam pulled back up to the apartment building.

"All right. Thanks, Sam."

"You're welcome. I'll come by tomorrow and get you for lunch." "Okay. Is it all right if I bring more laundry?"

Sam sent her off with "You don't even need to ask."

Gage opened Arcineh's door and then walked behind her to her apartment. Arcineh didn't get her key out but turned to look at the man, not sure what to say. Gage knew exactly what he wanted to say.

"Can I have your phone number?"

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"I don't have a phone right now:'

Gage looked completely fascinated by this and asked, "Why is that?"

"Money is a little tight since my roommate got married and moved out:'

Gage had the same reaction Sam did--he wanted to jump in and take care of her.

"Just out of curiosity," the man went on, "if you had a phone number, would you give it to me?"

Arcineh studied him. Clearly there was a whole lot more to this man than she had already seen. A part of her heart was filled with doubts, but if she was forced to be honest, she wanted to know more. She smiled before saying, "Yes:'

Gage smiled as well. "I'll see you later:' he said, watching her all the while.

Arcineh used her key and got the door open enough so that Gage would turn and go. He moved off and she slipped inside. She didn't take advantage of her neighbors, using their phone only if there was a real need, but tonight she might have to make an exception. She thought if she couldn't talk to Jalaina, she would burst.

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Chapter Eighteen

"Okay, so where did you meet your friend 'Jalaina?" Sam asked on Sunday afternoon. For a time he had not pressed her to share her life, fearful that she would run away again, but they were both beginning to relax.

"At a cafe Arcineh said, telling him the story about the way she'd hit Mic and causing her grandfather to laugh.

"And you went home to live with her, just like that?"

"It was a little more planned than that. I'm sure you figured out a long time ago that my leaving was very calculator

"Not until I found you'd taken your personal papers from the bank. Then I knew."

"I never even told Violet that there was a person named Jalaina Ciofani. And that was deliberate. When I said I was going to stay with a friend, I assumed she would think it was Daisy or someone like that:'

"That's exactly what we'd both thought:' Sam confirmed, thinking of all the people he'd checked with. He was subtle about it, but he'd

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even gone to see Geneva Sperry, only to be told she hadn't seen Arcineh in weeks.

"And what about now, Arcie? What are the odds I'm going to come to your apartment and find it empty?"

"I'm not going to do that."

"I hope if you do move again, you'll tell me where. Even if you don't

want me contacting you, it would be good to know where you are:' "I don't think that's going to be the case--why would I?"

"I don't know, but I guess we're both a little gun-shy at this time:' "I'm done running, Sam:"

"Why is that, do you think?"

"Because you believe me Arcineh said simply, and Sam's heart knew nothing but relief. Arcineh was reaching for more pizza, the most natural thing in the world. Sam next asked about her dancing, and even though he knew his heart was completely different, they visited like old times, something Sam had yearned for a very long time.

On Monday night after work, Arcineh had been out of the shower for only ten minutes when someone knocked on her door. She peeked through the hole to see Gage in the hallway and had to wipe the smile from her face before opening it. The moment she did, he held a small cell phone out to her.

"What's this?" Arcineh asked.

"Have you not seen one of these?" He was all at once solicitous, exaggeratedly so. "This is a wonderful invention. It's called a telephone, and you press numbers into it and then talk to people:'

Arcineh tried not to even smile, but his tone and face had been outrageous. With a laugh, she took it from his hand.

"I can't afford this right now:'

"Did I say anything about getting money from you?"

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"No, but I'm not sure I get the point:'

Gage leaned until his face was close to hers. "I want to call you. That's the point:'

Arcineh looked into his amazing gray eyes and wanted to melt, but doubts rushed in swiftly. When Gage saw them, he straightened up. Not until that moment did he look beyond her. Without even asking for permission, he scooted past her and into the apartment. He looked in every direction before turning back to her.

"You don't have any furniture"

"I have a chair:' Arcineh said, "and a mattress:'

"With or without a frame?"

"Without!"

Gage looked at her, his brows raised, but Arcineh didn't let him say anything.

"You have lived in luxury way too long, Gage Sefton:' Arcineh told him, her chin tilted stubbornly. "It might do you good to find out what you can do without:'

Gage smiled at her and turned to look around the room again. It was all very neat, but empty

"So what's for dinner?" he suddenly asked.

"I haven't gotten that far."

"Why don't I pick something up for us? If I recall, you liked those burgers we had at the apartment that night:'

"How do you remember that?"

"There's very little about you I can forget:'

"Why is that?"

"I don't know. I thought you were such a shy, sad little thing at the

office, and that broke my heart. I wanted to see you laugh:'

"How are things at the office?" Arcineh asked, making herself

ignore the personal comments.

"Getting better. I'm distracted knowing this trial is coming up, but we're still trying to do business:'

"I miss talking to Mallory and Victoria:'

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"They liked you too:'

"How do you know that?"

"Things are different now. Patrice is running things differently, and I'm talking to the other women and not leaving that all to her." "I'm impressed:' Arcineh said honestly.

"Well, a certain frumpy little employee, who happens to know

quite a bit about business, informed me of a few things."

"And after the way she talked to you:' Arcineh said, "you still want

to spend time with her?"

Gage didn't answer. He looked at Arcineh, who looked right back.

"How about we go out?" Gage suggested.

"I'm not very dressed:' Arcineh spoke, glancing down at her jeans and old sweatshirt.

"It's the burger place. Jeans are perfect:'

"Is it very expensive?"

"It's not, but I'm still paying for your dinner:'

Arcineh still hesitated. Gage kept watching her.

"Yes:' he finally said quietly, going back to third person, "I want to spend time with her:'

Arcineh relaxed a little and said, "I'll get my coat:'

"So tell me:' Gage asked over dinner. "Why don't you find another roommate?"

"Because there will never be another Jalaina, and I don't want anyone else:'

"And moving back in with Sam would be what, impossible?" "Not at all, but he hasn't mentioned it, and I'm not going to ask. I

am 22, by the way. It's not as if I shouldn't be out on my own:' "There's a difference between being out on your own and being

alone with no furniture or social life:'

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Arcineh looked down at the table. He had managed to make her sound rather pathetic. She knew he wasn't trying to be cruel but just making an observation.

"It's just the way it is right now:' Arcineh ended up saying. "And I do things on the weekend:'

"Like what?"

"See friends:'

"When was the last time you saw a movie?"

Arcineh didn't answer. There wasn't a lot of extra money, but she didn't like to keep going back to that.

"Is there anything good playing these days?" she asked. Gage smiled. "You dodged that very nicely:'

Arcineh looked for the waitress, and Gage didn't push her. After their food arrived, however, he did mention going with her on a real date. "A real date?" Arcineh asked.

"Yes:' Gage did not let her distract him. "I was thinking dinner and a show:'

"Are you seeing someone right now?" Arcineh asked.

Gage looked genuinely surprised.

"No, I'm not. Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know you very well. Maybe you like seeing several women at one time:'

"For months now the only thing in my life has been my business:'

Arcineh nodded, wishing she'd kept the question to herself. This man rattled her, and she did not know what to do about it. At the same time, she did not want to compete with other women. He said Patrice was engaged to be married, but Arcineh was not convinced that the woman was not in love with her boss. If that was possible, Gage might also love Patrice and not know it.