Page 79 of Embracing the Change

In other words, for the last couple of days, the tortuous had beaten out the delightful.

He’d been gentlemanly before, guiding me by a touch at the small of my back, standing beside me with his arm curled around my waist.

But this was very different.

And very gorgeous.

And very much—too much—to handle when I was cut off from all the rest.

“Are you talking about the store opening we agreed to go to this Saturday?” he asked.

Hale and Elsa had some friends who had a store where they sold furniture they refinished. They’d been able to grab the lease on the space next door to expand their business to include selling vintage stoneware, china, glassware and home décor. And Saturday was their grand opening.

Jamie and I had agreed to go together before we had our little—shall we say—hiccup.

I sensed I knew his answer, but I also needed him to confirm.

“Yes,” Jamie stated (indeed, that was the answer I’d sensed). “We’re back to regularly scheduled programming. We’re dining with Mika and Tom, Hale and Elsa before we go, correct?”

I nodded, not quite able to process the relief that we had that back, along with all the rest.

Jamie lifted my hand, kissed my knuckles, then rested our hands on his thigh before he went back to his phone.

I looked out my window.

The sun was setting. There were sirens in the distance. People were strolling the streets, one of them was a man who had what appeared to be a very fluffy, and not at all small, husky dog bouncing in a pack on his back. He was emerging from the stairs to a subway terminal.

A driver in a car close by suddenly hit his horn and didn’t feel like taking his hand away, the shrill sound splitting the air then continuing to rend it.

Ah, New York.

It was lovely to be home.

Not long later, we slid to a halt outside my building, and neither of us moved until the driver opened my door.

I alighted, and when Jamie did as well, I felt great hope.

And then he murmured, “Thanks, Vincent,” before he looked between Vincent and Arnold, my doorman, and ordered, “All the bags.”

All the bags.

Including his.

As the hope burst into reality, a thrill raced up my spine (and in another secret place as well).

Jamie put a hand to the small of my back and guided me into the lobby.

As Jamie led us to the elevators, I smiled at Charlene behind the concierge desk, and I knew how bright it was by the way she blinked in surprise at me.

I’d always been friendly to the staff. Mother had taught me so.

“They are, in a sense, family, my dear,” she’d said. “They share our homes and lives. Of course, they’re paid to do so. But a home is a home, and no matter why you’re in it, if you are on a regular basis, you should always understand you’re welcome there.”

In other words, it wasn’t like I’d never smiled at Charlene.

I’d just never smiled that brightly at her.

We made the bays, and Jamie tagged the button.

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