Page 34 of Wake Me Up Before You Cocoa

The glass walls showed off the large backyard where meandering stone paving created a pathway around a cascading fountain in the center.

Mature cypress and oak trees had been kept pruned within the bounds of the space while a beautiful magnolia tree was in full spring bloom, its large leaves waxy and a bright green color.

“Can I live here?” Marina whispered in awe.

“It’s incredible,” Wade agreed. “Added in the last dozen years, I would say. The furniture is new, no antiques to be found. I hope she has good movers,” he said, gazing about the space. “This place is going to take months to move everything out, especially if all the antiques go in different directions to new owners.”

“You’re so right,” Marina agreed, walking deeper into the air, sunlit room. “Look, Wade, I love the carved circular table set for six. Already set with china and glass goblets. How perfect to eat breakfast or lunch here. A small, private party.”

“Speaking of brunch,” Wade said meaningfully.

“I was speaking of breakfast or lunch,” Marina pointed out with a grin.

Wade widened his eyes now, shaking his head. “Just combine them and what do you get?”

“What do I get? Time to go!” She linked her arm through his. “Lead the way, kind sir.”

Chapter Fifteen

“Parking is going to be a bear in Jackson Square,” Wade said, after locking up the house to head to the curb where their vehicles were parked. “I’ll drive. By now, I’ve become world-renowned at parking in small spaces.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “In a big monster truck.”

“Not exactlymonster,” he protested. “But it is big. No more arguments. In you go.” He strode to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

“You live nearby, don’t you?” Marina asked as if it suddenly occurred to her.

“About half a mile, and nowhere near as grand as Mrs. Sutton, but I’ll show you.”

Ten minutes later, after winding slowly through the lovely neighborhoods of the Garden District, Wade slowed in front of a two-story Victorian with big oaks in the front yard, their lower limbs now growing close to the ground after a hundred years.

“You are so lucky to have such mature oak trees!” Marina said, clapping her hands together with delight at their majestic beauty.

“I am very lucky,” Wade agreed, giving her a wink as he stopped his truck to let her look a bit longer. “Since I’m abachelor, I didn’t need one of those super enormous houses, but I like it—and it’s close to my downtown office. The previous owners modernized the furnishings and kitchen about five years ago, but it still has a good parquet foyer and a curving staircase with four bedrooms on the second floor.”

Marina gazed at the yellow painted house with a sigh. “Sounds lovely. Is there a library on the main floor?”

“Oh, yes, and I use it as a home work office. I think the original owner back in 1889 ran a textile factory.” Wade touched her arm. “Shall we grab that food now? I don’t want you to have to face perturbed customers.”

“My store traffic is still a little slow after being shut down for the remodel. That’s why I’m gearing up for a big Open House next month. I’ll do some advertising after I finish filling it with new product.”

“That must be why you have this trip to the UK?”

She nodded. “Exactly. My store credit card is about maxed out. Which I try not to freak out about. Granny had savings though, as well as life insurance so I’m okay.”

“Your grandmother was something, huh?” Wade said softly.

“Yes,” Marina whispered giving him a quick smile, despite her attempt to hide the emotion in her eyes.

Fifteen minutes later they were circling side streets for a parking space. Luckily, it wasn’t quite lunchtime—and not many tourists yet—so Wade maneuvered the big truck easily.

They walked through Jackson Park to the far side whereCafé du Mondewas located just below the set of steps leading to the Mississippi River where people walked along the pathway.

The restaurant was popular and always busy, but they managed to snag an inside table within a few minutes. After studying the menus, they ordered sandwiches, and then Wade told their server, “We will each have an order of beignets with as much powdered sugar as you can shake on the things.”

“I think this meal will be all I need to last for the day,” Marina said when their enormous sandwiches and pile of chips arrived. “Thanks for brunch, Wade,” she told him in a quiet voice. “If you hadn’t dragged me here, I might not have eaten until dinnertime.”

“My pleasure, mademoiselle,” he said. Which seemed so fitting while sitting in the Parisian architecture of the French Quarter, where each building boasted wrought-iron balconies and overflowing pots of colorful flowers.

---