Page 86 of His One True Wish

“You are a beautiful woman,” I said, taking a sip of coffee.

“He whipped this up on a 3D printer he has at the house. I mean it’s notofficialofficial, but I’m staying.”

My eyes widened, and I looked down at the surface of my coffee. It glistened like an oil field. “Wow, that would be a big change for you.”

“I am ready for a change,” she said, hands on the table. Her long fingers were manicured with red polish.

“What about your business?” I asked.

“Angelic Homewares can run without me for a while,” she said. “In fact, the company has been on rails for two years. You know I built that myself, before Barry and I got married.”

“I know,” I said. “You told me a few times.”

“I started that after my first divorce,” she said. Picking up a spoon, she opened another packet of sugar and poured it into her coffee. “You know it was just me in my apartment, packing up fluffy blankets and slippers … ”

“I know, Angel. You worked hard.”

“And Barry.” She sighed and looked at the ceiling, a crooked smile on her face. “I have to tell you that I knew something was going to happen between us the first time I saw you.”

“We’re old news, baby,” I said, taking a sip of the bitter coffee. “You saw me on the tarmac in Lauderdale.”

“No,” she said, her voice soft. “I saw you before.”

I looked up. This was new; I wasn’t used to being surprised by Angel. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She bit her lip. “Barry and I were in Lauderdale for business. His, not mine. He was buying up a bunch of post-hurricane vehicles for re-sale.”

“What a prince,” I muttered.

“Look, I know you don’t like Barry.”

“Do you like Barry?” I asked.

“He’s my husband.”

“Which you could have told me earlier.”

“Would you just stop with all your broody jabs for a hot second and listen. I’m trying to make something right.”

“Oh,” I said. “Carry on then.” I didn’t know how Angel could make us right or fix the mess that was her marriage or my personal life, but it was now pouring outside, and I wasn’t about to say no to staying warm and dry for a moment. The rain pattered against the window, filling the cafe with a white noise punctuated by the sound of pots and glassware moving in the kitchen.

“Barry and I were at the Decker’s the week before we went to Lauderdale,” she said. “I went to the back patio alone. I was so bored. Barry was meeting with old man Decker. Did you know they went to college together?”

“You mentioned that once.”

“Well, what I didn’t tell you was that I saw you on the beach throwing the ball for Cam.” She smiled. “You had one of those chuck-it things, and that dog would not stop. She knelt at your feet, you threw the ball, and she came right back.”

“Angel, what is the point of all this?”

“The point is, I saw a kind and beautiful man with his dog — and I wanted you,” she said. “So I asked one of the Decker boys who you were. Beau, the youngest one, was there. He mentioned you were usually in the Bahamas but were in town until you flew back.”

“So, you charmed him into stalking me?”

“I don’t stalk people,” she said. “Don’t be ridiculous. I found out who you were, and when Miles Decker arranged for us all to go to the Islands, I made sure you were the pilot.”

“I thought you were a last-minute guest on that flight.”

“I was a last minute add to the manifest, but I knew I was going on that flight with you.”

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