Page 46 of Billionaire and the Barista

GABRIELLA

“Are you certain you’ll be all right?” I asked Lacey for the hundredth time.

Between the anticipation of going away with Nathan and the unreadiness of leaving Robbie— something I have never done— my nerves were shot.

“Robbie has spent the night with me before,” she said.

“I know, but I was always just downstairs, and right there in the morning,” I whined.

“I have Mitch and Jenny on speed dial. Robbie will be fine. I think he’ll be better than you,” she said with a laugh.

She was right. I was the one who was going to miss my kid, while he was probably going to have a grand time. At the moment he wasn’t even bothered that I was getting ready to leave, all of his focus was on his coloring. I knew by the time I got back I would have a handful of masterpieces for the big refrigerators’ downstairs.

“Miguel is in charge downstairs while I’m gone. And Ricky will be around if you need anything.”

I hitched my bag onto my shoulder and walked through the kitchen.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.” I gave Robbie a sloppy kiss, and he brushed me off. I was getting in the way of his coloring.

“If you want to talk to me…” I started.

“We will call. I promise,” Lacey said.

With one last hug from Robbie, I walked out the door, down the stairs, and out the side door. I didn’t even cut through the café. Safer that way.

Nathan leaned against a different car, this was big, SUV kind big, but it was a convertible. It was dark red and gleamed in the sunlight.

“Wow, I like your car,” I said.

“I remembered how much you used to love riding without a helmet, the wind in your hair. Well, I don’t ride anymore, and I can’t believe I ever did that without a helmet. Talk about young and foolish. Anyway, all the wind in your hair with the added bonus of airbags.”

“How many cars do you have?”

He shook his head and scoffed. “I don’t have any. I’m borrowing this from my cousin.”

“I thought the Jaguar was yours,” I asked.

“Nope, one of my father’s. I sort of took it over once I got back. My mother won’t and can’t drive it. Seems like a waste letting it sit around.”

“I’m sorry about your dad,” I said. I was never sure if I needed to keep saying it every time he mentioned his dad, but I knew how it felt. I wanted him to know I understood.

“Yeah, well, it brought me back to you.” He gave me a slight grin. “Change of subject. Which way should we go?” He took my bag and popped open the trunk, tossed my bag in, and closed it again.

“I thought you had a big plan?” I asked as I took my seat and began buckling in.

“The big plan is to be with you. I thought we could be spontaneous and just go like we used to.”

I stretched my arms up into the air and rolled my wrists around as if I was spinning a wheel of chance. Letting gravity pull my arms down, I pointed as my arm fell, landing on the top of the windshield. Not exactly in front, and not exactly to the side.

“We should go that way,” I declared.

Nathan cast his gaze around, pivoted his torso, and then looked at me with a grin.

“North-east, it is”

He was right, the convertible had the thrill of the fast wind, but all the safety features that we both apparently had grown into needing. I closed my eyes, the wind buffeted me, and I was thrilled at the sensation.

“What is out this way?” I asked.

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