Page 11 of Accepting Love

“I hope you don’t mind adding a spot at the table for lunch,” I announce as I step into the kitchen.

Audrey is leaning against the counter, a cup of coffee in her hands, an interesting look on her face. She’s not frowning, but she’s not smiling either. “If you hurt her…”

“Never.” I aim for the island and lean against it across from her. “I am wondering why you’re being so accepting of me though.” Her reaction to me in the music room was hopeful, but I’m curious why. If she’s so protective of Carolina, why would she let me in so easily?

“I assume you’re Zane.” She takes another sip of her coffee.

Ah.She talks about me. “I am.”

“Do you know how many times I’ve listened to her talk about you in the past two years?”

I can’t keep from smiling.

“Your head is going to explode. I only tell you this because I’m warning you. You need to be careful. She’s not like other people. You’ll hurt her.”

“I can’t hurt her if I never let her go,” I tell her, not looking away. I’m dead serious. She needs to know that. I’m here to stay. I assume she is too, though I hope I can take some of her responsibilities so she can live her life too.

“I know you’ve asked her out before. She’s told me. Why weren’t you more persistent?”

“That’s against the policy at Surrender. Members need to know their privacy will always be respected. I tried. She shot me down. I had no choice but to respect her wishes. Believe me, it wasn’t easy.”

Audrey gives me a nod. “I like you.” She narrows her gaze. “But she’s like a daughter to me. She’s everything. I raised her. We only have each other.”

“I would never presume to replace you,” I tell her, though I don’t say that with much force. I’m lying, which makes me wince.

She chuckles. “Sure you do. And that’s okay. Someone eventually had to replace me. I won’t be here forever. She needs a partner. A life partner. Someone who understands her and stands by her side.”

“I want to be that man.”

“You just got here today. How can you be sure? You don’t know much about her.”

“I’ve known her for two years. I’ve seen her hundreds of times. I know her club persona isn’t exactly the real her, but I bet it’s closer to being the real Carolina than the woman she presents to the world.”

“I suspect you’re right. That’s why I encouraged her to join the club. I know she has never shared anything personal with anyone at Surrender, but the friends she has there whom she sees a few hours a week are the best friends she’s ever had.”

I nod. “I get that.”

“You run a business,” Audrey points out. “I bet that takes up a lot of your time.”

“Not as much as you’d think. I only met you at the studio yesterday because I knew this client was important and needed special care.”

“She is, and she does. She’s an amazing woman. An amazing artist. Her talent brings people to their knees. Her dedication to her craft is unprecedented. But she tends to focus on nothing else.”

“She’s Little,” I point out.

“Very.” Audrey holds my gaze. “I started researching women like her long before I spoke to her about it, long before she had any idea what it meant to be Little. I understand her like no one else alive.”

“I hope to understand her better than you one day.”

“I hope so too, Mr. Slade.”

“If I’m going to call you Audrey, you should call me Kingston.”

“What are you going to call her?”

“I don’t know yet. We’ll figure it out. She’s still Hannah to me. I’ve only seen a glimpse of Carolina. I suspect neither is authentic.”

“You’re insightful.”

---