Page 21 of Saffron and Secrets

“Why? Are you asking me out?” I wiggle my eyebrows in a tease.

We both laugh.

“No, getting to know you.” She rolls her eyes in a playful way.

“I know. I’m just teasing you. I’m catching up with friends. You?” I ask, wanting to know how she spends every moment of her weekend without work to entertain her.

“Well, I work Saturday, but otherwise, house chores, and that's about as exciting as it gets.”

I wonder what it would be like if she came to my house and we could watch a movie together. It’s normally something I do alone, and it would be nice to share it with someone.

We talk for a little bit longer. Both of us now finished our coffees. “Are you ready?” she asks, and I nod.

I get up and pay again, and she doesn't protest this time. Which I'm grateful for. I will always pay for the date.

That's what I'm calling today. Even if she doesn't agree.

I assume she would want this to be a date, but I don't want to push her when she's already stressed over the weirdness she’s experiencing.

And now she’s discovering the investigator found nothing. I'm sure that's hard to take.

We walk back into the florist’s shop together, and I pick up James's order and she picks up her saffron.

“I'll try to give you an update next week.”

“Sure. That sounds good,” she says with a smile, and it takes my breath away.

“I was hoping you would say that.”

11

Ruby

I'm driving to Grandma’s, and I can't stop thinking about his name. And now I know his full name is Jonathan Black. I would never have guessed; I assumed it was ‘John.’

Why do I know that name, though?

The other thing swirling around my mind is the way his mom was dressed. She was sophisticated, and she looked expensive. I’m not broke, but I don’t have that money. She looked to be on another level. And the way he said, “What are you doing in this part of town,” it was like she would never be caught dead here.

He wasn't rude, but he wasn't nice. I get the sense they don't have the best relationship. It's just something in my gut that's telling me something is off between them. But who doesn’t have family drama?

Before I get out of my car and into my grandma's house, I quickly pull up my phone and type in his name.

I gasp loudly as the results pop up, one after the other. My hand covers my mouth in shock as I read his stats.

Jonathan Black.

Thirty-five.

Inventor of Integration Software.

Billionaire.

I swear my eyes are seeing things. But how and why is he a driver if he's a billionaire? I just don't get it. I read through a couple more articles, trying to find the answers.

But I can't see where and why. Until I stumble upon one that says there was a squabble between him and his parents. And that he left the family business and his startup business.

I scrunch up my face and try to understand the reason. Why would he leave his business to become his friend’s driver?

---