Chapter Twenty-Four

 

The sparkle and shine of Bookends made the six weeks of destruction all worthwhile. Even if the renovation took a week longer than the original estimate the dust, dirt ,and noise was worth the aggravation. Dakota opened the dusty box of Christmas ornaments. She lifted a red tree ornament and a green one. In the new design, these old decorations wouldn’t do. She needed something that said this was a hip, new place.

Jennifer walked in and tucked her coat across her am. “Is it that time already to put up a tree?” She placed her hand on her hip. “You know I don’t think I’ll ever get used to putting my coat in a closet. Jennifer disappeared to the back of the store, mumbling as she walked.

The door to the store opened again. Dakota looked up to see Bishop strolling toward the counter. The pen in her hand began to shake. Without taking a deep breath, she tried to fill her lungs with air. She tried to tamp down the emotions churning in her stomach. She tried to appear normal. He could have shown up in her store for any number of reasons. Probably to see the finished product of his handiwork.

“What are you doing here?”

He gave her a smile. The empty weeks vanished. She wanted to walk into his arms and live the dreams she’d envisioned. Instead, she remained by the register. The counter put the right amount of distance between them.

“I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

“I’ve been ignoring your calls.”

He rested his elbow on the counter. “Why?”

“Did you want to talk to me about the renovation? Something to do with the store?”

She wanted her voice to sound casual and light not like the voice of an angry lover, the way Sharon had sounded a few weeks ago.

His smile penetrated the shield around her heart. “No. I wanted to talk to you. We can still talk, can’t we?”

She stood in front of him. “Yes, we can do that.” She released the breath she’d been holding. His smile widened. “How have you been? I missed you.”

She took a step. “I’m doing okay. Business has picked up, so I’m keeping me busy.”

“I don’t want to hear about the store. I’m asking about you. I miss you.” He reached for her hand and pulled her to the edge of the counter.

Dakota gave him a half smile. “I’m pretty busy right now. Maybe we can talk later.”

“This is a bookstore. I came to buy books.” His heavy voice sent a wave of nostalgia through her. Loneliness pushed her to climb on his body and hold on. She turned her attention to the box of decorations, pulling a string of garland from a plastic bag.

“Jennifer should be able to help you.” She closed the lid on the box and sat the box on the floor. As long as she remained occupied she could forget him.

Instead of wearing a suit and tie, today, his dark jeans and cashmere sweater made him look even more handsome. She thought she might be able to get over him, but as he swaggered down the aisle to find Jennifer, she realized just how difficult getting over him was going to be.

The sound of his voice filtered to her, even though she couldn’t make out the words.

He came back to the counter with a stack of books in his arms.

“What are you doing, Bishop?” She placed a hand on her hip.

“I want to buy these books.”

She keyed up the register, picked up the first book and glanced at the title. “Why are you buying ‘Love Letters of Great Men and The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time’?”

“Maybe I’ll learn something.” He shoved one hand in his pocket. “I could learn all the right words and put them together just so that you know how I really feel about you. I hope they’ll tell me the right way to win you back.”

She rang up his sale and placed the book in the bag. “Bishop, please don’t tease me.”

“If you think I’m teasing you, then I really do need help with my words. I’m trying to get you to say you’ll have dinner with me tonight. You see, I’m willing to go as fast or as slow as you want.”

“But are you ready to go all the way?”

He bent and whispered, “I thought we already did that.”

“I’m serious, Bishop.”

“So am I. I’ve never been more serious. Dinner tonight? I’ll pick you up at eight?” He looked determined. She felt like she was tumbling down a steep hill with her eyes squeezed too tight to grab hold on to anything to stop the fall. What advice would Mim give? She wanted to follow her heart, even if it didn’t seem like wise choice.

“Bishop, we’ve been down this road, we know where this path leads. And as much as I might want to spend time with you, it’s not a good idea. What’s different now?”

“I am. I didn’t think it was possible to miss someone so much. But all I do is think about you. Just have dinner with me tonight, that’s all I’m asking.”

She nodded slowly. “Okay.”

§§§

Bishop charged to her door. This was the best he’d felt since storming out of her house. Every blood vessel in his body sang. Dakota had found her way into that place in his heart he didn’t even know existed.

Watching Adanna with DJ, putting her son’s needs before her own, melted Bishop’s cold core. Her life was full and meaningful. She had people who anchored her, not a bunch of empty nights with names and faces she couldn’t remember in a week. The closest he came to that kind of emotion was with Dakota.

He rang the doorbell and rubbed his hands together to warm them. He could hear her heels on the hardwood floor as she made her way to the door. His heart rate increased, like a kid expecting a surprise.

She opened the door and smiled at him. Her dark eyes met his. Before she could protest, he pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth. All he’d wanted for weeks was to taste her, touch her, and hold her. Now that he had just what he wanted, he couldn’t let her go. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her breasts pressed against his chest.

After several moments, she pulled away and allowed him to step into the living room.

“Thank you for accepting my dinner invitation,” he said.

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “I’m not sure why I did. I’m even less sure why you asked me, since we agreed to go our separate ways.”

“I’m not sure we agreed to that. You took a stand and made me accept your decision.”

He sat on the sofa and she took the seat beside him. She turned towards him “Bishop, you made a decision about how you want to live your life. I made a decision about how I want to live mine. I didn’t force my views on you because I respected what you needed.”

For several seconds, he was quiet. “Dakota, I just want to be with you. You are the only person I think about, the only one I want to be with. I want to make a commitment to you. Right here and right now.”

She searched his face without responding.

“Did you hear me? Aren’t you going to say something?”

“You promised me dinner and I’m starved. What do I have to do to get some food?’

He reached for her hand and pulled her up off the sofa. “Let’s go.”

She grabbed her coat. “I think I better say this now, just in case.”

“What?”

“I’m not sleeping with you tonight. No sex.”

“I had no intentions of sleeping tonight. And what I want to do with you goes a long way beyond sex.”