Annabel got out of her car at the future site of her business and popped the trunk. After her meeting at the coffee shop with Elliot Lewiston she’d gone to a home improvement warehouse to look at paints. She picked up a slew of sample paints within the three different color schemes the designer had proposed. Now she had to decide which one would look best in the space.
She slid her phone into her back pocket and reached for the box of paint samples and brushes in her trunk.
“Let me help you with that.”
She turned at the sound of his voice. “Are you stalking me now, Perry?” The sound of his smooth voice still did things to her body. No matter how much she wanted to pretend otherwise. “Wouldn’t have pegged you for the stalker type.”
“I assure you that I’m not. But I do really need to talk to you.” Roarke lifted the cardboard box from the trunk.
“What is there to talk about?” Annabel picked up a few plastic bags filled with additional items she’d purchased for her office and the upstairs bathroom at the shop. She slammed the trunk and headed toward the side door of the building. “You made your feelings...or lack thereof...quite clear.”
“Like I said, I overreacted. All I could think of was the many times my father has tried to manipulate me. Maybe I freaked out a little.”
She glanced up at him. His tortured expression and the pain in his eyes tugged at her heart. She unlocked the door of the shop and stepped inside without responding.
“Where do you want this?” Roarke raised the box slightly as he glanced around the space.
“All of this is going upstairs in my office.”
He held out the box, indicating that she should put her bags inside it, too. “Anywhere in particular?”
She handed over her bags. “On the floor in the corner is fine. I’ll be up shortly. I just need to grab the mail first.”
He nodded. “Then I hope we can talk, because I’ve been having this conversation in my head for the last few days and I’m eager to get it off my chest.”
A knot tightened in Annabel’s stomach. Roarke’s need to talk could go either way. Was he willing to take a chance on them, even if they had to compromise and try a long-distance relationship first? Or did he want to make a clean break and walk away?
“Sure.” The sound of her heartbeat filled her ears. “I’d like that.”
She sucked in a deep breath, then slowly released it, as she went to retrieve the mail that had been dropped through the little slot.
Annabel sifted through the envelopes, most of them made out to the previous owner or the generic resident. But one hot-pink strawberry-scented envelope was addressed in fancy calligraphy to Ms. Annabel Currin at Fairy Godmother. She stood slowly, a broad smile spreading across her face.
My first official piece of mail.
It suddenly struck her that her dream of opening this shop was becoming a reality.
Annabel wanted to squeal.
There was a sudden knock on the front door and she jumped. She peered through the glass door and then struggled to unlock it. The lock, probably original to the shop, stuck badly because of disuse.
“Mason? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to call when you got back in town.”
“I just got back, and I was driving past when I saw your car.” He leaned against the door frame and peered at her intently, as if seeing her for the first time.
A gentle breeze stirred the scent of the expensive cologne he preferred. And as always, he looked immaculate in his designer suit and shoes.
“I wish you had called. I don’t have your engagement ring. I assume you’d like that back.”
“I’m surprised you don’t want to hold on to it until the check clears.” He laughed bitterly. “I don’t have my checkbook with me.” He patted the breast pocket of his jacket.
“Then why did you stop?” Annabel folded her arms.
“First, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am. I was an awful boyfriend and an even worse fiancé. But I wanted you to know that I did love you, Annabel. I still do. I never intended to hurt you. And I thought you deserved to hear that in person.”
“Thank you, Mason.”
Despite the effort Mason had put into looking contrite and sounding sincere, his apology left her completely dissatisfied.
Had he been sincere a single moment in the two years they’d spent together? Looking at him now, she doubted that he ever had.
Suddenly, holding on to the ring until he had reimbursed her in full seemed like a prudent idea.
“You can contact my lawyer, Roarke Perry, to arrange delivery of payment.”
“Annabel, wait.” He put his hand against the door as she tried to close it. “I wanted to ask if you’ll reconsider.”
“The amount of the settlement?”
“No. Look, I know what I did was unforgivable, but...I didn’t realize how much you meant to me until—”
“Wait, you’re not seriously asking to get back together, are you? Because if this is your way of trying to get out of settling my claim—”
“No, I’m being sincere. I’ll drop down on one knee again if you want me to,” he said.
“You didn’t drop down on one knee the first time,” she reminded him.
Another sign she’d ignored.
“It’s one of the many things I regret about our relationship. I didn’t realize until I lost you how important you are to me. I should’ve supported your dream just as you’ve supported mine. And if you give me a chance, I swear I’ll make it up to you.”
“Mason, please, just go away. Pay the claim or don’t. But make all further arrangements through my lawyer.”
“Annabel!” he called as she shut and locked the door between them. She stood, glaring at him with her arms crossed, until he finally cursed and walked away.
“Why is it that the men in my life only seem fascinated with me once I walk away?” she muttered as she climbed the stairs.
“I can’t speak for Mason, but you were right about me. I was terrified of how my feelings for you would change my life.” Roarke stepped out into the hall, his hands shoved into the pockets of his gray suit pants.
“You heard that whole thing with Mason?”
He nodded. “I did. As your lawyer, I applaud the way you handled the situation. As the man who has fallen utterly and completely in love with you, I’m incredibly hopeful.”
“Did you say—”
“Yes, Annabel.” He stepped closer, placing his hands lightly on her hips. “I love you. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. In a way I didn’t even know was possible. You changed everything for me. I never want to go back to the solitary existence I led before I met you. Not without a fight.”
Annabel’s heart raced and tears stung her eyes. “What about your long list of objections, counselor? Me being fresh out of a relationship? You living in Dallas and me just buying this shop in Houston? What about our fathers hating each other? Are you telling me that none of that matters anymore?”
He cradled her cheek and she leaned into his hand, missing his touch. “I’m saying that you matter so much more. As long as you’re by my side, Annabel, together we’ll find a way to slay all of those dragons.”
Roarke leaned down, and captured her mouth in a kiss, his tongue seeking hers as he held her in his arms.
God, she missed this man.
She missed his subtle humor and sexy smile. His gentle touch and the warmth of his kiss. The perfect way in which their bodies fit together and the passion that ignited between them.
Being with Roarke made her happy. But it was his work in Dallas that made him happy. Her bungled, backdoor attempt to persuade him to relinquish the practice made her no better than Mason with his selfish demand that she retire her vlog.
If Roarke gave up the practice he’d been building, just to be with her, wouldn’t he eventually resent her for it?
* * *
Roarke was surprised when Annabel suddenly pulled away.
“What about your practice in Dallas? I can’t ask you to give up something so important to you. And I know you’re not interested in a long-distance relationship.”
Roarke pressed another kiss to her soft sweet lips. Then he slipped his hand in hers and led her to the sofa in her office, where they both sat down.
“What’s that?” He indicated the loud pink envelope in her hand.
A proud smile lit her eyes. “My first official piece of mail.” She held it up so that he could see the address. “I can’t believe how excited I am over a piece of mail I haven’t even read yet.”
“Open it.”
“Right now? In the middle of our discussion?”
“This is a special moment for Fairy Godmother and for you, Annabel. I want to share it with you.”
“Okay.” She carefully opened the envelope to preserve it as much as she could. She read the card aloud. It was a thank-you note from a twelve-year-old girl whose mother had been the recipient of one of Annabel’s makeovers.
Their family had lost everything after her father’s death from a long painful illness that drained the family’s finances. They’d been living in temporary housing and her mother had been struggling to find another job. She’d lost hers while caring for her ill husband. The girl said her mother had found a new job a month after her makeover. Now, three months later, the family was moving into a place of their own.
The family’s story was reminiscent of the woman she’d given her very first Fairy Godmother makeover and many of the women in between. She was grateful to have made a difference in those families’ lives at a time when they needed it.
“That’s amazing.” Tears wet Annabel’s cheeks. “I’ll be able to do this for more women once Fairy Godmother is up and running. I’d even like to expand to helping men, especially struggling vets.”
“I’m glad you’re doing this, too.” His heart swelled with pride. “You’re a gift to the world, Annabel. And I don’t want to lose you. Even if that means making a change.”
She sniffled and wiped away tears. “What kind of change?”
“The false fraud charges against my father helped him see the need to make sure everything is aboveboard, something I’ve been preaching for a long time. My father is finally ready to listen, for the sake of the company and his legacy. I’m going to be appointed as the Perry Holdings compliance officer or whatever title I think best suits the position.”
“Will you be the compliance officer in name only, or will your father allow you to create real change to the company’s culture?” Annabel knew enough about Sterling to doubt the sincerity of his offer.
It was a thought that had occurred to him, too. That’s why he made his father agree to his terms in writing.
“I’m building our ethics department from scratch. I outlined my terms for taking on this project in writing, and my father has agreed to every one of them. I have complete latitude to implement new policies the way our ethics team sees fit.”
“That’s fantastic, Roarke. But is that what you really want to do?”
“It is. I’ve been trying to convince my father to do this for years.”
“Is that what made you accept his offer?”
“No. It was something else he said. He said that if I believed things needed to be cleaned up at Perry Holdings, who better to do it than a man with high character and a vested interest in this family’s legacy? Then he said that it was the best way to ensure that Perry Holdings is a company I’ll be proud to hand over to my children one day.”
Annabel squeezed his hand. “And will you be happy?”
He stroked her cheek, a wide grin making his blue eyes twinkle. “Being with you makes me happy, Annabel. Everything else is gravy.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Which brings me to my next question. I’ve never known anyone like you, Annabel. You are the only woman for me.” He kissed her hand. “Will you marry me?”
She stared at him, her head cocked and her eyes blinking rapidly. “Are you serious?”
Roarke got down on one knee and smiled. “I would never have believed in love at first sight if I hadn’t met you at Farrah’s that day, Lemon Ice. No one in the world is a better match for me than you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Two Pies.” She smiled, tears falling down her cheeks. “Yes, I will.”