Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Her eyes lifted to look at Anton standing a few feet in front of her car, his incredible body lit by the headlights against his house. She’d been so happy to come home to his house after work. Now as she backed down the driveway, it didn’t appeal to her as much.
When she stopped at the stoplight just outside of his neighborhood, a flash of her nursery… She corrected her thoughts. A flash of his nursery appeared in her mind. Her favorite colors and the decorations on the wall. Buzzy unfinished on the wall.
Panic flooded her mind. She looked frantically for the tote bag that she used to transport Buzzy secretly from work to home. It wasn’t in her car. She’d left him at Anton’s.
At the next street, she turned left so that she could head back to his house and collect her stuffie. I can’t go back there. Frozen by the situation she found herself in, Gemma couldn’t figure out what to do.
A car horn sounded behind her, and she looked in the mirror to see a car waiting behind her. She had to move. She was blocking traffic. Steeling her heart, she turned back toward her place. Hopefully, Buzzy would forgive her.
Chapter Fifteen
“You look terrible,” Sue informed her before rushing behind the counter to give Gemma a hug.
“I know. I didn’t sleep well last night,” Gemma admitted, downplaying the torturous hours of grieving she’d spent tossing in bed.
“Something on your mind? You should talk to your Daddy.”
Tears flooded down Gemma’s cheeks. She could see Sue’s concern through her watering eyes, and Gemma tried to pull herself together. “Sorry. I have this really bad headache.”
She crossed her fingers. Gemma wasn’t really lying. The lack of sleep had definitely made her head hurt. It wasn’t the main reason, but she could explain that better.
“I hate those. I’m off today. Would you like to go in the back and rest for a while? I can stay and watch the store. I’ll come get you if I have a problem,” Sue offered.
“I can’t let you do that,” Gemma said slowly. That was the only speed she had today.
“Of course you can,” Sue assured her.
Words tumbled from her mouth before she could stop them. “Could you go to Anton’s house for me and get my stuffie, Buzzy? He’s a bumblebee. I left him there, and I can’t go get him.”
“You broke up with your Daddy?”
“With Anton… yes. He’s moving for work. It was better to stop seeing him now,” Gemma tried to explain.
“That’s awful.” Sue paused for a minute and then said, “Write down his address and phone number. I’ll get Buzzy for you.”
“Thank you, Sue. I can’t tell you what this means to me.” Gemma jotted down the information and handed the note to her friend. “Could you let me know when you have him? You don’t have to bring him immediately here. I don’t want to impose too much on you.”
“I’ll get him to you as fast as possible, Gemma. You need Buzzy now—more than ever.”
Gemma nodded. Sue understood.
She watched her leave, holding the note carefully so she didn’t lose it. Gemma crossed her fingers and noticed the reindeer nails Anton had crafted. A memory of the pleasure and desire he had kindled inside her flooded Gemma’s brain and body, followed instantly by a wave of pain.
How am I going to survive this?
The door opening made her shove everything into a box in her brain. Gemma threw on her professional shop-owner persona and smiled at the women who came in chattering happily. “Good afternoon, ladies. I’m here to help you if you’d like some assistance in choosing the perfect style for your body type.”
“You must be Gemma. We’ve heard so much about you. Let me give you a challenge. I look so frumpy in everything. Can you help me look nice for a dinner out with my husband?” one woman asked.
“I can do better than that,” Gemma promised. “What do you think about him rushing you out of there before dessert?”
“You mean like he can’t keep his hands off me?” the woman answered, laughing in disbelief.
“It will happen. Come with me.”
Gemma needed a project. Within an hour, she had new outfits selected and accessorized for all three women. The other two had just come to support their friend but when they saw what Gemma was able to put together to flatter her, they quickly welcomed her assistance.
As she checked out the shoppers, Gemma saw a message from Anton flash on her phone. She flipped it over to concentrate on her customers. Focusing on their excitement in finding well-fitting, flattering clothes, Gemma reminded herself of what was really important.
When the store once again was silent, she straightened her shoulders and attempted to convince herself she should be happy to have her store and her fashion sense. That’s what she needed to concentrate on. Her love life was a disaster, and living her fantasies was obviously a dream that wasn’t to be.