She meant the words, but at the same time, she wanted him to fight for her. Fight the way Demetrius fought for Euterpe. She was too tired to battle the seas alone.
He paused, the silence in the room deafening. “You’re going to make one hell of a splash in Hollywood,” he said, dashing any lingering hope he’d ask her to stay with him in Michigan.
Even if he didn’t want her, she owed him to do her best in the audits. “First things first. Let me get ready so we can start cooking. What time does the inspection start?”
They glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand which showed it was almost seven in the morning. “We’re supposed to be ready for them any time after noon.”
She would miss him, but she wouldn’t miss waking up at this Godforsaken early hour. “As your punishment, you can go hang out with my Mom while I’m getting dressed. Maybe, if you’re lucky, she’ll read your aura.”
His lips parted as if he was going to say something, but instead, he shook his head as he rose from the bed and left her alone in her room.
Zeus stayed behind, staring at her in disappointment. What was with this cat? Lola padded into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, applied deodorant, and wet down her hair in the sink. When she looked into her bedroom, the cat was still looking at her as if he could see straight through to her soul.
She walked over to him and put her hands on her hips. “You got something to say to me?” He, of course, said nothing. “Didn’t think so. You can go join Braden and my mother.” She opened her door and waited for him to leave. “I mean it. Go.” He stood, hissed, and sauntered out into the living room. She closed her door, resting her back against it.
Now wasn’t the time to show how much Braden’s presence affected her. Zeus only reminded her of how close she’d come to having the dream she hadn’t known she’d even desired. She wouldn’t make it through the day if she thought about everything she’d leave behind when she moved to California. At least Braden would have Acropolis.
She went to her closet and pulled out the dress she’d bought for today. She didn’t normally wear dresses, but when she spotted this one in the bridal shop yesterday, she couldn’t take her eyes off it. Naturally, her sister had noticed her fascination and insisted she try it on.
Silver metallic beads and sequins adorned the cream one-shouldered Grecian style dress. She slipped it over her head and tugged it down over her breasts. The sheerness of the material gave it an ethereal quality, as if she truly was a Muse in ancient Greece. She completed the look with sandals and checked herself out in the mirror over her dresser. Euterpe stared back. Not the most practical cooking outfit, but she had three auditors and a music producer to impress, and one jerk to ensnare in her plan for revenge. He’d never know what hit him.
She took a deep breath and opened her bedroom door, keeping her head held high as if all the world were a stage and she the puppet master. “I’ll take a cup of coffee to go.”
Braden was standing in her kitchen, his back to her, pouring coffee into a to-go mug. He peered over his shoulder, his eyes widening and his jaw dropping. Coffee spilled on the counter and dripped on the floor.
“I guess you approve of the dress?” she asked.
“You look beautiful, sweetie,” her Mom said as she grabbed paper towels from underneath the sink. “Doesn’t she, Braden?”
He turned around and held onto the counter as if he needed support. “Like a Siren,” he murmured. She saw the spark of remembrance flaming in his green eyes. He’d had the same dream.
Her mother waved her hand, shooing them away. “Yes, well, you two should get to the restaurant. Don’t worry about the mess. I’ll clean it up.”
Zeus sauntered into the kitchen and began licking the coffee from the floor.
“Bad kitty. I wouldn’t think cats drank coffee,” her mother scolded.
She and Braden shared a smile. “He’s a special cat. If he wants a cup of coffee, I wouldn’t deprive him of it,” said Braden, putting on his coat. He held out her jacket and helped her into it. The puffy navy blue material didn’t exactly go with the dress, but it was all she had. “You still need to buy boots,” he said, glancing at her sandaled feet.
“Why bother? In a couple of days, I’ll be strolling the beaches of sunny California,” she reminded him.
His smiled melted. “Right. How could I forget?”
After Braden apologized to Reina for leaving a mess in the kitchen, they said their goodbyes and got into his Hummer to head to work. The car smelled like Braden, that mixture of cinnamon and sugar and that spice which was unique to him.