Sweet Seduction Shield(14)

People were everywhere. Lounging, sitting tapping away on laptops at tables, perusing CDs towards the back in a darker lit alcove which must have stored the music, or just chatting while sipping their take-away coffee cups, which matched the décor colouring to a T. All of them looked relaxed and happy and content. The whole place screamed comfortable.

And strangely safe.

The Exponents' Why Does Love Do This To Me? was playing on the stereo, louder than I would have expected, but somehow blending in with the cacophony of conversation, whilst drowning out the mechanics of making large volumes of espresso. When Jordan Luck reached the chorus, as though they were at a cricket match cheering from the stands, the customers all stopped what they were doing or saying and sang the words. "I don't know. Why does love do this to me? I don't know. I don't know."

Once the chorus finished they went back to their drinks and chocolate and conversations.

A small amused sound escaped my lips. My office was not far from here, yet I hadn't even known this place existed. Daisy tugged on my hand, making a beeline for the chocolates and sticking her hot little hands on the glass frontage, while her nose almost flattened itself against it too. Mist coated the glass as she exhaled, her big beautiful brown eyes lifting to mine.

"Please, Mummy. Can I have the penguin?"

I glanced down at which treat she was pointing to, surprised to see a penguin shaped chocolate complete with yellow coloured "feathers" on its head and breast. Just like a King Penguin.

"Oh good choice!" the woman behind the counter announced. "We call him Percy the Princely Penguin. What do you say, Mum? A prince for a princess?"

"He's not a prince!" Daisy exclaimed.

"Daisy," I warned, offering the blonde behind the counter an apologetic smile.

"He's a King Penguin from the Antarctica. I'm going to study them one day," Daisy announced with an air of finality.

"Oh," the woman replied, lifting a hand to her mouth and tapping a finger thoughtfully. "Well in that case, we'll call him Kenny the King Penguin."

"I prefer Keanu the King Penguin," another blonde behind the counter chimed in. This one had curly hair, as opposed to our server's longer wavy hair. Both girls had stunning, mischievous blue eyes and wore identical uniforms.

I did another quick scan of the shop, noting the carefully outrageous colour scheme, delightfully quirky furnishings and well thought out presentation of all the staff. I was stunned to find myself falling for the place. Literally within minutes of walking through the door.

Even the randomly placed furniture didn't set my OCD off. That urge to straighten the chairs and tables so they were all at right angles to each other, was placated by the prim and proper appearance of the staff, the meticulously displayed chocolates under the counter, and the unique, but uniform look to the front of the shop.

"Shall we let the Princess decide?" Blonde number one suggested.

"You spoil all my fun, Gen," Blonde number two replied, making a show of poking her tongue out at the one she'd called Gen.

Gen, short for Genevieve I suppose. My eyes returned to her face, wondering what her connection to Pierce was. She delicately tapped a finger on the top of the glass case, bringing my attention to her rather large diamond engagement ring. Ah, maybe that explained it.

"So, what do you think, Princess...?" Gen left the question open.

"Princess Daisy," I found myself saying from out of nowhere.

"Um," Daisy said, big, wide eyes flicking between both women. She started biting her bottom lip.

My daughter had been through hell the past twenty-four hours, and being asked to name a chocolate penguin sets her insecurities off?

I crouched down next to her and whispered, "You don't have to name it, Daisy-girl. But you can have one, if you like."

She leaned forward and whispered in reply, "I don't wanna hurt their feelings."

I felt the two women still on the other side of the counter.

"How would you hurt their feelings?" I asked.

"'Cause I don't like either of those names."

"Ah," I said, knowingly. "What name do you like?"

"I like Kelly."

I smiled. Kelly for Kelly Tarlton's of course.

"I think they might like Kelly too, baby. Why don't you try them?"

She shuffled her feet and then looked up at them from under long brown lashes.

"I seen the penguins at Kelly Tarlton's yesterday," she mumbled.

"Hey, I know!" Blonde number two said with over the top enthusiasm. "How about Kelly for a name?"

Daisy's head shot up.

"You know what?" Gen replied, finger tapping on her lips again. "That is utterly brilliant. In fact, I'm writing a sign up now and placing it in the display."