Tempting Prince Charming, page 5
“You mind if I ask how he died?” Thad asked. His desire to know wasn’t from some morbid fascination; he wanted to better understand her and how this night was affecting her. He was also worried about saying the wrong thing without meaning to. This whole date started as a fun bet with Jared, but now that he’d gotten her talking, he was truly enjoying himself. This was definitely not like his usual dates. They would have skipped the water and gone straight to a hotel room. And yes, he wanted Veronica flat on a bed beneath him, but he also wanted other things, like to know what went on behind those eyes of hers when they turned a stormy blue.
She drew in a shaky breath. “It was a car accident. He was coming home on his motorcycle and it was raining. A car hydroplaned and hit him.” The haunted look on her face cut him deeper than he expected.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s not that. I just… I tend to overthink things when it comes to sharing that part of my life, if that make sense.”
“Overanalyzing every little nuance searching for hidden meaning? Yeah, I get it.”
“I’m really making this night fun, aren’t I?” Her question held a note of bitter, self-directed sarcasm.
Thad caught her chin when she tried to look away. “Hey, relax. You are making this night real. I asked you out, remember? I want to know you, even the sad parts.”
It wasn’t just a line. He actually meant it, which shocked him. Even as her pain hurt him, her genuine soul held him captivated. If Jared never made that bet at the Chi-Bean, Veronica would have been just another person in the crowd. A flare of self-loathing Thad had never experienced before suddenly reared its ugly head. He really could be a self-absorbed asshole.
“Let’s do another one. Pick a fun one.” She smiled and blinked her long dark lashes, trying to hide the hint of sorrow that glimmered there.
Thad brushed his thumb over her bottom lip and held his breath as her beautiful eyes darkened, but he didn’t do what he normally would. No stolen kisses this time. He turned back to the chat pack and picked up a new card.
“Okay, last one. Thinking back to all the great TV series finales that you have seen over the years, which do you believe had the best final episode?”
“Oh gosh, you go first,” she said.
“Hmmm… TV series finales. I think I’d say the TV movie that finished the show Timeless, that time-traveling adventure show.”
“Oh, I loved that show.” Veronica was smiling again. “The finale was excellent. Everyone got their happy ending.”
“What about you?”
She sipped her water bottle and shifted closer to him. It was just an inch, but it made Thad want to cuddle her close.
“I guess I pick Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Have you ever watched that?”
“I’ve seen a few seasons,” he admitted. “How does it end?”
“So, you remember Buffy was the chosen slayer, the one woman in all the world with the power to deflect evil. But there can only be one slayer, so when Buffy dies, a new girl would inherit her powers.”
“Right…” He vaguely remembered that.
“So at the very end, Buffy and the gang find a way to release her powers to every girl, even the ones not yet born but are destined to be the next slayers. Suddenly they all have their powers. There is the most amazing montage where you see girls of all ages being turned into bad ass versions of themselves. They conquer their fears, stand up for themselves and others, and become the heroes they were meant to be. It’s a beautiful message for all women about confidence and self-empowerment.” A fresh blush tinged her cheeks. “Guess that sounds a little silly when I say it out loud.”
“Not at all,” he said quite seriously. “Female empowerment is the opposite of silly.”
“You think so?”
“I was raised by one of the best heart surgeons in the country. The things she’s done, the accomplishments, not to mention the lives she saved…”
“Your mom?”
He nodded.
“What about your father?”
“A former investment banker. He works in real estate with me now.”
“You work with your father? That must be fun…” She smiled a little. “Or maybe tough.”
“Mostly fun,” Thad smiled fondly. “He’s not nearly as fierce as I am.”
“You’re fierce?” Veronica was watching him with an amused expression.
“Oh yes,” he waggled his eyebrows. “I’m a beast in the boardroom. You should hear me roar!” He mimed the swiping of a clawed paw at her and she laughed. The sound, so sweet and honest, hit him behind the knees.
She gave a playful smirk. “The beast of the boardroom, huh? So what do you do during the average boardroom safari, Mr. Beast?”
“Mostly negotiate tough deals on properties I want to buy. My father is the man who comes prepared with all the research, but he doesn’t like the negotiation stage. That’s where I come in. We work well as a team.”
“That sounds nice.” Veronica’s gaze drifted to the art around the room. Then she suddenly gasped as she saw the clock.
Thad inwardly cursed. “We have to go, don’t we?”
“Yes,” She sounded hesitant and disappointed. “I’m sorry…”
“Or… We could stay longer. You won’t turn into a pumpkin after midnight, will you?”
“No,” she laughed again. “But sometimes it feels like I might. I really have to go home.”
“Okay, no problem. Let me return the chat pack to the bar and I’ll get Simon to pick us up.” He collected the cards and returned the set to Maya.
“Well? Did it work magic?” Maya asked.
“Actually, it did.” He’d gotten Veronica to open up in a way that felt like more of a victory than any of his other dates had.
“Glad to hear it. Have a good night, Romeo.” Maya blew him a kiss and he winked at her before he joined Veronica by the elevators.
“So, was tonight okay? Be honest.” He put his hand on the small of her back as they stepped into the elevator. It might have been premature, but the need to touch her in some small way was overwhelming.
“It was great… Better than I expected.” Her face reddened at the admission.
“And what did you expect exactly?” He reluctantly let go of her back, knowing it would be too much too soon if he continued to touch her.
“You’ll probably laugh.”
“Maybe, but not at you.”
“You struck me as a clubbing kind of guy. But not the dance floor type. More like, all private VIP lounge with big bass music, champagne, and limos.”
This time he was the one who blushed. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away, but she noticed.
“Oh my God. You are that guy, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, usually. But not this time.”
“So why not take me to a club for drinks?”
“You know how loud those places are? Hard to have a real conversation there. Besides, you’re different.” He kicked himself because of the way she reacted to that. “I mean that as a good thing.” She still didn’t look convinced.
The elevator door opened, and they passed through the lobby. A bellhop waved down Simon, who was ready to take them home. They were both quiet as his car stopped in front of the Chi-Bean. He wanted to say a dozen things to her, but he felt awkward as hell after she’d pegged him for being the kind of guy to take a date to a VIP club room. He’d wanted a different experience, and he’d gotten it, but he wasn’t sure he’d actually given her a fun night or if she was just ready to get home and put the whole experience behind her. Veronica was excellent at sending mixed signals.
“Are you okay to get home from here?” Thad asked.
“Yeah. I need to close up with Zelda.” She got out of the car and Thad instructed his driver to wait for him. He got out and followed her to the coffee shop.
“Assuming I didn’t somehow scare you off, can I take you out again?” Thad wanted to touch her again, to pull her into his arms and kiss away the tiny lines of worry creasing her brow. She pulled at something inside of him that wanted to protect her, to care for her. He’d always been a gentleman for women, always respectful and protective, but Veronica was different. She seemed to exist on another level for him in a way no any other woman he’d dated ever had.
She played with the set of keys she’d retrieved from her purse and bit her bottom lip. “You really want to see me again?”
“Yes. Very much so.” Her puzzlement bothered him. She didn’t think he would want to?
“Why?”
Thad heard a plethora of questions in that single word.
This time he couldn’t resist. He cupped her chin and their gazes locked. “Because you’re real, and I need some reality in my life.” He leaned in, closing the distance between them and he pressed his lips to her forehead before he stepped away. She released a small exhale that he felt deep within him as if he’d released the same breath.
She lifted her gaze to his, and those blue eyes of hers burned through him so sweetly. “Okay.”
He smiled. “Great. How about after open mic night next Thursday?”
“I think I can do that.”
“It’s a date. Have a great night, Veronica.” He couldn’t resist caressing her name on his tongue. He liked it far too much. She reminded him of Veronica from the Archie comics, a gorgeous figure with long glossy black hair, except without Veronica’s brazen attitude. She was sweet and shy, way more of a Betty if he had to compare her to comic characters. What would she be like when he got her out of her shell? She would kill him, that’s what. Kill him with her sweetness.
“Good night, Thad.” She bit her lip again, but this time he saw it was to hide a smile as she slipped inside the coffee shop. He watched her a second longer before he slipped his hands into his coat pockets and walked back to his car.
“Okay, spill it. Tell me everything that happened!” Zelda squealed. She practically pounced on Veronica when she stepped behind the counter.
“We had drinks at Vol. 39 bar at the Kimpton hotel.” Veronica said, texting Katie to let her know she was back and would be upstairs shortly.
“Oh! I’ve heard about that bar. Classy and swanky.” Zelda nodded and continued to follow her around as she finished tidying up the chairs around the tables. “So, what else happened?”
“We just had drinks and talked.”
Zelda’s smile wilted. “That’s it?”
“That’s it. I’m a very boring person,” Veronica said, half-joking.
“No, you’re not. A single mom who runs her business in the city? You’re incredible.”
“You’re sweet to say that.”
Zelda frowned. “Come on. You’re only twenty-four, Veronica. That’s only four years older than me and you’re a real adult. I feel like I haven’t done anything compared to you.”
“You have. It’s called college, Zelda. You’re doing exactly what you should.”
“Tell that to my student loans. A business degree wasn’t as lucrative as I was led to believe.” Zelda’s eyes narrowed. “And he kissed you… I totally saw that.”
Veronica wiped the counter where a pile of sugar cubes had spilled.
“It was just a little one and not even on the lips.”
“Did you want him to plant one on you all Gone with the Wind style, sweeping you away in his arms?” Zelda asked, her eyes going all dreamy.
“Maybe. I don’t know.” Veronica wasn’t ready for that. But she couldn’t deny she’d wanted more. When he’d leaned in, her world had blurred at the edges, and for the first time in four years, she’d wanted to be kissed by someone other than Parker. She’d had so many dreams over the years about her husband, but with time they’d faded, and her carnal hungers had faded with them. She’d let the role of mother and businesswoman take over. Those responsibilities had given her a reason to keep going. But her desires and sexuality? Those had shut down and she didn’t think they would ever come back, until tonight.
Thad had managed to reach the most feminine part of her. Veronica had wanted so many things in the moment his lips touched her forehead, but he’d sensed she wasn’t ready. Yet that short caress had given her a promise of things to come.
“It’s okay to want things, you know.” Zelda reached out and stopped Veronica’s hand from scrubbing the counter.
“I know. I’m just not used to wanting things.”
“Are you going to see him again?”
“Yes, after next week’s open mic night.”
“Do you think he will come and sing again? You should ask him to. His voice just slayed me.” Zelda clutched her hands to her chest and batted her lashes wildly until Veronica laughed.
“I can ask. He’s some hotshot real estate guy, so he probably doesn’t have a ton of time though.”
“Just text him,” Zelda said.
“Won’t that make me look desperate.”
“Definitely not. It just shows you’re interested in him and you love his voice.”
“Fine,” Veronica shook her head with a wry chuckle and texted Thad.
Veronica: Hey, are you going to come sing an open mic night?
A moment later he responded. Thad: you want me to?
Veronica: You’ve got a great voice. It really seemed to make the crowd go crazy last time.
Thad: You got it. I’ll sing for you.
“What did he say?” Zelda peered over her shoulder and read the text exchange. Her eyes widened. “Oh, damn. That’s hot.”
“What is?” Veronica asked.
“I’ll sing for you,” Zelda whispered in a deep voice as though she were Thad. “He’s totally into you.”
“You are reading into this way too much.”
“I’m not. You’ll see.” Zelda grinned before she noticed a customer who needed her attention.
Veronica let Zelda close up for the night and headed upstairs to relieve Katie of her babysitting.
“So, how did it go, Mrs. Hannigan?” Katie asked, clearly trying to restrain her eagerness.
“Good. It was really nice.”
“Nice as in…?”
“Nice in a good way. He’s coming by for open mic night next week. Do you think you could watch Lyra again for an hour?” Veronica set her purse down on the kitchen table and got out some money to pay Katie.
Katie beamed. “Sure! By the way, you really should Google your date.”
“What? Why?”
Katie giggled and collected her backpack and purse. “Just do it.”
Google Thad? She wondered what Katie had found, but Veronica had to check on Lyra first. As suspected, she found her daughter asleep, so she changed into her pajamas and climbed into her own bed. Just as she pulled up the browser on her phone, it vibrated with a call.
Evil Stepmom showed up on the caller ID. Annette.
Dread spiked through Veronica’s body as she answered.
“Hello?”
“Veronica, I need you and Lyra to be out of the apartment and the coffee shop on Sunday from one to five PM.”
“Why?” Sundays were her one day off when the shop was closed, and she liked to catch up on laundry and cleaning.
“Someone is interested in buying the building. They want to come by to have a look.”
“Buy the house?” The words were like poison upon her lips.
“Yes.”
“But you can’t sell it. Dad left it to me when he died.”
Her stepmother’s tone turned acidic. “No, he didn’t. He put it in your trust and after he died, I became the sole trustee with full discretionary power. I can sell all of your nonmonetary assets if I wish.”
The money from any sale would go right back into the trust, of course, but that trust wasn’t going to terminate until Veronica was thirty, a condition her stepmother had convinced her father was necessary since Veronica had been so irresponsible as to run off and get married at eighteen. Any money disbursed from the trust each month was very small, since, like Annette said, she had all the power.
“Annette, please.” She tried not to get hysterical. “I put three years of my life into the Chi-Bean. I can’t just pick up and move and still have a viable business. And this place is my home. It’s Lyra’s home too.”
“Your father was too soft, letting you use the house to live in and to make that stupid coffee shop. He didn’t even charge you rent.”
“Because he knew I was building up my business and he was trying to support me. What do you think he would want?”
Annette snorted. “He was always too easy on you. You got away with everything. When you ran off and got married after high school, he finally saw what a mess you’d made of your life. Putting me in control before he died was the smartest thing he ever did. I keep you from squandering his money away.”
Pain knifed Veronica’s chest. She’d run away with Parker because she couldn’t stand to live another minute in a house with a woman who despised her and the father who was blind to his wife’s cruelty. That huge chunk of money her father left her wasn’t really accessible either. Annette was supposed to pay her a decent amount of money to live on every month. But Annette, with her sole discretion, had the power to pay only a tiny amount because Veronica had the Chi-Bean income to live on. The income wasn’t much, but it was enough to satisfy the trust rules.
“Annette, I’m begging you. Please don’t sell the building. Please… Lyra and I will have to start over and—”
“That is not my problem. Be out on Sunday or you’ll regret it.”
Annette hung up before Veronica could say another word. The phone dropped to her lap and she stared numbly at the row of photos on the dresser.
If Annette sold this place, Veronica and Lyra would be out in the cold. Literally. She’d put all of her savings into making this place a home for her daughter. She couldn’t afford a decent down payment on another place this size, not even a quarter the size. What would Lyra think if they had to leave? It would break her heart.
Veronica’s vision blurred and before she knew it, she was crying. This house was her world. It was where she’d grown up and where she wanted Lyra to grow up. And it was one more thing that Annette would take away from her.
