“Yes,” she said, practically bouncing. “Now, just because Mr. Ramses doesn’t eat desserts, Emma, don’t let that stop you. I’ll be back with some lemon cake.”
“I’m not sure...”
Nodding, she backed away before realizing she’d forgotten the cart with the silver domes. “Now, never mind me. You enjoy your dinner.”
I lifted my fork, and waited until she disappeared through the same French doors she’d used to enter. When I looked up, Rett was staring at me.
“I should apologize,” he said.
My smile bloomed. “You’re funny.”
“I’m not sure anyone has ever told me that before.”
“You ambushed me, practically kidnapped me” —I looked up toward the third floor— “have me held with a guard at my door, and the one thing you want to apologize for is a sweet old lady?”
“Miss Guidry isn’t sweet.”
“Yet you keep her around...since you were in diapers is the rumor I heard.”
He shook his head. “She meant a lot to my mother. When Miss Guidry came here before I was born, the Ramseses became her family. I’ve offered her a home of her own and all the money she could ever spend, and she doesn’t want it. When my mother passed, Miss Guidry said that her purpose was to watch over my mother and by extension, me.” He widened his eyes. “I guess if you want to lay it on the line, I’m capable of many horrible things. The one thing I can’t do is make her leave.”
“Even with the offer of a home and money?”
He shook his head. “What sounds like heaven to one person is a hell for another.”
My cheeks rose as I took a bite of the salmon. It was delicious, but that wasn’t where my mind was. I was thinking that in that sweet old lady, I’d been given a glimpse into Everett Ramses. Under his tough shell, he might have a soft spot.
After finishing our dinner, we both enjoyed a cup of coffee and I had a small piece of the lemon cake. As I was finishing the last sip, I took a long look up at the lights. “Are there always this many lights out here?”
“No,” he said, placing his coffee cup on the saucer. “I wanted to be sure you saw stars.”
“You had them done today? For me?”
He pulled out his phone and smiled my way. “Close your eyes.”
“What is your obsession with not allowing me to see?”
His eyebrows rose.
My eyes closed.
“Now open them.”
It had only been a second, but in that sliver of time, the thousands of lights overhead were extinguished. Now, the only light was the colorful display coming from the fountain.
“Look up and see your stars,” he said.
I was again seeing the sky through a rectangle, but oh, this one was much larger than the one upstairs. The night sky was a velvet black sprinkled with stars. “It’s so pretty.”
When I turned back, Rett was standing and offering me his hand.
As I placed my smaller one in his palm, I confessed, “I don’t want this to end.”
“Nothing is ending. Once it’s safe and you’re my wife, this is all yours. You can spend as much time out here as you wish.”
Less than a minute later, Rett secured the blindfold in place and led me back upstairs.
Rett