Susan Mallery - Sweet Trouble

“We should go upstairs,” she said. “I saw sweaters there.”

Matt hesitated. “I’m going to grab a coffee. You want one?”

“No, thanks.”

He waited until they’d gone up the escalator, then returned to the perfume counter. The girl was waiting.

“You’re back,” she said, her tone suggestive.

He ignored that. “The first perfume we tried. What was it?”

“Shi by Alfred Sung. It’s lovely. One of my favorites.” All he cared about was that Jesse had liked it.

“Give me a bottle. Or a set. Do you have a set?”

She showed him a box with perfume and lotion.

“I’ll take that.” Maybe showing Jesse that he paid attention would help.

He caught up with them over a table of sweaters. She glanced at his package. “What happened to the coffee?”

“I changed my mind.”

She held up a dark red sweater. “I think Paula would look great in this. What do you think?”

“I agree.”

She glanced at the price and winced, then shrugged. “She’s worth it.”

He wanted to point out that the money he’d deposited in her bank account would keep her comfortable, but guessed that was the wrong tack to take. He also didn’t offer to pay for the sweater. She would take that as an insult.

“Now we’re getting ’fume?” Gabe asked as they stood in line to pay.

Jesse nodded. “There’s a Sephora store here. Let’s try there. You might like the Philosophy scents.” She looked at Matt. “They’re really clean and appealing.”

“Then we’ll go there next.”

She paid for the sweater. Matt took the bag from the clerk. “I can carry this.”

Jesse hesitated. “Thanks.”

They walked toward the escalator. As they paused at the top, waiting for a couple of women to go in front of them, he put his hand on the small of her back.

He felt the heat of her body through the fabric of her long-sleeved T-shirt. She didn’t react at all. Was she aware of his touch? Enduring for the sake of Gabe? What did she think when she looked at him? Did she allow any possibility of forgiveness?

One step at a time, he reminded himself. He’d worked his plan before and it had turned into a disaster. This time he was going to live the moment, doing the best he could to prove himself to her.

They left Nordstrom’s. Matt motioned to the Ben Bridge Jewelry store. “I need to stop here.”

Jesse raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“I want to get my mom a pair of earrings.” He didn’t mention that for the past five years he hadn’t bothered with a gift at all. He’d been too angry, then too lazy to bother. Another relationship that needed mending, he thought. Although Paula had been completely open to his apologies.

Jesse followed Matt inside the jewelry store. The beautiful pieces glittered and winked from behind their protective cases. At least everything was locked up so she didn’t have to worry about Gabe bumping into a display or picking up something breakable. She relaxed her death grip on his hand, although still kept him close.

Matt walked up to the salesman behind one of the counters. “I’d like to see what you have in black Tahitian pearls,” he said firmly.

Jesse blinked. Okay, so he was a man who knew what he wanted. She wasn’t sure she even knew what Tahitian pearls were.

“Right over here, sir,” the man said and moved to his left. He opened the back of the case and brought out several pairs of earrings.

She stared at the deeply colored pearls. They were lovely and sophisticated. Some dangled, some had diamonds. Matt pointed at the pair with the largest pearl, each set off by a sizeable diamond.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“They’re exquisite,” she told him. “The dark pearls will be beautiful with Paula’s coloring.”

“Good. I’ll take these.”

Jesse noticed he didn’t bother asking the price. She knew he could afford whatever they were. Five years ago he would have writhed and hesitated. Not because he was cheap but because he’d never spent the money he earned. He’d been too busy being a computer nerd. He’d been sweet and honorable and he’d made her feel safe. If she had to say what she’d missed the most when she’d left, she would have to admit it was how right she’d felt in his arms. Like she belonged. As if nothing bad would ever happen.

“Mommy, look.”

Gabe pointed to a display of diamond bracelets. Several of them looked expensive enough to cost the same as a small car.

“They’re pretty.”

“I like that one.”

She looked at the white-gold bangle with graduated diamonds.

“It’s very nice.”

Matt moved next to her. “Which one do you like?” he asked Gabe.

The boy pointed.

“You should try it on, Jess.”

She took a step back. “No, thanks.”

“Not your style?”

It was too beautiful for her to say that. “I don’t have anywhere to wear it.”

The salesman pulled the bracelet out of the case. “Today women wear bracelets like this all the time.”

Not in her world, she thought, releasing Gabe and tucking her hands behind her back. “I’m okay. Thanks.”

“Just try it on,” Matt told her. “See how it looks.”

As if it could look bad. “I’m-” All three of them were staring at her. She sighed. “Fine. I’ll try it on.”

“This is a Journey bracelet. Two carats of diamonds set in white gold.” He put it around her wrist.

It fit perfectly and looked amazing. Jesse had never tried on anything this lovely before. The diamonds seemed perfect, so bright and practically casting a rainbow when they caught the light.

“We’ll take it,” Matt said.

She gasped. “No, we won’t.”

“Why not? You like it. It looks good on you.”

“It’s insane. I can’t take this.”

“Your bracelet is pretty, Mommy,” Gabe said.

It was too much. It implied…she wasn’t sure what, but something. It had to.

Matt leaned toward her. “A man giving the mother of his child a gift is traditional.”

“There’s a stretch,” she muttered. “I can’t. And even if I could, this is too extravagant.”

“Your gift with interest. Please, Jesse. I want you to have this.”

“It doesn’t prove anything,” she whispered. “It’s not going to make me like you more.”

The words sounded more harsh than she’d intended, but before she could apologize, he nodded.

“I know you well enough to believe that. Take the bracelet. Because it’s nearly as beautiful as you are. Please.”

His dark gaze seemed to see inside of her, to the place that still wanted to believe in him.

“Matt, I-” She nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He looked pleased. Not victorious, but happy. Which shouldn’t have made her feel better, but it did.

SATURDAY MORNING, BILL took Paula out to run some errands so the rest of them could get ready for the party. Matt arrived right at ten-thirty, his arms filled with bags and packages.

“I still have the cake in the car,” he said as he put everything on the kitchen table. Then he grabbed Gabe and swung him in his arms. “How’s my best boy?” he asked.

Gabe laughed. “We bought ice cream.”

“I had to hide it in the back of the freezer,” Jesse told him, trying to keep things light, trying not to show how good it was to see him. “Why don’t you go get the cake and I’ll get this unpacked?”

“Sure.”

He ruffled Gabe’s hair then went back out to his car. Jesse unpacked the various bags. He’d bought everything she’d asked him to. The three-foot sub sandwich she’d ordered, the matching paper napkins and cake plates. There were two sprays of flowers from the florist in Woodinville, a small wrapped package that was his mother’s present and a bag full of cheesy birthday banners and party favors.