Early the next morning, Jacqui carried several of the flower arrangements into the bakery. They made the small space look especially cheerful, and made her smile all morning.
The bakery had an unusual amount of traffic that morning, too. New customers wandered in, looking around like they couldn’t quite believe they were there. Each of them ordered several items, and some of them stayed to eat at the tables.
Jacqui stayed busy all morning. A few of the customers came back to the counter and ordered a dozen pastries or a whole cake to take back to their offices. It was definitely the best morning for the business in a while.
Around ten that morning, in a lull in the unusual rush, the door opened and Jacqui looked up to see several suited men enter the bakery.
“Gentlemen, I promise that once you try Ms. Bauer’s cakes, you won’t want to eat any other kind of dessert. Please, indulge yourselves.”
Khizar stood back and watched as the group deliberated over what to purchase. He encouraged them to get several different items, and waited patiently as each man ordered.
Jacqui hurried to pull things out of the case and box them up, taking extra care so that the packaging looked nice.
Once each man had received his order and paid, Khizar walked up to the counter and winked at Jacqui.
“I’d like three dozen brownies and a slice of whatever cake you like best today, please.”
She raised her eyebrows, but put the order together. When he pulled out his wallet to pay, Jacqui tried to wave him off, but he laid a hand over hers and shook his head.
“No argument. I think these things are worth twice what you charge. And I’m learning that the promise of bringing brownies into a jewelry shop I want to negotiate with is an excellent ice-breaker.”
Jacqui laughed. “So that’s what you’re doing with all these?”
He waved a hand toward the group of men. “For that matter, it also works with taking the jewelers to the bakery.”
“I’ll have to remember that tactic next time I want something from the bank,” she said, shaking her head.
She put the cash in the register and handed him the boxes of brownies and the smaller box with the slice of cake.
Jacqui bit her lower lip and finally said, “Thank you. For the flowers. They are absolutely lovely.”
“Not as lovely as you. I am delighted you are enjoying them,” he replied, looking around at the flowers she’d brought in.
Jacqui felt herself blushing, but before she could say anything else, Khizar asked, “Still up for dinner tonight?”
“Definitely,” she said, smiling at him.
“Fair warning, there’s a chance it will be someplace fancy.”
Jacqui tried not to giggle. “Thanks for the heads up.”
He grinned at her again as he walked backwards towards the door, following his little group of businessmen out the door.
When the knock sounded on her door, Jacqui smoothed her hair and her dress one more time and went to open it.
Khizar seemed a little stunned; at least, he didn’t speak for a full ten seconds. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, “You look stunning.”
“Thank you,” Jacqui said, pleased.
She’d pulled out one of her favorite dresses, a deep burgundy sheath with a scoop neck and lace overlay. The elbow-length sleeves fell in wide bells around her arms. Jacqui had always felt like a princess in this dress.
Khizar shook himself and held out an arm. “Shall we go?”
Jacqui picked up a wrap and her purse, and turned off the lights. She closed and locked the door, then took his arm.
“Where are we off to?”
“It’s a surprise,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at her.
When they got downstairs, Jacqui was looking for Khizar’s rental car, but she didn’t see it. What she did see sitting in front of her building was a limo. Well, more a town car than a stretch limo, but given that Jacqui had never ridden in either, it didn’t matter.
She looked at Khizar in question and he held the door open for her.
“We might be going to more than just dinner tonight.”
Jacqui climbed into the car, and found two glasses and a bottle of champagne waiting. Khizar slid in next to her and closed the door.
He leaned forward and said to the driver, “We’re ready, thank you.”
He sat back and gestured to the glasses. “Would you like something to drink?”
The car pulled away from the building as Jacqui took a glass from Khizar, his fingers brushing against hers. She thought he might have lingered there, just a bit.
It wasn’t a long ride, and Jacqui mostly enjoyed just being in a luxurious car sipping champagne. Khizar helped her out of the car and led her into another water-front restaurant. Once again, they were greeted with deference and shown to one of the best tables in the house.