Bella was talking about some lavender sugar cookies Candace was trying to perfect as I nodded and smiled. The last thing I wanted was for her to see the rage inside of me. I’d already put things into motion before I’d picked her up, starting my search for the fucker who’d raped her. I had a stack of letters I still had from when Bella and I wrote to each other in college. I had been reading through them to see if I could figure out who the girl was who’d found Bella, or the name of someone in the study group.
“I think with all the lavender we have growing at the apiary, and what Abby is growing, we could really do something with it, like the culinary lavender.”
I nodded again. “I like the idea about the syrup.”
A wide grin appeared on her face. “Me too. Mom and Dad still aren’t so sure about it, though. They only want to focus on the bees, and I get that. It’s just…I have all these ideas. I love working with the bees. I would never give that up. And I love the store, and the café was just meant to be fun, but…”
“But what?”
She looked down at her plate and chewed on her lip. “I really love doing up the baskets. It’s been so much fun, Hunter. I was thinking it might be great to do specialty baskets, and Candace mentioned advertising them. You know, like for gifts. Bridal showers or baby showers. Engagement baskets or for anniversaries. Things like that. Make them more personal, and somehow bring the bees into each basket. Something bee-themed, I mean.”
“Then do it.”
She let out a humorless laugh. “I don’t have the time. I mean, in the winter I do, since the bees aren’t as demanding then. Plus, I have the store and the café now, which is really becoming popular with locals. I’m only open a few days a week right now, but I think I could easily open more, especially if Candace wanted to help out.”
“Why don’t you hire Candace to help with the café full time?”
She frowned. “Greer would kill me.”
I laughed. “No, she wouldn’t. If I know Greer, she wants Candace to follow her dreams as well. And if being in a kitchen is her dream, Greer would never hold her back.”
Bella’s eyes lit up. “Do you think so? I mean, you really think Greer wouldn’t mind if Candace came to work at the café instead? I would give her full run of it.”
“I don’t think she’d mind at all. You should talk to them both.”
“I’m going to!” she said with a giddy chuckle. “I’m definitely going to talk to them about it.”
“Good. And can I just say your laugh is one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard.”
Her smile softened as she stared at me. “I’ve missed you and how you make me feel so special.”
I reached across the table and took Bella’s hand in mine. “That’s because you are special, sweetheart.”
Bella’s face grew serious as she set her fork down and let out a long breath. “Hunter, thank you for being so sweet to me and planning this romantic lunch. You’ll never know how much it means.” She drew in a breath, then went on. “I know I keep saying I’m sorry for not trusting in our love enough to tell you what really happened. I feel both elated you know the truth, and so upset with myself that I wasn’t honest with you. It’s such a strange mix of emotions.”
I squeezed her hand. “We both have a lot of guilt for the way we handled things, but I do not begrudge you whatsoever for not being able to talk about it at the time, Bella. I can’t even imagine what it was like for you. The only thing I want to do now is focus on us, on your healing, and being able to move on from the past. We have a beautiful future ahead of us, and that’s all I want to concentrate on.”
She dug her teeth into her lower lip before she spoke again. “I want that to. I don’t know how long it will take before I’ll feel comfortable being with you sexually. I want to,” she said on a heavy breath. “Believe me, I want you so much.”
Smiling, I replied, “I want you, too, but I’ll wait for as long as it takes, Bella. We’ll go slow and only do what you’re comfortable with. As far as I’m concerned, you’re in control.”
A wicked little smile played across her face as she pulled her hand from mine and leaned back in the chair. “I’m in control?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“So, does that mean I can do whatever I want to you?”
Jesus fucking Christ, is she trying to kill me with that question?