“I can’t wait to see your shop.” Ling smiled.
Ronin cleared his throat. “Don’t expect her to show you how she makes her products. There are too many proprietary secrets.”
“Not true.” I glanced back, giving Ronin a grin that was also a scowl. He knew the reason he’d never seen me make a full batch of soap was because he was responsible for too many ruined batches.
My lover thought there was time for sex between pouring layers of soap.
There wasn’t.
So … I banned him from my lab.
I smiled, batting my eyelashes to soften the blow about their child. “Your son touches too many things in my lab. However, I would love to show you my shop and how I make my products.”
“Let’s eat.” Ronin lifted me from his lap, whispering in my ear, “I touch you in your lab.”
I grinned, lifting my hand to his head and sliding my fingers through his hair as he nipped at my ear. His parents eyed us, and their expressions said it all. They liked what they saw. I passed the test. It would have crushed me to have my parents love Ronin so much and then feel any less adoration toward me from his parents.
We ate.
We laughed.
I fell deeper in love with Ronin by falling in love with his parents. He fit into my life. I fit into his life.
He never mentioned my mother’s cancer diagnosis, and I appreciated him leaving that to me. It was still raw. When I dwelled on it, tears rushed to the surface. However, it was a chance I took as we settled back into the living room to enjoy hot drinks by the fire after dinner.
“Listen … I want to let you know that my mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.”
Concern etched Ling’s and Victor’s faces.
Forcing a smile, I took a deep breath. “It will be fine. My mother is very strong, both physically and mentally. However, my time will be divided in the coming months between her, my shop, and the wedding. If you could indulge Ronin by skiing with him, that would be fantastic. I fear my schedule won’t allow much time on the slopes.”
“Oh …” Victor nodded. “That can be arranged. Now his text makes sense.”
“His text?” I canted my head.
“It’s late …” Ronin tried to stand, but I leaned back into his chest as we shared the recliner, attempting to pin him to it with my weight.
Victor’s gaze slid to Ronin for a second.
“Don’t look at him.” I moved my head to block the line of sight between the two men.
Victor eyed Ling. “He asked us to refrain from suggesting you go skiing with us. I assumed it was because you weren’t a skier, which surprised me since you live in Aspen. I couldn’t imagine Ronin dating someone who didn’t ski. Now I realize it’s because of your mom.” His eyes narrowed. “Correct?”
I slid off Ronin’s lap and stood between the sofa and the recliner, next to the coffee table. Victor and Ling gave me their attention, but after a few seconds, confusion floated across their faces. Since … I didn’t say anything.
What was there to say?
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but no one was attacking me. Why get defensive?
That insanely-jealous-woman-at-the-bar-with-karaoke-Vanessa wasn’t me. Well, she was me. She was me before I knew for sure that Ronin loved me. But right then, in front of his parents, I knew. Vanessa wasn’t my competition. I’d won.
He loved me.
This is me. Take it or leave it.
I smiled, but before I could say my truth, Ronin’s hand cuffed my wrist as he stood and turned me toward him, putting my back to his parents. “Evelyn is a horrific skier, but she tries.” He slid his hands along my neck to keep me focused on him. “It doesn’t matter. She’s going to marry me. She said as much the day we met.”
It took me three weeks to learn how to ride a bike, while my friends did it in three minutes. However, it took less than a second to fall in love with this man. I knew this because I couldn’t remember the moment I fell for him which meant … I had loved him forever. Probably in a parallel universe.
Déjà vu. Destiny. Kismet. Serendipity.
They were all just fancy names for justifying fate when in actuality we had met before. We fell in love in a different world. I got to live more than one life with this man. That was some cool shit. And I believed that cool shit with complete conviction.
“Roe …” I whispered. Even if I could play in my head the mind-numbing explanation that was us, the fact that he didn’t analyze us, where we met, how quickly we fell in love, and the improbable sanity of it all … was enough to drive a lump into my throat.