Love Starts with Elle(79)

“Elle, this is my boss, Rock Calloway.” Heath motioned to a slender, silver-haired man who carried an aura of sophistication. “He’s after a good burger.”

Elle looked up at him as she combed TL’s hair into place with her fingers. “You’ve come to the right place. How was school today, Tracey-Love?”

“We have ants.”

“Do you?” Elle swished the girl’s hair into a sleek ponytail.

“An ant farm, right?” Heath gazed down at her, a soft, pleasant look in his eye, fatherly pride around the edge of his face.

“Yep, farm, but they don’t grow veg-ables.” She bobbed her head, so serious.

“They don’t? Goodness, but we love our vegetables.”

“Except broccoli.” TL curled her nose.

“So, Mr. Calloway, how do you like the lowcountry?”

“Hot. But beautiful.”

“You’ll get used to it.” She glanced at Jeremiah and introduced him. The men gripped hands.

“Jeremiah used to play for the Dallas Cowboys, Rock,” Heath said.

“Did you now? My old favorite team. I follow the Giants these days.”

The comment sparked football talk until the waitress came out and asked if Heath’s party wanted to join the table.

Elle stiffened. Jeremiah and Heath at the same table. She’d never get her dinner down.

“No, thanks,” Heath said. “We’ll take the vacant spot in the corner.”

Jeremiah asked for the bill. When he’d signed the credit card receipt, he led her off the back steps toward Waterfront Park.

Elle glanced over at Heath. “See you.”

“Night, Elle.”



Rock gazed at the water. “The artist?”

“How’d you know?” Heath had settled it in his heart. Elle was with Jeremiah.

“The look on your face. She a threat to my plans for you coming back?”

Rock should turn off his people radar and enjoy the freaking view. “I thought you were hungry. Read your menu so we can order.”

Rock chuckled, opening his menu. “Either way, congratulations, you’ve entered the land of the living. And it’s a good thing I decided to come down, remind you there’re a lot of beautiful women in New York. Artists too.”

“They’re not the same.” Heath scanned the burger section, not really reading. “She’s probably going to marry him.”

“Probably? I know a lawyer who used to get acquittals on a probably. Reasonable doubt, my friend. Make your move. The Barbeque Burger looks good.”

Heath peered at Rock. “If I make my move, it may ruin your plans.”

“Bring her with you. A married Heath makes a happy lawyer.” Rock closed his menu. “But don’t come to Calloway & Gardner pining for her. I’ll have no sympathy.”

Heath heard Rock loud and clear. In fact, he expected nothing less from the man.

“Any word from Mitzy Canon?”

“Nothing more than a request for samples.” Heath picked up one of TL’s crayons and started coloring her picture.

“Hey, this is mine.” She shoved his hand away with an intense furrow between her eyebrows. “You color yours.”

Rock laughed. “She can handle you just fine.”

Heath put his hand on her hair. “Getting there.”

The waitress came around for their drink order, and Rock picked out a couple of appetizers. “Make your move or live with the consequences.”

Heath watched Tracey-Love color carefully between the lines.

“It’s nothing, Rock, a schoolboy crush.”

“Do you love her?”

Heath hid his eyes behind a swig of tea. “I told you, a school boy crush.”



Jeremiah swept her into his arms, kissing her temple. Elle smoothed her hand over the thick pump of his chest. The water and grass-scented wind also carried a hint of Jeremiah’s sandalwood fragrance.

“Offer still stands,” he said, dipping his head for a kiss. “I’ll call Eli, and in an hour, you’ll be my wife.”

“Jeremiah, come on, you’re not serious. What about our families and friends?”

“They’d understand. We’re not young, starry-eyed kids who don’t know the difference between the pageantry and reality.”

“Even so, I want my family there, and my friends. Besides, I’m working a show for Darcy’s Summer Art Walk. And who knows, maybe Mitzy Canon will want to show my work in her gallery. I can’t just pick up and—”

“Paint in Tallahassee. Travel up here whenever you want.”

A river-wet gust slipped along the edge of the park. Her excuses weren’t buying her any time.

“It’s not doing, Jeremiah. It’s being. I can do all day long. The question is can I be with you? Can I trust you? Will something come along that causes you to choose yourself, your career, over me?”

“That’s the old Jeremiah.”

“Old? Already? It’s only been four months since we broke up, only a few weeks since you quite the job.”

They walked through a warm pocket of evening as they made their way to the marina parking lot. “I’ve changed, Elle. Look close enough and you’ll see.”