Hollywood Heir (Westerly Billionaire #4)(20)

The man looked up as if startled and stashed the leash away as if the act of holding it and the collar was shameful. “Yes?”

“A friend of mine has been quite sad recently. I’m looking for the perfect houseplant to cheer her up. Which do you think she’d prefer? Fuchsia or snapdragons?”

“My vote is for the snapdragons,” Wayne said smoothly.

The man blinked a few times, as if the question required returning from somewhere far off. “I—I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Lilacs give off a constant mood-lifting aroma. On the other hand, begonias are hardier and can be transplanted outdoors. My friend has been so down. This is an important decision. Which would cheer you more?”

The man rubbed a hand roughly over his face, stood, and stuffed his hands into his jacket pocket. “I’m sorry. I don’t know much about plants. I came to the park to be alone.”

“No. No. We’re sorry. We didn’t mean to intrude.” Sage held out a card to the man. “I’m a plant psychologist, so I take vegetation very seriously.” She smiled with warmth and waited.

“A plant psychologist?” The man frowned and accepted the card, turning it over as if it did something special.

Sage nodded. “Keep my number in case you ever find yourself with a droopy houseplant.” She leaned forward and placed her hand lightly on his forearm. “Or with a home in need of a little uplifting. Plants have health benefits. They increase indoor oxygen levels, raise the humidity, and have even been known to lower anxiety. I suggest one houseplant per hundred square feet, but that’s just my preference.”

He looked back and forth between Sage and Wayne. “If you’re selling anything, I’m not interested.”

Sage hugged Wayne’s side. “I don’t sell plants, just counsel them, right, Wayne?”

Wayne gave her a strange look, as if what she’d just said had made him uncomfortable. Sage tensed, hoping her partner would stay in character. His features transformed into an easy smile, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her closer. “As far as I know, that’s all she does.”

“Thank you, but I don’t have any plants,” the older man said as he held the card out for Sage to take back.

Sage didn’t. Instead she tugged on Wayne and began to walk away. “Keep my card in case you ever do. They really warm a home up. I also help people introduce new plants into their lives—even ones they’ve bought at convenience stores. Well, it was nice to meet you.”

“I guess,” the man said slowly, pocketing the card.

They were several feet away when Wayne said, “Sorry that one didn’t work out for you. I have some friends who might be interested—”

Sage stepped away from Wayne. Walking with him as if they were a couple was playing havoc with her senses. “He’ll call me.”

Wayne looked back over his shoulder at the man, still standing where they’d left him. “I wouldn’t bet your rent on it.”

“I would. In fact, I am. When you send good out into the universe, good comes back.”

Wayne made a sound of disgust. “That’s not how things work. I know—I mean, there are plenty of horrible people who are wealthy beyond what they deserve.”

“Who are probably the unhappiest people on the planet. Would you really want to trade places with them?” Sage paused and turned to look up at his face.

“No. No, I wouldn’t.” He lowered his mouth to hers. Sage swayed forward into his unhurried, tender kiss. His hands cupped her face as he explored her lips and delved in to meet her tongue with his.

Warmth spread through Sage, but not just from desire. Being with him felt right and beautiful. As a person who followed her heart, right then she could hear it screaming that he could be the man she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. Bella saw enough divorced couples come through her office that she didn’t believe in soul mates, but Sage still did.

Wayne raised his head. His ragged breath matched Sage’s.

“Wayne—”

“Don’t call me that,” he growled, his hands dropping from her face.

Still muddled from the kiss, Sage blinked fast and shook her head. Had she said the wrong name? I think I said Wayne. God, I hope I said Wayne. What else could I have said? She reached for him. “Did I—”

He stepped back. “Forget it.”

How could she? Whatever she’d called him had just ruined what had possibly been one of the best moments of her life. “If I said something wrong, I didn’t mean to.”

His expression darkened, and he pocketed his hands. “I said drop it.” He started to walk away. She almost let him go, but then chased after him.

When she caught up to him, she grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to a stop. “No. No, you don’t get to kiss me like that, then talk to me as if I don’t matter to you. You want to be with me? Be nice to me. You want to be an asshole—go, but don’t come back. Maybe you’re angry with the world and maybe it has something to do with whatever left that scar on your face, but I had nothing to do with that.”

He looked at her hand on his arm, then met her gaze. The torment in his eyes pulled at Sage’s heart. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

“Okay.” Sage let out a long, slow breath. She wanted to demand to know why, but in her experience, people shared when they were ready.