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Emma was still a little annoyed with Pedro over how quickly he’d jettisoned her as a roommate, but she couldn’t deny it hadn’t worked out for both of them.
“So why did you choose this place?” George asked, gesturing to the space around them. “The coffee is decent enough, but it doesn’t compare toDe Olla.”
“No, it doesn’t,” she acknowledged. “But this chain is spreading everywhere.”
George raised her brows. “Studying the competition?”
She shrugged. “More like trying to find my place in it.”
“Then you’ve decided to try and take on big coffee? Is it on behalf ofDe Ollaor will you start your own chain?”
Emma blinked at the mention of a chain. “Nothing so grandiose. There is plenty about running a café that I have no interest in. But a few things I do like. Like when we get a fresh pastry shipment. Or you get good butter to go with the artisanal bread.”
“Mmm. Butter.” George got a dreamy look on her face. She picked up the menu. “Think they have the good stuff here?”
“Nope. Theirs tastes like wax.”
“Well, never mind then.” She put down her menu. “But I’m all for better butter. You can start a creamery.”
“Not sure that is the right thing either,” Emma said. “Although it’s closer, I think. I have to do more research.”
“Does that mean we’ll be hitting more coffee shops?”
Emma loved that George automatically volunteered. “If you’re willing, then yes.”
She had a list of places to go, some successful and some that weren’t but deserved to be.
George picked up her coffee mug and saluted with it. “In that case, I’m happy to be of service.”
She waved at the waiter so they could order. “I knew I could count on you. Let’s get started.”
Chapter Forty-Four
GARRETT
He wiped the scowl off his face in the elevator. He was still frustrated over missing Emma’s doctor’s appointment, but today’s meetings had been too important to cancel. They’d also been too sensitive for Fletcher or any of his subordinates to handle without him.
The coming week wasn’t looking any better either. He resented every minute he didn’t get to spend with her. He’d missed too many of them as it was.
“Emmy,” he called out, noting the now familiar sight of coffee shop pastries lined up on the bar.
Garrett allowed himself a brief smile. He’d eaten more pastries these past few weeks than his entire life.
He had compensated by adding some time to his normal workout, but in truth, his new favorite form of exercise was sex with his smoking hot wife, whenever and however she wanted.
The thought made him hard, and he was already stripping, hoping she wasn’t hungry after her coffee shop research. But all amorous thoughts died when he found her in bed, awake but pale and in obvious pain.
“Hey.” Kneeling to the side, he grew calmer when she focused on him and smiled, even if it was weak as hell.
“Hey,” she rasped. “Don’t worry. I slept off the worst of it.”
“Another headache?”
Her headaches weren’t frequent but when they struck, Emma went down hard. “Did you speak to Dr. Saha about them?”
“Mmm, yeah,” she said, rising sluggishly. “But it wasn’t Saha. She wasn’t available to fly down. It was another doctor she recommended. Some French guy.”
Garrett scowled. He’d paid a considerable sum for Dr. Saha’s services. However, it wasn’t a contract in the traditional sense. Another doctor could take charge of her care when Saha wasn’t available, but he didn’t like it. “I’ll call the hospital.”