Page 7 of She’s a Big Deal

Grace tidied up in the kitchen while waiting for the dog walker to return. Had the woman decided to go on a marathon or what? What was taking so long? She took the opportunity to check her messages and gave her PA a quick call.

“Hi, Ms. Michaels.”

“How are things?”

Libby was used to keeping her reports concise when her boss checked in, which could often be at odd hours, any time of day or night. In less than a minute, she gave her a thorough update on their ongoing projects, ending with a favorite line.

“Everything is fine and under control.”

“Excellent. Keep it that way.”

“Will do. Is it snowing where you are?”

“Yes, coming down hard.”

“Aw… It must be so lovely!”

“For about a minute, yeah, and then it turns into disgusting gray-black sludge.” Grace did not give her a chance to comment further. She did not pay her assistant a small fortune to waste time talking about the weather, did she? “Thank you, Libby. I’ll be in touch.”

“Bye, Ms. Michaels. ”

Grace hung up and glanced impatiently at her watch. For God’s sake! Just then, the front door opened, and a wet spaniel burst in. Olivia came in behind in a cloud of freezing air. The puppy was in her arms, tucked safely inside the front of her shirt.

“Phew!” She grinned, shaking snow out of her hair in a fair impression of her canine friends. “Proper storm out there now!”

Grace raised a wondering, unsympathetic eyebrow.

“You have a key to this place?”

“Uh… Yeah?”

“You’re not sure?”

◆◆◆

Olivia blinked at the question and the unnecessary sharpness of her tone. She stared in genuine surprise, then chuckled. Wow! “Are you for real?”

She’d enjoyed her walk with the two dogs frolicking in the snow and watching Everett engage Jerry in some play. It was pretty cold out, though, so she eventually scooped him up, called out to Jerry, and headed back home in search of warmth. Now the two dogs were defrosting in front of the fire, Charlie must have gone to rest, and she was left to face Grace Michaels’ glacial stare. It occurred to Olivia that it was actually an interesting situation. Perhaps she could make it so a bit more by giving back as good as she received. Grace looked at her as if she were dim.

“I just wonder.” She shrugged, piercing blue eyes tracking her every movement like a hunter following her prey. “You have a key, and you seem at home here, yet Charlie never mentioned you to me.”

“Ah, now you’re hurting my feelings.”

“Looks like it doesn’t take much, in this case.”

Touche. Well, sort of. Olivia shed her coat in the kitchen, and she helped herself to a cookie. After all, she had helped to bake them.

“Would you like one?” She thrusted the plate toward Grace with a smile other women usually found charming.

“No. I want you to answer my question.” Grace Michaels was obviously not charmed in the least. “I’m sure you have my aunt’s best interests at heart, but then again, I don’t know. You are a lot younger.”

“What’s that got to do with it?”

“It seems like an odd friendship, that’s all.”

“Well, maybe to you.”

“Not maybe. So…”

Grace rolled her index finger in an impatient ‘Get on with it’ gesture. Beyond rude, really. However, she was protective of her aunt, which Olivia could understand and appreciate.

“I met Charlie at the vet a while back,” she answered. “We started talking in the waiting room, and she said she might need someone to take Jerry on his walks when the weather gets cold. So, I volunteered.”

“Why?”

“I love dogs and animals in general. I run a rescue project with Dana. She’s the local vet and a good friend.”

“I’ve heard of Dana.”

“Right. There, you see? I’m not such a stranger. Charlie gave me a spare key; I didn’t ask. And she has one to my house also. She waters the plants for me if I go away for work. We help each other out like that. The age difference is no factor in our friendship.”

“Okay. Fair enough, I guess.”

“I’m thirty-five, by the way.”

“You look younger.” This sounded like a private comment.

Grace Michaels then once again flicked her gaze over her in an appraising and not at all unpleasant manner. Olivia decided it might be safe to ask if she would be spending Christmas in town. She was wrong; it obviously was not a good idea. All it earned her was a single, sharp ‘No’ in reply.

“Ah. Well. Even so, I know Charlie must be delighted to see you. She—”

“Talks about me a lot,” Grace cut her abruptly. “Yeah, you said.”

Man, what a piece of work! Even as Grace crossed her arms across her chest, an obvious signal to deter her, Olvia stood her ground.

“That’s not what I was going to say to you now.” Thinking it might irritate the woman even more and, for some insane reason, eager to provoke her and get under her skin, she fished out an open pack of doggy treats from the cupboard. Then shook it, prompting an excited bark and a mad scramble from the other room, and shoved it into Grace’s hands. Just to see what she would do. “Do you like dogs?”

A shrug. “Dogs are fine.”

“Cool. What’s your puppy’s name?”

Grace flashed the kind of look that said Olivia was toying with disaster. “I don’t have one. No time or inclination.”

She did feed a couple of treats to each dog, though, without really looking at either of them. Then she more or less slammed the box back onto the counter and returned both hands to her hips. Combative. Fiery. Gorgeous, really. And a little strange, for sure. Olivia wondered how any human with a functioning heart in their body could resist picking up little Everett, who sat fixing Grace with hopeful brown eyes. Or, at least, scratching his head. He even lifted one paw clumsily in the air in the most adorable puppy hello, but the woman went on ignoring him. Olivia was both appalled and fascinated in equal measures.

“So,” Grace prompted. “What were you going to say to me before I so rudely interrupted you?”

Mocking her, Olivia realized. And to be honest, she’d been looking for it.

“Just that the situation with your brother hit Charlie hard,” she replied, seriously now.

“Hmm. Yeah. Unfortunately, I only just found out about it.” Frustration sizzled across Grace’s face, and a flash of anger, but these were only brief. She was quick to catch herself. When she smiled, it was so unexpected that Olivia was taken aback. And there was more. “Charlie said you’re a good girl.”

“Oh, did she?” Olivia chuckled in embarrassment. Damn if she did not feel herself blush at the same time. “I do my best to be helpful.”

Grace nodded just once, eyes locked onto hers like two laser beams. “Yes. Thank you for that.”

“No problem.”

Well, what a surprise. It seemed the icy Miami legend could crack a sizzling smile when she wanted to. There was fire in her blue eyes, and when she smiled, her entire face lit up. It made her look younger, too, and always truly beautiful. Olivia melted a bit and, just like that, forgot again to be careful.

“Will you be staying in Burlington, then?”

“No.” The shift in Grace’s tone was like whiplash, though at least she did not remind her that it was none of her business. “I am here for Charlie. Why would I stay twenty-five miles away? ”

“Um, yes, good point.”

“Indeed.”

“I know the rest of your family live there, so I just assumed that you would—”

“You’re best not to assume things about me.” Grace glanced down at Everett, still doing his best to catch her attention, with as much warmth as the snow outside. “Anyway. Gotta go.”

Olivia stunned herself with what came out of her mouth next, even if, of course, it would not be the first time she’d sprung this kind of invitation. But not since her breakup with Beth... And never on a woman like Grace, who consistently came across like hugging a cactus may be less painful.

“Hey, we should have dinner. How about it?”

As expected, Grace stared as if she’d just been told that two plus two were sixty-nine. Olivia had no idea why this particular number popped into her head at this precise moment. Or perhaps, more precisely, she refused to acknowledge it. The answer came, predictably curt and negative.

“No,” Grace said.

Even so, watching her, Olivia was pretty sure that she’d at least considered it. Maybe for a micro-second? Foolishly, it gave her hope. Why she should suddenly feel so keen was not entirely clear to her, but never mind.

“Why not?”

“You’re not my type.”

“Then why do your eyes sparkle so bright when you look at me?”

“Don’t push your luck, Ms. Bianchi.”

Oh, but Olivia so wanted to! It was such a long time since she had felt this kind of thrill of possibility. Also, Grace may say she wasn’t interested and that she had to leave, but she still had not made it to the door.

“Your type don’t eat food?” Olivia pushed a little, playfully.

“My type eats steak and fish,” Grace declared. “As do I. And we enjoy it.”

A keen activist who did not mince her words on the subject of non-existent animal rights, Olivia still instinctively refrained from launching into her usual informational speech. She chose to keep it more personal and on target.

“I happen to be a great cook.”

“How lovely for you.”

“Come for dinner. Let me convince you.”

“No need, I believe you totally.”

Though this was said with a bit of a condescending smirk, Grace remained standing in the middle of the kitchen, watching her with sparkling eyes, indeed. As if daring her to keep trying. Was that Olivia’s imagination? Is she toying with me? Well, duh… But why was she having such a great time?

“Your loss,” she said with a light shrug and a smile of her own. She noticed Grace’s eyes follow her movements when she cocked a hip and hooked her thumbs into the belt loops of her jeans. “Most people think that vegans survive on nuts and lettuce, but it’s not the case. Plant-based food is incredibly varied and flavorsome if you know what you’re doing in the kitchen.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“At least tell me what your type is?”

Grace did not miss a beat. “Not baby butch dykes like you.”

The bold characterization left Olivia momentarily stunned and definitely at a loss for a good retort. Hearing these words on Grace Michaels’ immaculate lips also made her feel instantly hot. Meanwhile, Grace brushed against her side on her way out of the kitchen. Intentionally too close? Olivia was fairly sure this was deliberate taunting. Pretty exquisite, too... As was the way that Grace briefly cupped her cheek as she went past as if to take any potential sting out of her words. The gesture could be felt as a little patronizing, which, knowing her, must be no mistake. But it was also thrilling and over too soon. Olivia supposed this saved her from embarrassing herself with a spontaneous response. Like leaning into the surprisingly warm touch and closing her eyes to savor it. She swallowed a little too hard and knew that Grace had noticed. She struggled for an appropriate response. ‘I’m not a baby’ was the first thing that popped into her head, but it would make her sound like a human version of her puppy. Denying the other two adjectives would be lying.

“How old are you?” she challenged instead. “Can’t be much older than me, huh?”

“I’m old enough to know better.”

“All I did was offer to cook you a vegan meal.”

Grace’s indulgent look let her know she did not believe this for a second. It occurred to Olivia that she was correct. Fired up by the exchange and the woman who so effortlessly controlled the shots, she flashed a knowing grin of her own.

“At least for our first date, just dinner.”

“What a vivid imagination you have.”

“I’m creative in lots of ways. You’d like it.”

“Of course.” Irony dripped off her tongue with every word of fake agreement. “No doubt you’d rock my world.”

Grace slipped on a long leather coat that made her look like an attractive modern-day gunslinger. The knowledge that it was real leather made Olivia want to scream… But she could not deny that the supple style of the jacket, at least, looked amazing on Grace. The woman was half a head taller than her own 5 ft. 5. Limber. Ruthlessly dismissive in a way Olivia was surprised to fi nd so addictive.

“One drink, then,” she proposed as Grace reached the front door.

“One thing I must say is you are persistent.”

“Thank you.”

“And also dangerously close to begging.”

“Would you like it if I did?”

The fact that Grace paused long enough to deliver another smile and a look so blatantly sexual that it made Olivia moisten her lips in reaction felt like a tiny but tremendous victory. When she proceeded to walk out the door without answering, Olivia revised that opinion, even as it made her laugh.