Masquerading

Part 4

Chapter 4

Lance sent her a smile, but had to worry about her earlier reluctance.  He knew that his wealth intimidated some, but he had not thought that Abby was one of those people.  He walked towards the freezer and pulled the ice cream carton off the top shelf.  Pulling open a nearby draw, he fished out two spoons.  Abby was looking around the room in awe.  A large smile crossed his face; he knew she would like his kitchen.  Cece had told him that Abby liked to cook.

Sitting down at the bar, he placed the carton in the middle as she slid into the seat across from him.  “I love your kitchen,” she mumbled while taking the offered spoon.  “I can just imagine cooking in a place like this.  It would be magnificent.”

He bit his lip to keep his reply silent.  He wanted to tell her how much he wished she could cook in his home.  “My cook loves it,” he said instead.

The same reluctant expression crossed her face.  “I try not to judge a person by what they have, but by who they are.  I can’t help it though.  I’ve seen what money can do to a person, and it is not pretty.”

“I know, but I learned the hard way that money can make or break you.  I’m not stupid enough to let it destroy my dreams anymore.”

She must have heard the significance of his words because she froze and stared at him before nodding her head.  “I think you understand which is odd for someone as wealthy as you.”  Spooning the ice cream into her mouth, she groaned.  “I love mint chocolate chip.”

He chuckled at the complete bliss on her face.  “I know.”

“You know what?”

Panic flew through him.  Should he spit it out?  Should he tell her how long he had admired her?  Taking a deep breath, he decided that it was better left unsaid.  “I know that mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best.”

She nodded.  “That it is.  Wait, how are you going to eat it?  You can take off your mask, you know.  If it would make you feel more comfortable, I’ll take mine off too.” 

Her hand reached towards her face, and Lance immediately stopped her hands with his own.  “Not tonight.  Let’s just keep them on for tonight.  Later, we can take them off.”

“How are you going to eat the ice cream?”

He smiled at her and removed his hands.  “I enjoy watching you eat it just as much is I would enjoy eating it myself.”

Her eyes darted away from his, and he knew she was blushing behind her mask. “It hardly seems fair.”

“Life isn’t fair, but we deal with it accordingly,” he mumbled.

“True.  So, tell me, what is it that you do for a living?”

He considered his words. He didn’t want to tell her any more lies.  “I own coffee shops.”

“Really?  I’m sorry to say it, but I’m completely in love with this local coffee shop.  I go there all the time; I couldn’t be coerced to even glance at another.”

“Which one?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“It’s called Lance’s…” she trailed off with narrowed eyes.  “You own it don’t you?”

“Yep,” he replied with a chuckle.  “I’ve seen you in there a couple times.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he winced at the slip up.  They weren’t supposed to know what one another looked like.  How could he have seen her at his shop if he did not know what she looked like?

“I don’t understand,” she mumbled.  “Do you know me?  I want the truth.”

“I know you,” he whispered while keeping his eyes on the wall behind her.  “I’ve seen you come into my shop for the past two years.  You were either with a man, or I couldn’t gain the courage to speak to you.”

“You needed to gain courage, why?  You are everything a woman would want in a man: caring, handsome, dependable.  I’ve learned that in the past couple of hours.  What makes you think I would turn you down?”

“It’s complicated,” he mumbled.

She shook her head, causing her brown curls to dance around her face.  “Nothing is complicated unless you make it that way.” Lifting her hand, she pulled her mask off.  Her grey eyes stared into his. He did not even need to scan her face to know that she would have a slight flush to her tanned cheeks or that her chin would be angled in a defiant way.  “Take your mask off.”

He looked at her with complete helplessness.  Would she still want to be around him once she realized what the mask hid?

“Take it off,” she said again, and he knew that he had no choice.  If he did not take it off, any chance he may have with her would be ruined.  Lifting a hand, he pulled it off.  The gasp that escaped her lips was the exact reaction he expected.  Not even looking at her expression, he stood from the bar, ready to leave.