Maybe it was PMS? She’d have to check a
calendar and try to remember the last time she’d had her
period. That was probably it. Poor Daniel. She’d make it up
to him though, starting tonight.
She parked under the streetlight in front of the apartment
building and fluffed her hair. Swiping on the flavored lip
gloss she knew he liked, she smiled and remembered her and
Donna’s big stakeout not far from this very spot. They had
been so silly, playing at being real private detectives. It all
seemed ridiculous now. She just loved him so much. Love
made you do crazy things sometimes.
Glancing around, she saw Daniel’s car already parked in
his spot. She smiled, glad she had decided to come a bit
early since he had gotten home early. Serendipity. Maybe
things were going her way. She flung open her car door and
practically sprinted for the building entrance.
They would have a great night tonight. Then tomorrow,
82
Cat Johnson
she would admit to him about the stupid photo Sam had
taken after Donna hired him. They would have a good laugh
about the whole thing and then make up for it by spending
lots of time in bed. Perfect.
~
Daniel stared at the glistening piece of perfection in his
hand. Jade’s engagement ring was finally no longer a fantasy
but a reality, bringing Daniel one step closer to grabbing
hold of his own dream.
“So, do you like it?” Julie bounced on her toes in front
of him with barely contained excitement.
“Like it? I love it. It’s perfect. Oh my god, Julie. It’s
absolutely beautiful. You have outdone yourself. You will
have to make the wedding bands, too and then her
anniversary ring. Oh, and a necklace to celebrate the birth of
our first child…”
Julie laughed. “Okay, okay. I get it. I will. I promise.”
Daniel frowned. “You’ll probably be so famous you
won’t even accept my calls by then. That is, if I can afford
you.”
“I will always make special provisions for the clients
who were smart enough to hire me even before the oh-so-
famous Savannah Mitchell decided to wear my necklace on
the red carpet and make me famous, too. Don’t worry.
Besides, fame is fleeting, good clients who are as easy to
work with as you are forever.”
Daniel grinned. “Thanks. And thank you for this and for
dropping it off.”
“No problem. I better get going before Jade gets here
and I ruin the surprise you’ve worked so hard on.”
Daniel nodded and opened the door.
She stepped into the hall and smiled up at him. “Call me
after she says yes and tell me what she thinks of the ring?”
“You got it. Thanks again, Julie.”
“It was my pleasure, believe me. The whole thing is so
damn romantic it practically makes me tear up just thinking
about it.”
83
Trilogy No. 108: Just Desserts
Julie’s eyes glistened as Daniel laughed and pulled her
into a big hug. “Let’s hope Jade feels the same.”
“She will, Daniel. She will.”
Daniel was vaguely aware of hearing the elevator open
while he disengaged from hugging Julie.
“I better go. Remember, call me!”
“I will, don’t you worry.” He pulled back from Julie,
glanced down the hall and thought it strange the elevator
door had opened and closed again without anyone getting
off.
The fleeting thought did not last for more than a few
seconds as Daniel went back into the apartment to look at the
ring one more time before hiding it away in a safe place
prior to Jade’s arrival.
Afterwards he sat on the couch to wait anxiously for her
to get there. How in the world was he going to keep this
secret until Valentine’s Day now that he had the actual ring
in his possession? It was not going to be easy.
He glanced at the clock. She should be here soon. He
could hardly wait.
84
Cat Johnson
Chapter 4
Jade’s breath came in gasping sobs as she collapsed into the
driver’s seat. Her hand shook so badly it took two tries to
dial Donna’s cell phone number.
“Hello? Jade? Is
calendar and try to remember the last time she’d had her
period. That was probably it. Poor Daniel. She’d make it up
to him though, starting tonight.
She parked under the streetlight in front of the apartment
building and fluffed her hair. Swiping on the flavored lip
gloss she knew he liked, she smiled and remembered her and
Donna’s big stakeout not far from this very spot. They had
been so silly, playing at being real private detectives. It all
seemed ridiculous now. She just loved him so much. Love
made you do crazy things sometimes.
Glancing around, she saw Daniel’s car already parked in
his spot. She smiled, glad she had decided to come a bit
early since he had gotten home early. Serendipity. Maybe
things were going her way. She flung open her car door and
practically sprinted for the building entrance.
They would have a great night tonight. Then tomorrow,
82
Cat Johnson
she would admit to him about the stupid photo Sam had
taken after Donna hired him. They would have a good laugh
about the whole thing and then make up for it by spending
lots of time in bed. Perfect.
~
Daniel stared at the glistening piece of perfection in his
hand. Jade’s engagement ring was finally no longer a fantasy
but a reality, bringing Daniel one step closer to grabbing
hold of his own dream.
“So, do you like it?” Julie bounced on her toes in front
of him with barely contained excitement.
“Like it? I love it. It’s perfect. Oh my god, Julie. It’s
absolutely beautiful. You have outdone yourself. You will
have to make the wedding bands, too and then her
anniversary ring. Oh, and a necklace to celebrate the birth of
our first child…”
Julie laughed. “Okay, okay. I get it. I will. I promise.”
Daniel frowned. “You’ll probably be so famous you
won’t even accept my calls by then. That is, if I can afford
you.”
“I will always make special provisions for the clients
who were smart enough to hire me even before the oh-so-
famous Savannah Mitchell decided to wear my necklace on
the red carpet and make me famous, too. Don’t worry.
Besides, fame is fleeting, good clients who are as easy to
work with as you are forever.”
Daniel grinned. “Thanks. And thank you for this and for
dropping it off.”
“No problem. I better get going before Jade gets here
and I ruin the surprise you’ve worked so hard on.”
Daniel nodded and opened the door.
She stepped into the hall and smiled up at him. “Call me
after she says yes and tell me what she thinks of the ring?”
“You got it. Thanks again, Julie.”
“It was my pleasure, believe me. The whole thing is so
damn romantic it practically makes me tear up just thinking
about it.”
83
Trilogy No. 108: Just Desserts
Julie’s eyes glistened as Daniel laughed and pulled her
into a big hug. “Let’s hope Jade feels the same.”
“She will, Daniel. She will.”
Daniel was vaguely aware of hearing the elevator open
while he disengaged from hugging Julie.
“I better go. Remember, call me!”
“I will, don’t you worry.” He pulled back from Julie,
glanced down the hall and thought it strange the elevator
door had opened and closed again without anyone getting
off.
The fleeting thought did not last for more than a few
seconds as Daniel went back into the apartment to look at the
ring one more time before hiding it away in a safe place
prior to Jade’s arrival.
Afterwards he sat on the couch to wait anxiously for her
to get there. How in the world was he going to keep this
secret until Valentine’s Day now that he had the actual ring
in his possession? It was not going to be easy.
He glanced at the clock. She should be here soon. He
could hardly wait.
84
Cat Johnson
Chapter 4
Jade’s breath came in gasping sobs as she collapsed into the
driver’s seat. Her hand shook so badly it took two tries to
dial Donna’s cell phone number.
“Hello? Jade? Is
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