Billionaire in Hiding, Book One: Dusk in the Vines by D.C. Chagnon

Author:D.C. Chagnon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, contemporary romance, adult romance, billionaire romance, adult contemporary romance, billionaire contemporary romance, romance and relationship
Publisher: Mark Mulle

Chapter 5

Julian approached the counter that separated the kitchen and the quaint seating area, filled with plush couches and oversized chairs. Madeleine came around the counter. Her cheeks glowed beet red; she couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact with this new acquaintance.

“I really apologize, the door was unlocked and I wanted to make sure you got this back.” Julian lifted the jacket and handed it to her.

An awkward moment of silence wedged between both Madeleine and Julian. Madeleine tried to restrain her instinct to be blunt, especially with people she hardly knew. However, she was not always successful in this.

“So how much did you hear…?” There was a pang of ill-ease in Madeleine’s voice; her nose scrunched when she asked.

“Right about from ‘You’re fired’.”

Madeleine cringed slightly. “So, all of it?”

“In essence.” Julian’s wide eyes regarded her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction to his presence.

“I really apologize—I’m mortified…”

“She sounds like a real bitch.”

Madeleine couldn’t help but crack a smile. “Oh, she’s not that bad—”

“Then you clearly have more patience than I do.”

“Forgiveness, maybe.”

“Forgiveness, clearly.” Julian smiled gingerly at Madeleine, catching her eye for a brief moment.

Madeleine rubbed the back of her neck. “Could I get you some tea, or coffee? I have some pastries we didn’t sell, if you’d like, or—”

“I really don’t want to impose.”

“It’s fine, I insist.”

“There you go again.”

“What?”

“Insisting. We’ve already clarified that I can’t say no to insistence.”

Madeleine’s smile grew a bit larger, and the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach began to slowly subside. She made her way back to the kitchen and warmed the water once again.

“Please, make yourself at home. Sit wherever you’d like,” she called from the kitchen, leaning backward to look out the open doorway into the sitting area. She prepared another cup of tea and a plate of small cakes and breads. She carried everything out on a tray, balanced on her left palm. Julian had settled in a large chair upholstered in aged leather with a high back that was situated next to another replica of the chair with a small table between the two. Madeleine set the tray on the table and tried to make herself comfortable in the adjacent chair.

“You really didn’t need to bring out all of this,” Julian smiled softly; he tried his best at easing Madeleine’s tense mood.

“It’s no problem; I wouldn’t be able to sell any of it anyway, so it should at least get eaten.”

Julian picked up a small vanilla cake, layered with almond frosting and raspberries. He observed the small rounded confection with a careful eye, taking note of the attention to detail—the daintily arranged almond slivers, the slight-of-hand piping that delicately traced the edges of the cake.

“This is amazing.”

“You haven’t even tried it yet.”

“Did you decorate this?”

“I mean, yeah. Nothing too complicated.”

Julian looked Madeleine in the eye, seemingly searching for something. His demeanor turned from airy and comical to a more serious sincerity.

“You’re too modest.” Julian bit into the cake, looking perplexed yet pleased. “This is a chardonnay cake?”

“Yeah, for some reason they haven’t quite caught on.

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