Chapter 27

They eventually made it out of the hotel room and into Brian’s car. They held hands and sang off-key to the music on the radio as they flew down the highway toward the city. Cassie could not remember ever feeling this relaxed or sated…or happy.

There wasn’t anything specific she could put her finger on. There was no event that had prompted this happiness, it was just a general feeling of well-being and for once she wasn’t going to over-analyse it. She just wanted to enjoy it and enjoy him.

It seemed like Brian now invaded every part of her life. He owned her body, he dominated her thoughts and he was even a big part of her work life, and it didn’t feel in the least bit suffocating.

She had always wondered if the only reason she and Nathan had worked was because they spent so little time together. She had a history of keeping very strict boundaries around friends and family, rationing time with them so as not to get too involved in their lives and not allow them to get too involved in hers. She had learned her lesson about sharing too much with people who couldn’t or wouldn’t, share her vision. Pearls before swine and all that.

But Brian had blown through all her carefully constructed fences and rather than feeling off-kilter or exposed, she actually felt stronger. It was a relief to find someone who wasn’t afraid to dream big like she did. Her family had spent so much of her formative years trying to hold her back and discourage her from taking too big a risk that she had begun to believe that everybody was like that. Getting to know Brian and seeing what he had achieved in such a short time was inspirational and validating. It was nice to finally have someone on her side.

He squeezed her hand and brought her out of her musings.

“Where’d you go?” he asked, shooting her a quick glance.

She smiled at him and squeezed his hand back. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

“Life,” she replied.

“Oh so nothing too deep then,” he chuckled.

“So where are we going?” she asked shaking off her thoughts and taking in her surroundings.

They had left the highway and were now winding through a light industrial area.

“I’m taking you to meet a friend of mine,” he replied, “and to replace all those chocolates you ate.”

She blushed, her cheeks flaming, “God,” she said, “how embarrassing.”

He laughed and she shot him a glare, which only made him laugh harder.

“It was one of the highlights of this trip,” he chuckled.

Brian released her hand and downshifted as he slowed to turn into a parking lot and Cassie’s eyes rounded as she took in the sign that hung proudly over the clump of buildings.

“Ashby Chocolates?” she gasped and then turned to him. “You know someone from Ashby Chocolates?”

“I do,” he said as he pulled the car to a stop beside a bright yellow Lamborghini.

“They are my absolute favorite chocolate in the world,” she gushed. “So much better than that crap that Ainsley has for her bonbonnières.”

“I thought you said Belgian chocolate was the best?” he asked looking at her with that damned quirked eyebrow.

“I was drunk,” she replied with a shrug. “And I suppose, in a pinch, Belgian chocolate will do but it still pales in comparison to Ashby Chocolates.”

He laughed and shook his head. “Jonathon is going to love you. Come on.” He opened his door and got out and Cassie followed suit.

He walked around the car and took her hand leading her into the showroom of the very expensive and exclusive Ashby Chocolates. The doors opened and the heady scent of chocolate wafted over them. Cassie closed her eyes and drew in a deep lungful before exhaling a sigh. She heard Brian chuckle beside her and her eyes snapped open. She blushed when she realized they were not alone.

“Brian,” the other man said with a smile, “good to see you.”

Cassie stood back as the two shared a man-hug and a few slaps on the back.

“Jonathon, I’d like to introduce you to Cassie Smith. Cassie, this is Jonathon Ashby.”

Cassie had been beginning to smile and had started to extend her hand to shake the other man’s when his name registered and she froze.

“Jonathon Ashby?” she whispered.

Jonathon laughed and Brian rolled his eyes.

“You’ve heard of me then,” he said with a wink. He took her extended hand and brought it to his lips.

“Lay off,” Brian growled, but Jonathon just smiled as he let her hand go.

Jonathon was a really attractive guy, but Cassie could tell that he was a player. His dark hair and grey eyes would have most women swooning at his feet. Cassie cleared her throat and snuck her hand through the crook of Brian’s elbow.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she replied and his eyes twinkled with mischief.

“So you’re the one,” he murmured, giving her a once-over.

“I’m the one, what?” she asked, but he only smiled.

“So, Brian,” he said, moving his eyes off her and onto his friend. “Did you bring me a sample so I can match it?”

Brian pulled a wrapped, heart-shaped chocolate from his pocket and handed it to Jonathon.

“A pink heart? Really?” Jonathon rolled his eyes before turning away and walking towards the double doors marked ‘Staff Only.’ “How predictable.”

Brian put a hand on the small of Cassie’s back and guided her through the doors, following along in Jonathon’s wake.

“He’s a bit of a chocolate snob,” Brian stage whispered in her ear.

“I can hear you,” he called back over his shoulder, “and I am proud of my snobbery.”

Cassie giggled. She might not fall into bed with a guy like Jonathon, but she was beginning to like him.

Jonathon led them into a storeroom that was stacked to the rafters with clear tubs filled with foil-wrapped chocolates. He stopped in front of a tub that held identical pink heart shapes and turned to look at them.

“How many?” he asked.

Cassie fidgeted beside him before answering.

“Fifty?” she said.

“Fifty?” Jonathon replied. “You ate fifty chocolates in one sitting?”

“Ah, well,” she blushed and Brian had to hold back a smile. “I actually don’t know how many I ate,” she replied. “There was champagne involved…lots of champagne.”

Jonathon shook his head. “Fifty it is,” he said and began scooping out the required number.

“Do you make all these here?” Cassie asked as she looked around the room.

“We do limited runs in this workshop,” Jonathon replied, “but we mostly make truffles here. The solid, foil-wrapped shapes, come from our Sydney factory, our cream-filled and hard-centred ones are produced in Melbourne.” He handed the bag of hearts to Cassie. “Would you like to see where the magic happens?”

Brian rolled his eyes. Jonathon made it sound like they were walking into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and he knew damned well that it couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I’d love to,” Cassie said.

Jonathon winked at him and then led them over to a door. They entered an airlock and he handed them plastic overalls, shower caps, gloves, booties to go over their shoes, and goggles for the eyes. He also handed Brian a special beard cover and Brian grimaced. Once they were all kitted out, they followed him into the processing room.

Jonathon had started out hand-making his chocolates, but when the operation and demand got too big he had to switch to machines. They were all state of the art and more computer than machine, but Jonathon had insisted on only the best. These machines had proved to be the closest to hand-making as he could get. He still hand-made specialty lines and he had a whole staff of specially trained chocolatiers to do just that, but they were too expensive for most people.

“This is where the coverture chocolate gets melted down,” Jonathon said indicating part of the machine, “We import the coverture from Merveille where it’s made.”

“You don’t make it yourself?” she asked.

“Of course we do,” Jonathon answered, “but we make it in Merveille and then send it here.”