But Sonia would hold her heart safe.
She hid these reactions and her thoughts under a falsely bright smile as Regan tucked her arm through Sonia’s and led her to the door.
Chapter Twelve
Newlyweds
Sonia and Regan walked through the doors of Clear.
The minute the bell jangled, Mabel, one of Sonia’s two shop assistants who was standing behind the counter with a tall, dark-haired, gorgeous, obviously Callum’s people woman, shouted, “Sonny!”
Kerry, Sonia’s other shop assistant, who was helping some customers, looked around and gave Sonia a big, happy smile.
Sonia adored Mabel and Kerry. They were good workers, never called in sick, came in even when they were hungover, hid it like pros and never complained. They were fantastic with customers and they were both exuberant, full of personality and made working there fun.
Their reactions to her return were balm to the soul, something Sonia needed desperately.
It was like coming home.
Sonia’s gaze moved to the tall woman behind the counter who studied Sonia curiously for a brief moment then bowed her head low in deference to her queen. She couldn’t exactly drop to a knee in a shop amongst humans but her message was clear.
And Sonia wondered if she’d ever get used to that the way Callum was. When they walked in the throne room and everyone sank to a knee, he’d not even glanced at them.
Then again, he’d had a lifetime of feeling entitled that people would be on their knees before him.
Including Sonia.
Sonia shrugged off these thoughts and walked toward the counter with Regan at her side, not knowing what to do about the tall woman so, when her head came up, Sonia inclined her own.
Then she greeted her shop assistants with, “Hey girls.”
“We were so worried,” Mabel exclaimed as she rushed around the counter toward Sonia. “Diana said everything was cool but you never take off from work.” As Mabel came toward her, Sonia had started to unwind her scarf from around her neck when Mabel suddenly skidded to a halt, her eyes wide on Sonia’s scarf and she screeched, “Ohmigod! Look at that ring!” She gasped then let out a strangled cry before she went on, “Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Did you get married?”
Sonia tensed and Kerry’s head swung toward Sonia again. Kerry excused herself and headed their way but Mabel had grasped hold of Sonia’s hand and she yanked it to within an inch of her eyes.
“Look at that rock!” she shrieked. “It’s huge!”
“Ohmigod!” Kerry cried, getting close. “This is insane! I can’t believe this! Did you really get married?”
There it was, as Sonia had noted, her girls were exuberant.
Before Sonia could utter a word, Regan, on Sonia’s right side, announced in a proud voice, “Sonia and my son eloped over a long weekend.”
“Ohmigod!” Mabel and Kerry screamed in unison. They turned to face each other and then started jumping up and down, taking Sonia’s hand with them as they did so, jerking Sonia’s body repeatedly through her arm.
“Girls, my hand,” Sonia said quietly, thinking, sadly (and trying to hide it) for all other humans, this news was reason to shriek and jump up and down.
For Sonia, it was not.
She pinned a bright smile on her face when the girls let go of her hand and looked at Sonia with their faces wreathed with glee.
“You sly fox!” Kerry exclaimed. “I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”
Good goodness.
How was she going to explain this?
“Well –” Sonia began.
Mabel’s ebullient curiosity saved the day as she interrupted Sonia’s frantic thoughts to find a cover story with, “Is he hot?”
Was Callum hot?
Only one answer to that and as hateful as that answer was, it was a big, fat yes.
“Well –” Sonia started again but Kerry cut her off this time.
“Of course he’s hot. Sonia’s hot. Hot likes hot.”
“Yeah,” Mabel grinned at Sonia. “Stupid question.”
“Apparently he’s loaded too.” Kerry grinned as well. “Heck, you sell that ring, you could feed an entire, starving African nation.”
This, Sonia thought with uncharacteristic bitterness, was food for thought.
“When are we going to meet him?” Mabel asked and Sonia stilled.
She could barely come to terms with fitting into Callum’s life. She’d never considered that he’d have a place in hers.
And she wasn’t certain she liked that idea.
“He’s very busy,” she demurred but Kerry talked over her.
Shoving Mabel playfully on the shoulder she declared, “Of course we’ll meet him, crazy. He’ll be at her Christmas party.”
Oh heck.
Sonia hadn’t thought of that.
“Brilliant!” Mabel shrieked.
Sonia fought the urge to close her eyes in despair and instead attempted to beam at her girls. This fortunately worked as they beamed back.
Luckily, Sonia thought, Mabel and Kerry were the kind of people who took their employer’s all of a sudden “elopement” in stride. Knowing them, they probably thought it was incredibly romantic.
However, it was highly likely that others, say the guests at her annual Christmas party, would not. They would think it was curious, even weird.
Sonia sighed. So she was weird. She could live with that and had her whole life. It was the least of her worries.
Kerry took Sonia from these disturbing thoughts and turned to Regan.
“So you’re mystery, hot, loaded, new hubby’s Mom. Dig it! I’m Kerry,” and she offered her hand which Regan shook.
Not to be outdone, Mabel leaned in to shake Regan’s hand after Kerry while saying, “And I’m Mabel and you can tell your son I get the first congratulations kiss.”
Kerry turned to Mabel and protested, “Why do you get the first kiss?”
“Because I’ve been in the shop longer,” Mabel shot back.
“By… a day,” Kerry returned and this was true, they’d both been with her since it opened and they started one day after the other.
“I’m sure Callum will be delighted to receive both your congratulatory kisses,” Regan stated, smiling with great humor at Sonia.
Sonia was sure he’d like it too. Kerry and Mabel were both uncommonly pretty. Heck, considering what had been inferred by Caleb, Calder and Yuri, Callum might see the two of them and go on the make.
“Callum. That’s an excellent name,” Kerry commented, again tearing Sonia from her thoughts.