Once Upon a Contract (Once Upon #2)

Chapter Three

Ezra

I t's been a few days since I've seen Daphne and we've texted back and forth a handful of times, but I'm starting to get twitchy. It's not enough. I need to see her and hear her laugh. I want to get to know her and see if I can tear down some of the walls she hides behind.

I'm pacing my office when my best friend and COO of my company, Matty, finds me. "You okay, bud?"

"Fuck, I don't know. Do you remember about seven years ago when I went to that gala and ran into that woman? Well, she was more of a girl at only 19, but you know what I mean."

"Sure. Daphne, right? Why are you bringing her up now?"

"When I went to get my tattoo the other day, she was the one filling in for Wren."

"No shit. But why does that have you pacing your office like you're about to go to war?"

"Because, after seven years, she's still got a fucking hold on me, but now she's a grown-ass woman and I don't have nearly as many excuses not to pursue her."

"Then pursue her. I'm still not seeing a problem here."

Blowing out a breath, I flop down in my chair behind my desk as I run my fingers through my hair.

"There's not really a problem, per se, it's just a bit of a difficult situation."

"Okay, let's talk it out like we do any other issue that's plaguing that big brain of yours."

"First off, she's fucking stunning, and I don't think she has a clue that she is. She's also a great person. We have a ton in common with our love of tattoos and our nonprofits—"

"Still not seeing any issues here," Matty cuts in, making me glare.

"The issue is she lacks confidence in herself. She's been used as a pawn to be paraded around by her parents her whole life. When we met, she told me about how they refused to pay for her to go to art school unless she double majored in business. When they found out about her being a tattoo artist, they put a fuck-ton of stipulations on her so that she could keep the money they donated towards her nonprofit and be eligible for her trust when she turns thirty or they would write her out of it. She's a hard worker, but they have her in a tough spot. She doesn't need that money in her personal life, but it could go fucking far in regard to her foundation."

"Well, that sounds messy as hell, but I still don't see the issue. You could donate towards her cause or get her in touch with people who would be willing to."

"I know, and I plan on doing just that. The issue is the walls she has put up to protect herself, and the lack of confidence that I'm sure stems from years of living with a woman who is supposed to love you unconditionally but always finds you lacking instead."

"And she told you all of this?"

"Not in those words, but in a roundabout way, yes."

"So, we need to come up with a plan to woo her?"

"Not yet. I don't want to scare her off. Her mom unknowingly helped me snag a date with her."

"Oh?"

"She kept calling her incessantly during the end of my appointment. When I asked what she wanted, Daphne said it was to badger her into going to an event. Usually she accepts, but one of her mother's maids tipped her off that it was a set up with one of her parents' friend's sons. She didn't want to go, so I told her I'd be her date. It was already on our calendar, so I swapped your spot for me."

"Huh, I was wondering what was up with that. That's actually why I came in here. So, it sounds like you have another shot. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm not sure. I was thinking about putting my best foot forward but I'm not sure that would convince her that I seriously want to date her. When I was persuading her to be my date, she made a comment that nobody would believe a person like me would willingly be with a woman like her."

"What the fuck?" Matty's immediate anger makes me smile. He's such a good guy and has several little sisters, so the idea of any of them thinking they aren't good for somebody enrages him.

"That was basically my reaction. Although, I somehow found the strength to temper it, so I didn't scare her off. I reassured her that I absolutely wanted to spend time with her, but I also had to add some fluff about her helping keep the vultures off me. Thankfully, she agreed to be my date."

"Hmm, you're not wrong about the vultures. Your idea to bring our sisters as dates was ingenious. So, let me get this straight—the pacing is due to the fact that you've got the girl for at least one night, but not the way you'd like to have her?"

"Right. And more importantly, I don't know how to convince her I genuinely want her when she doesn't believe that anyone could want her unless they need something from her to better themselves."

"Damn, that's tough. Other than showing up, I don't know how else you're going to be able to convince her. My mom always told me, when I'd get in fights with my sisters, that an apology is nice, but actions speak louder than words. Showing them I was sorry was more important than flippantly saying the words."

"Exactly. But I don't know how to show her without scaring her off."

"Hmm, is there anything she likes that you could do together or maybe surprise her with?"

"She loves painting, but I wouldn't even know where to begin there. She did say that she, Wren, and Meadow had bonded over their shared love of romance books. I could get her a book, but then again, I don't even know where to start."

"Dude, ask your sister. She's in a book club with my little sisters. Since Sammy has been staying at my apartment for school, she's hosted a couple of girls' nights, and I swear they talked the whole time about their smutty books and which book boyfriend was the best."

"Shit, you're right. Celeste always has books lying around or her Kindle, which she takes with her wherever we go."

"There you go. Get her a book and take it to her."

"That's a great plan. There is a bookstore right next door to the tattoo shop. Maybe I'll stop in there and snag one before heading over to see her."

"Let me know how it goes. I can ask Sammy for book ideas if you need me to as well."

"Will do, man."

I stand from my desk, grab, my keys and phone, and follow Matty out the door.

As soon as I get in my car, I pull up Celeste's contact and give her a call as I head towards Sparrow Falls. I don't know how I got so lucky that Wren bought a business relatively close to the city, where my business is located, but I couldn't be happier. It's about a forty-five-minute drive from my office but only a twenty-five-minute drive from my home to get there.

"Hey, big brother. How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Great. The demon spawns and I are going to your house in a little bit to go swimming, and I just wanted to let you know so you can come join us instead of working the day away."

"That sounds like heaven. I have to do something real quick. I'll be a few hours. I'll grab take out on my way home."

"Sounds good. What do you have to do? I thought you had a service for basically any domestic adult things."

"Actually, I could use your help. Can you recommend a good indie romance author or book for me?"

"What's going on? Is my stoic big brother finally joining the dark side and diving into the smutty universe?"

I never know how I forget my little sister can be such a brat. I grumble under my breath, making her laugh.

"Not quite. Do you remember the woman I pointed out to you at one of the fundraiser events that I wanted to introduce you to but could never seem to get her attention?"

"Sure. How could I not? She is stunning and could've easily worked on a few of my modeling campaigns with me. What was her name? Delilah or Delah?"

"Daphne."

"Ah, that's it. So, why are you bringing her up now? The last time I teased you about her, you still couldn't seem to find her or a way to get ahold of her."

"That's true, but my luck finally changed. My regular tattoo artist asked if I'd be willing to let one of her coworkers fill in for her. When I arrived at my appointment, my tattoo artist was Daphne."

"No shit! What are the odds?"

"My thoughts exactly."

"Did you ask her out? Is the book for her?"

"Yes and no. I want her to go out with me, but after talking to her for a bit, I don't know that she would believe if I'm sincere. But I wasn't ready to give up that easily, so I asked her to be my date for a fundraiser that her mom called to harass her about during my appointment. I told her it would be a win-win to get her mom off her back and save me from the vultures."

"So, she doesn't realize that you want to date her for real?"

"Exactly. I need to build her confidence and make her realize that I want her, not because her dad's a senator or whatever other bullshit makes her doubt that she's desirable, but because I can't get the woman I met seven years ago out of my mind and won't miss my chance now that I have it.

"Eeeek! Ezra, this is so exciting. You've been pining after this girl for forever. It could be like a real-life romance novel. I love a good fake dating turned real love trope. Oh and—"

"Celeste, calm the fuck down," I interrupt, exasperated with my little sister. "I don't even know if this is going to work. I've never had to go about dating someone by tricking them into liking me. I know she does, but I need to get her to the point where she lets herself."

"Well, I think you're being extremely romantic. I wonder if I can find her on social media—"

"This might be the only time I'd encourage your sleuthing skills, but I'm not sure. She said she has one for her tattoos and art, but it's not under her name and she doesn't post any pictures of herself, to keep her anonymity and her parents off her back."

"Hmm, what's the name of the tattoo shop?"

" Once Upon a Tattoo , why?"

"I need a place to start. How long do I have until you're at the store? I'll see if I can find anything."

"About half an hour."

"Alright. Call me when you get there, and I'll help you pick out the perfect book."

"Thanks, sis. Talk soon."

"Love you, bye!"

While I drive to Sparrow Falls, I wonder if I created more grief for myself by getting my little sister involved. She's such a little busy-body and loves to get in my business but she's also the realest person I know. We've never kept any secrets from each other and have always been each other's best friend.

Our parents are great, but they missed out on a lot just to provide for my sister and me. We weren't poor, but my parents made every penny count. They missed their fair share of school programs and sporting events, but we knew if they could be there, they would.

One of the greatest days of my life was paying off all of my parents' debt and buying them their dream home. I was lucky that they fell in love with the neighborhood I live in and let me build them a new house on my property. I don't have an absurd amount of land, but I have enough to have my house, my parents' house, and a guest house that you can access from the pool. Celeste lived in it during her divorce until their old house sold and she bought a cute little ranch house ten minutes from my own.

My mom helps watch Celeste's kids and works with my foundation, and my dad helps out there by maintaining the building and grounds. He also took over all of the yard work for our properties. The man loves his lawn and can spend hours making our landscaping look exquisite. I tried paying him for all of his hard work, but Dad threw a fit and yelled at me for trying to taint his retirement joy. Our parents are the best.

The traffic to Sparrow Falls is all but non-existent which, means I'm parking in front of the bookstore with five minutes to spare before calling my sister. Taking a minute to check out the front of the store, I find it extremely inviting. The decal on the front window is whimsical and pulls you in with depicted scenes from all kinds of genres, letting you know there's a little something for everyone inside.

Pulling the door open and stepping inside the store, I'm hit with the smell of books and coffee. I scan the several rows of shelving and slowly peruse their offerings. About halfway through the store, I come upon a cozy book nook with several mismatched chairs that somehow seem to work together. There's a coffee bar and mini fridge along with some fruit and snacks. It looks like the perfect place to curl up and read together.

Heading back to the shelves, I stroll through the aisles until I find the romance section. I pull out my phone and call my sister.

"It's about damn time!"

"Celeste, it's been exactly as long as I told you it would take for me to get here. Did you find out anything, or should I just start rambling off titles?"

"Oh, I hit the motherload. I found the shop's IG page, which led me to her page. It's filled with tattoos, art, and books. She had her book wish list for Amazon."

"Good job, sis. Hit me with some of her wish list."

"Okay, let's see. She's got a lot of books on her list. Here are some of the authors I know and love: Marika Ray, Kathryn Nolan, Claire Kingsley, Alexandra Hale, MJ Huxley, Amy Alves, J. Laine, Melanie Moreland, and oh, Jenna Lockwood. If they have Fate in Fiction by Jenna, get that one. Maybe it will help your case."

My sister is talking so fast that it is hard to keep up, but I do see several of the authors listed above on the shelves. Finding Jenna Lockwood, I grab Fate in Fiction and flip it over to read the back. Of course my little sister would pick a billionaire, fake dating romance.

"So, what did you find?"

"I grabbed the one by Jenna Lockwood. Real nice, by the way. You're not being subtle at all. Are the other books in this series on her list? They're all here in the store."

"Yes, they are."

"Can you just send me her entire list?"

"Done. You should have it as soon as we hang up."

"Thanks, sis. I'm going to go so I can carry these. What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Surprise me. I'm not sure what I want. Make sure to get enough for Mom and Dad. Mom said they were going to join us."

"Will do."

I head to the front counter, with the books my sister told me to grab and a few more from the other authors she mentioned. With my loaded bag in hand, I head over to the tattoo shop.

Walking in the front door, the hum of tattoo guns and the low music pulsing in the background instantly relax me. A young girl is sitting at the front counter, working on something electronic. She glances up and pushes her glasses up on her nose before tucking her tools away.

"Hello, do you have an appointment?" She slides the tablet sitting on the corner of the desk in front of her before furiously typing away.

"No, I'm actually here to see Daphne. Is she busy?"

"She's actually not working today."

"Shit." I murmur as I grab the back of my neck. I didn't even think about her not being here.

"Can you wait here for a minute?"

"Um, sure." I'm so confused as the girl hops down and heads towards the back of the shop. After a minute, I hear voices growing louder as she comes back out with Wren on her heels.

"Hey, stranger." Wren smiles as she makes her way around the counter.

I wrap her in my arms and pick her up off her feet. Over the years, Wren has become somewhat of a pseudo little sister to me.

"Hey, kid. How are you doing?" I gently put her down on her feet.

"Eh, but I'm getting better."

"That's all that matters. You look good."

"River said you were looking for Daphne. Is everything okay with your tattoo?"

"It's perfect. Healing up well. Did she show you a picture?"

"She did. I love Daph's style. It fit perfectly with the sketch I drew. So, if it's not tattoo-related, what's up?"

"I've got something for her." I lift the stuffed bag, which makes Wren's eyes widen.

"Damn, I see you've found my man's bookstore. Daphne's a lucky lady."

"You're dating the guy who owns the bookstore?"

"I am. Brooks is amazing, and I can't wait for you to meet him."

"I can't either. Can you make sure Daphne gets these?"

"Sure, but if you hold up, I can see if she can come down. She lives in one of the apartments above the shop. Come on. You can wait in the breakroom, and I'll be right back."

I follow Wren, and not for the first time since heading this way, I wonder if coming here was the right call. I'm scrolling on my phone for what seems like hours, but is really only a few minutes, when the door leading to the apartments opens. Wren comes in, with Daphne following her.

Seeing her has my pulse racing and my hands itching to bury themselves in her silky, chestnut hair that's hanging in wild waves down her back.

She's got on a strapless dress that shows off her lean frame, and I finally get a peek at some of her tattoos. I can't see much, but I can see swirls of black on her thigh near the hem of her dress that hits just above her knees and ink on her shoulder blade when she shifts her hair out of the way.

She's stunning as she blushes, a rosy flush blooms all over her face and chest, which makes me long to see if it dips below her dress. The sweetheart style of her dress teases the curves of her breasts, and I'm dying to pull them down so I can see, feel, and taste her. I don't even realize I stood up from the chair and have been openly ogling her until Wren clears her voice, breaking me from my lust-filled haze. Daphne blushes even more.

"Daphne, you look stunning." I take a step into her space and place a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you. What are you doing here, Ezra?"

"I needed a break from the office, so I decided to surprise you. I can't stay long, but I remembered you telling me about your love of books. I figured I'd come check out the store next door and spoil you a little bit in the process. Flowers are nice and all, but I'd rather get you something that would last longer than a week and you would love. I hope I'm not overstepping."

"Wow. That is so thoughtful of you. I don't know what to say but thank you. You didn't have to do that, but I greatly appreciate it."

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. You deserve to be spoiled, Daphne, and I have the means to do just that. Here." I thrust the bag stuffed with books towards Daphne and smirk at her wide-eyed expression.

"Ezra, this is too much—"

"No, it's not," I cut her off before she can refuse my gifts. "This was something little I could do to show you that what you say is important to me. Our date for the gala might be beneficial for both of us, but that doesn't mean I'm not excited to be spending that time with you."

"I…" lost for words, Daphne turns towards Wren, looking for a lifeline, but Wren is enjoying the show too much and just smiles back at her best friend.

"I have to go. My sister and her kids are coming over for a pool party. Let me know which one is your favorite." I pull Daphne in for a quick hug and will my body not to react to her. I inhale her sweet scent of paint and something floral before tipping her head back to look into her eyes.

Staring back at me, I see her fear, confusion, excitement, but most importantly, her gratitude and longing. I know I shouldn't, but I can't stop myself from leaning down and giving her a chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth, just barely brushing her lips with my own.

"It was great to see you again, Wren. Maybe we can do a double date soon so I can meet this boyfriend of yours."

"Oh, yes. That would be fucking awesome. Brooks would love that. He's new to the area and loves making new friends."

"Good." I pull Wren in for a quick hug before turning back to a stunned Daphne, who is standing in the same exact spot where I released her.

"I expect a text letting me know which book you're going to read first. Bye, love." With more strength than I knew I had, I turn and head out of the shop.

I call in an order at the local Chinese restaurant in my town before leaving Sparrow Falls.

I'd be lying if I said I'm not desperately waiting for a text from Daphne. To my delight, I receive a message as soon as I pull into my drive—a shyly smiling Daphne is holding up the book Celeste demanded I buy for her.

I send her a quick text back before heading inside, where I spend an awesome night with my family. I don't know if I'll see Daphne before the gala, but I won't be surprised if I find an excuse to head to Sparrow Falls between now and then.