2011: It's been ten years since the sky literally came crashing down around Yael Malkah and upended her world. Now she's returned to New York to visit her ailing grandmother. With no other family, it's up to her to take care of the family business...
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After leaving the firehouse, Yael made her way to Malkah Enterprises, searching for the architect's initial blueprints to study over the weekend. As the cab moved through the city, Haustin dominated her thoughts, and she couldn't help the smile playing on her lips. Anticipation and fear skittered through her as well. While she couldn't wait for their date, he'd given her a raw look at what he wrestled with on a daily basis. A relationship with him would be messy, but she intended to find out why they'd met again and if there truly was anything between them worth pursuing.
A warm memory surfaced of a conversation Yael had with her mom a year before she died. During a pedicure at their favorite salon, her mother flashed a devilish grin and said, "Complicated love, and a complicated man, keeps life interesting." Her deep brown eyes twinkled mischievously in her youthful face, framed by shiny dark hair. "Passion is important when looking for the right partner. I found it with your dad."
"Ew, Mom, I don't need to hear about Dad and passion, not in the same sentence. And he's boring. You guys have, like, a perfect, unexciting life. What's complicated about it?"
"Don't forget, his last name is Malkah. Quite intimidating to a middle class girl from Jersey." A knowing smile quirked her mother's lips, reminding Yael of the Mona Lisa. "And your father is not always responsible. He has his wild side."
All these years later, Yael thought she finally understood what her mom had been talking about. Her and Haustin's relationship was barely off the ground, and being with him terrified her on many levels, but according to her mom's crazy logic, it might be worth taking a chance. Yael snorted. She always thought she'd be the complicated one in a relationship, not the other way around.
Stepping off the elevator and into reality, Yael's progress faltered. Employees buzzed about in a chaotic dance, faces severe and determined, far from typical for a Saturday morning. She ran into Pam, one of the executive secretaries.
"Didn't expect you all to be here today," Yael said.
"Casey wants to stay on top of this fiasco." The older woman adjusted the stack of files in her arms. "Do you have a second?"
"Sure." Yael let Pam draw her into an unoccupied cubicle. "What's up?"
"Those lemon cupcakes you brought in Thursday were amazing. My sister-in-law is a strict vegan and I always have the hardest time finding yummy cakes when her birthday comes around. I know it's terrible to ask, but could you whip up something small for me? Next week? Or is it too soon? I understand if you're busy. I only ask because I am desperate."
Her request sent a thrill through Yael. In California, she'd done plenty of special orders for the shop, and this gave her a chance to bake for a reason, not just to keep her mind occupied.
"I'd love to, Pam."
"Oh, thank you," she gushed. "I felt a little awkward asking, considering you're, well, you know, a Malkah, but like I said, I didn't know what else to do."
