Free Meet Cate by Fiona Barnes

bed already, she decided, and be sitting, legs crossed, at the table on the over-sized balcony overlooking the outdoor pool. There would be an espresso cup in front of him, which he'd lift with one pinky extended.
    She wasn't far off. John had left the bed for housekeeping, and shut the door so he didn't have to see it. He'd dressed in clean, faded jeans and a cable-knit sweater over a soft-blue button-down. His espresso sat cooling before him as he looked out over the pool, a phone to one ear. He held a  monogrammed pen in his right hand. Papers sat on the glass-topped table before him in a neat pile. His briefcase lay open on the chair next to him.
    "When and where should we meet?"
    "The lobby in one hour," John responded.
    "How long before the plane leaves?"
    "This afternoon at one."
    "Good. I want to shop," Cate answered, delighted to have an excuse to explore wherever she was. She stretched luxuriously and sighed happily.

Chapter Thirty Six
    Cate and John's group enjoyed a hot and hearty buffet breakfast at a local Shoney's. Cate signed autographs for the young waitress, then the waitstaff and several customers. As John had expected, her fans translated to easy sales and a bigger following because of Cate's relaxed manner. Cate, however, wouldn't have it−offering up free copies of her cookbooks for anyone she spoke to.
    "You shouldn't do that," John whispered. "It's eating into your capital."
    "It's good business," Cate whispered back, smiling as the crowd dispersed. "Happy people return. Besides, how else can I show appreciation to them for being fans?"
    " Thank you often works nicely."
    Cate smiled contentedly. She'd gotten used to John's manner early on in their relationship. She knew he only wanted what was best for her, just as he knew she ran her own life. Therefore, John eventually agreed with most of the decisions Cate made.
    Rising, Cate watched John leave a hefty tip. She stacked the plates and glasses on the table and pushed her chair in while John returned his slim, leather billfold to his pocket. Through the window the limo waited, out of place in the pot-holed parking lot, surrounded by large diesel trucks and economy cars. Cate felt embarrassed suddenly, and wondered if she could walk the short distance to local shopping.
    John took her elbow, steering her out. "Don't even think about it," he said in her ear. "You can rent a Range Rover or a convertible in LA."
    "Jeep," she muttered.
    "Jeep." He smiled.

Chapter Thirty Seven
    Cate sank back into the plush leather seat of the limo, spent, after shopping at the local mall. John had dropped Cate and his assistant, Mariah, a perky young twenty-four-year-old who modeled efficiency. John did this both for security and for his own peace. Cate and Mariah had strolled the two floors of the mall, admiring clothing and shoes, chatting about everything and nothing−recharging the way only women know to do.
    As tradition called for in her family, Cate, with Mariah's input, had searched for just the right gifts for Alex and Nic. She paused over a tiny, framed print for her girl: puppies rolling in a meadow with their happy ears flopping. Cate was content with her choice to wait for LA, however, finding nothing sentimental that spoke to her. She'd bring Al something from the hotel for now. It was important to Cate that she show her children she thought of them wherever she went, but she also saw the value of minimalism and words over stuff− based on exactly how often she thought of the two .
    When the long charcoal limo rolled past a strip mall with a music store, Cate leaned forward and exclaimed.
    "We don't have too long, Cate." John didn't look up from his paperwork for more than a second.
    "I'll be less than thirty minutes," she answered, already scooting across the broad seat to the door their driver hurried to open for her. John's smile escaped her view. He knew Cate's open adoration for her children. He admired it. Catching Mariah's eye, nodding at her−