I’d already said too much. I’d admitted that I’d been holding him off because I’d thought he was married. My attraction to him was out in the open. I’d admitted that I kept track of his marital status, that I’d asked his cousin about him. I might as well have told him I’d been nursing a secret crush on him since we’d met.

We were standing too close to each other in the small kitchenette. My heart beat too fast. I stepped back.

Bram stepped after me, refusing the distance between us. “When Trey was here, I meant what I said. Except one thing. You can’t be my client. You’re going to have to work with Adele. I have a nonprofessional interest in you. I don’t want to be breaking any codes of ethics.”

My back hit the wall. A tingling warmth spread through my body. “Adele is great.”

Silence. Then more silence. I couldn’t look away from him.

“I’m ready to move forward,” he said seriously, with a finality, like only a lawyer could, like his words would be entered into court records. “How do you feel about going on a coffee date with me?”

Did he say date, or did I hear what I wanted to hear? “Sounds like it’s pouring outside.” Then common sense caught up with me. “You didn’t mean right now.”

Of course, he didn’t. Way to look overeager.

“I know just the place. Unless it’s too late for you for caffeine?”

“I could drink caffeine at midnight and sleep like a baby.”

He popped a pod into the coffeemaker on the counter. When, in a minute, the coffee was done, he made another one—sugar, cream—he remembered what I liked. “Follow me.”

Surprise, I followed him.

“The basement?” But I went after him, down the stairs.

He headed straight for the carousel. “I’ve been dying to check if it works.”

“What if we break it?”

“At worst, we trip the circuit. I asked Sergei what would happen if someone were to turn it on, theoretically. He said sitting on it is fine, but nothing wild. He also said, if we damage his baby, he’ll murder us in our sleep.”

“That sounds like Sergei.”

Bram went around to the back wall and plugged in a thick cable. “I knew I saw a 220V outlet over here the other day.”

I gripped my cup, too nervous to even sip my coffee. The lights flickered on first. Wurlitzer-style music filled the basement. Then the horses lurched forward. “I can’t believe it’s working.”

Bram looked inordinately pleased. “My grandfather told me he’d seen it down here at a party, fully functional. He remembers a billiards table and a jukebox too, among other entertainment. And a movie theater popcorn machine.” He checked around. “Wonder where they went?”