fear twisted her stomach. What if
I’m not ready? What if I’m just on a fool’s errand, wasting my only
day off?
Brad lightly bumped her shoulder with his.
“Relax. My dad doesn’t bite.”
Delphine blew out a breath and smiled. It was
hard to be too worried when she was with Brad. He exuded a sunny
disposition and languid confidence.
What would it be like not to obsess over
every little thing all the time? I’ll probably never know.
She felt herself relaxing by
increments during the long drive, helped by his humorous
chatter—until they arrived in his neighborhood. Her eyes
widened. Boy, am I out of my
element! Sprawling Mediterranean homes with
red-tiled roofs and established gardens looked like something
out Architectural Digest . Brad pulled into the driveway of one of the homes and
parked.
Delphine tried to conceal her growing
distress as he led her past agave plants and terracotta pots
spilling over with red bougainvillea. They entered a saltillo-tiled
entryway. Brad tossed his car keys onto a nearby table in the
hall.
“Have you lived here long?” she asked,
trying to make conversation.
“All my life, except of course, when I was
in Hawaii.”
“Even while you went to college?”
“No, I rented a place with a couple other
guys off campus, but still here in town. When they moved on, my mom
begged me to come home for the summer until I find a new
place.”
Delphine sent him a tense smile, wondering
what it would’ve been like to have a solid, stable life. Her
childhood had been a rootless one, moving from one rental to the
next, sometimes in the middle of the night to avoid paying rent.
She shook the morose thought away and looked around her with
interest.
From the hall, the house opened up on the
left to a living room. The décor consisted of pale earth tones and
heavy leather furniture complemented by Spanish art, pottery, and
glossy potted palm plants. Skylights flooded the room with natural
light.
On her right, she saw a dining room with a
carved wooden table and chairs, which opened into a bright, cheery
kitchen. Beyond where she stood, toward the back of the house, she
could see a small, kidney-shaped swimming pool through the French
patio doors. The open lightness appealed to her, especially after
the shabby gloom of her apartment.
“Where are your parents?” she asked.
“They won’t be back until about five.”
Delphine gave him a blank stare. “I thought
you said we would be eating together. I assumed it would be a late
lunch.”
Was it her imagination or did Brad’s face
redden?
“Did I say lunch?” He shook his head. “I
invited you for a meal, meaning dinner.”
“But I’m here much too early! It’s only two
o’clock!”
“Not too early,” he said smoothly, easing
the envelope from her hands. “I thought we could use the time to
look over your proposal.” He waved her toward the large leather
couch in the living room.
Delphine glanced at the bright room, suddenly
wishing for some shadows to hide in. California sunshine slanting
in from skylights now made her feel like she was on stage.
Squaring her shoulders, she walked across the
hardwood floor covered with a richly woven wool rug and sat on the
edge of the couch.
Brad followed her and plunked down next to
her. He motioned to the box she set next to her purse.
“What’s that?”
“Chocolates for your dad to sample.”
Brad raised a brow. “I could act as his
representative.”
She smiled at his hopeful expression. “Um,
I’ll have to let your father make that decision.”
Brad laughed. “Very diplomatic, Delphine. I
can already tell you’ll be a shrewd businesswoman.”
He opened the clasp on the envelope and
spread her papers on the Moroccan style coffee table. Then he
leaned back and put his arms along the back of the couch.
“Show me what you’ve got.”
Delphine hadn’t planned on making her pitch
to Brad. But it would be good practice for when she spoke to his
father. She picked up
I’m not ready? What if I’m just on a fool’s errand, wasting my only
day off?
Brad lightly bumped her shoulder with his.
“Relax. My dad doesn’t bite.”
Delphine blew out a breath and smiled. It was
hard to be too worried when she was with Brad. He exuded a sunny
disposition and languid confidence.
What would it be like not to obsess over
every little thing all the time? I’ll probably never know.
She felt herself relaxing by
increments during the long drive, helped by his humorous
chatter—until they arrived in his neighborhood. Her eyes
widened. Boy, am I out of my
element! Sprawling Mediterranean homes with
red-tiled roofs and established gardens looked like something
out Architectural Digest . Brad pulled into the driveway of one of the homes and
parked.
Delphine tried to conceal her growing
distress as he led her past agave plants and terracotta pots
spilling over with red bougainvillea. They entered a saltillo-tiled
entryway. Brad tossed his car keys onto a nearby table in the
hall.
“Have you lived here long?” she asked,
trying to make conversation.
“All my life, except of course, when I was
in Hawaii.”
“Even while you went to college?”
“No, I rented a place with a couple other
guys off campus, but still here in town. When they moved on, my mom
begged me to come home for the summer until I find a new
place.”
Delphine sent him a tense smile, wondering
what it would’ve been like to have a solid, stable life. Her
childhood had been a rootless one, moving from one rental to the
next, sometimes in the middle of the night to avoid paying rent.
She shook the morose thought away and looked around her with
interest.
From the hall, the house opened up on the
left to a living room. The décor consisted of pale earth tones and
heavy leather furniture complemented by Spanish art, pottery, and
glossy potted palm plants. Skylights flooded the room with natural
light.
On her right, she saw a dining room with a
carved wooden table and chairs, which opened into a bright, cheery
kitchen. Beyond where she stood, toward the back of the house, she
could see a small, kidney-shaped swimming pool through the French
patio doors. The open lightness appealed to her, especially after
the shabby gloom of her apartment.
“Where are your parents?” she asked.
“They won’t be back until about five.”
Delphine gave him a blank stare. “I thought
you said we would be eating together. I assumed it would be a late
lunch.”
Was it her imagination or did Brad’s face
redden?
“Did I say lunch?” He shook his head. “I
invited you for a meal, meaning dinner.”
“But I’m here much too early! It’s only two
o’clock!”
“Not too early,” he said smoothly, easing
the envelope from her hands. “I thought we could use the time to
look over your proposal.” He waved her toward the large leather
couch in the living room.
Delphine glanced at the bright room, suddenly
wishing for some shadows to hide in. California sunshine slanting
in from skylights now made her feel like she was on stage.
Squaring her shoulders, she walked across the
hardwood floor covered with a richly woven wool rug and sat on the
edge of the couch.
Brad followed her and plunked down next to
her. He motioned to the box she set next to her purse.
“What’s that?”
“Chocolates for your dad to sample.”
Brad raised a brow. “I could act as his
representative.”
She smiled at his hopeful expression. “Um,
I’ll have to let your father make that decision.”
Brad laughed. “Very diplomatic, Delphine. I
can already tell you’ll be a shrewd businesswoman.”
He opened the clasp on the envelope and
spread her papers on the Moroccan style coffee table. Then he
leaned back and put his arms along the back of the couch.
“Show me what you’ve got.”
Delphine hadn’t planned on making her pitch
to Brad. But it would be good practice for when she spoke to his
father. She picked up
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