frame. If all goes well, I should have a fairly comprehensive report bythe first of the year.” She searched his face, wondering if that was too long.
“That’s better than I expected.” He took the folder and flipped through the pages while she watched.
“I hope I’m not biting off too much,” she added.
He glanced her way. “Maybe I can help a little. I might be able to squeeze some time from the boss.”
“But I don’t expect you to do my work. I know—”
“I might enjoy it. The more I learn about the business the more helpful I can be to Bay Breeze. Know what I mean?”
He wiggled his eyebrows in a silly way, making her laugh.
“I guess I do,” she said.
He closed the folder and rose. “I’ll go over this tomorrow. Once I have a handle on it, I’ll present it to Philip. It looks good, Esther.”
He dropped the file onto his desk, then turned to face her. “Have you eaten?”
“Eaten?”
“Dinner. A while back you mentioned you’d enjoy seeing the sunset from our dining room. Why not take advantage of the evening?”
“Oh…but I planned to have something light when I get home.” She’d planned nothing. In her rush to bring the proposal to Ian, she hadn’t given thought to food.
“We have light entrées here.” He closed the distance between them and extended his hand. “I’d like to buy you dinner.”
“But—”
“But nothing. You’ve done a great job with the proposal, and this is my way to say thanks. You’re making my job easier. You know…a happy boss is a happy employee.”
Her “but” had been heading nowhere. Instead of disagreeing, she acquiesced. His smile put her at ease, and she followed him through the doorway, retracing her steps back to the lobby.
When they passed the registration desk, he gave the man he’d called Jim a wave and guided her toward the dining room.
Tonight the tables overflowed with patrons. Ian spoke briefly to the hostess, and she led them to a table, miraculously empty, near the front of the resort, overlooking Lake Michigan.
The sun hung low in the sky, where muted colors already tinged the horizon. Esther anticipated a glorious sunset. “You have pull for a good table, I see.”
Ian hung his head with a boyish grin and chuckled. “That’s about all the pull I have.”
“That’s enough. The sky looks amazing already.”
He turned his attention from her to the sun-speckled water beginning to tint with pastel coral and lavender. “Pretty,” he said, “but I like the view I have.”
She felt heat slide up her neck and settle on her cheeks. “You shouldn’t say that.”
“Why not? I mean it.” Surprised at his blatant compliment, Ian studied her face, wondering if he’d upset her again.
She picked up the menu and opened it, avoiding his eyes.
He wanted to kick himself for a moment. But when he looked again, she seemed to have dismissed his comment and concentrated on the food choices.
He glanced at the menu, knowing it by heart, and made a mental selection before his thoughts segued to the last time he’d seen Esther in the dining room.
Discomfort jigged through him when he recalled his ridiculous comments…telling her sister he had a library card and talking about the fish.
Esther looked at him from behind the menu. “Good choices. I can’t decide between the salmon fillet and the Mexican chicken salad.”
“They’re both great.” This time he didn’t mention the salmon was fresh.
The waiter arrived, and when Esther made her selection, she chose the salad. He returned quickly with tall glasses of iced tea and a basket of warm rolls.
Before Ian could pass the basket, Esther’s attention was diverted to the window. As he’d hoped, the setting sun had decided to perform an extravaganza.
“Look,” she said, leaning forward, her chin resting on her hand.
“Talk about God’s glory.”
“Have you ever tried to imagine heaven?” Esther asked. “When I see a sunset or snow-capped mountains like the
“That’s better than I expected.” He took the folder and flipped through the pages while she watched.
“I hope I’m not biting off too much,” she added.
He glanced her way. “Maybe I can help a little. I might be able to squeeze some time from the boss.”
“But I don’t expect you to do my work. I know—”
“I might enjoy it. The more I learn about the business the more helpful I can be to Bay Breeze. Know what I mean?”
He wiggled his eyebrows in a silly way, making her laugh.
“I guess I do,” she said.
He closed the folder and rose. “I’ll go over this tomorrow. Once I have a handle on it, I’ll present it to Philip. It looks good, Esther.”
He dropped the file onto his desk, then turned to face her. “Have you eaten?”
“Eaten?”
“Dinner. A while back you mentioned you’d enjoy seeing the sunset from our dining room. Why not take advantage of the evening?”
“Oh…but I planned to have something light when I get home.” She’d planned nothing. In her rush to bring the proposal to Ian, she hadn’t given thought to food.
“We have light entrées here.” He closed the distance between them and extended his hand. “I’d like to buy you dinner.”
“But—”
“But nothing. You’ve done a great job with the proposal, and this is my way to say thanks. You’re making my job easier. You know…a happy boss is a happy employee.”
Her “but” had been heading nowhere. Instead of disagreeing, she acquiesced. His smile put her at ease, and she followed him through the doorway, retracing her steps back to the lobby.
When they passed the registration desk, he gave the man he’d called Jim a wave and guided her toward the dining room.
Tonight the tables overflowed with patrons. Ian spoke briefly to the hostess, and she led them to a table, miraculously empty, near the front of the resort, overlooking Lake Michigan.
The sun hung low in the sky, where muted colors already tinged the horizon. Esther anticipated a glorious sunset. “You have pull for a good table, I see.”
Ian hung his head with a boyish grin and chuckled. “That’s about all the pull I have.”
“That’s enough. The sky looks amazing already.”
He turned his attention from her to the sun-speckled water beginning to tint with pastel coral and lavender. “Pretty,” he said, “but I like the view I have.”
She felt heat slide up her neck and settle on her cheeks. “You shouldn’t say that.”
“Why not? I mean it.” Surprised at his blatant compliment, Ian studied her face, wondering if he’d upset her again.
She picked up the menu and opened it, avoiding his eyes.
He wanted to kick himself for a moment. But when he looked again, she seemed to have dismissed his comment and concentrated on the food choices.
He glanced at the menu, knowing it by heart, and made a mental selection before his thoughts segued to the last time he’d seen Esther in the dining room.
Discomfort jigged through him when he recalled his ridiculous comments…telling her sister he had a library card and talking about the fish.
Esther looked at him from behind the menu. “Good choices. I can’t decide between the salmon fillet and the Mexican chicken salad.”
“They’re both great.” This time he didn’t mention the salmon was fresh.
The waiter arrived, and when Esther made her selection, she chose the salad. He returned quickly with tall glasses of iced tea and a basket of warm rolls.
Before Ian could pass the basket, Esther’s attention was diverted to the window. As he’d hoped, the setting sun had decided to perform an extravaganza.
“Look,” she said, leaning forward, her chin resting on her hand.
“Talk about God’s glory.”
“Have you ever tried to imagine heaven?” Esther asked. “When I see a sunset or snow-capped mountains like the
Similar Books
