Part 18 (1/2)
They both sighed.
”Well, our second time was in the four-poster.”
The teacup hit its saucer with a snap. ”Second time? I thought you said-”
”I did. But we'd buried his grandmother's ashes, and he was so sad and so sweet, and he looked at me and I was lost.”
”I know. Burying people always makes me hot.”
She laughed. They both did. This was why it was so great to have a friend. For all her sarcasm Julia got it.
Their laughter died and she said, ”In that big bed. I can't explain it. The s.e.x was so different. It was slower, the connection was so deep, it was like, like...”
”Like you were in love with him?”
Her friend's warm brown eyes were full of sympathy.
Hailey smacked her forehead into her palm. ”I've gone and fallen in love with Rob. When I promised myself I wouldn't. It was only going to be one night. Just one night...”
”And now you're in love with him.”
”Yeah.”
”What about him? Is he in love with you?”
She thought about how he'd looked at her after they'd planted the tulips, how tenderly he'd made love to her. ”Yes. I think he is. That doesn't change anything though. He's still the man with the camera on the other side of the world. And I'm still the girl who wants a stay-at-home guy.”
”What are you going to do?”
As much as she didn't want to, Hailey knew she had to move on. ”I'm going to date Dennis. And maybe a few other men I find interesting. And Rob will heal and he'll return to his globe-trotting existence. And I will try to forget him.”
Her friend's response was succinct. ”That plan sucks.”
”Can you think of a better one?”
”Nope.”
17.
JULIA WAS IN A HURRY to see John's house completed, though not as much of a hurry as he was in, which made the project fun to work on.
She called in the painters she always used. They were fast and reliable, and more important, could come immediately. She'd chosen a chocolate color for his bedroom. During the week she'd spent extra time picking linens and a few accessories that she knew he wouldn't have been interested in.
The furniture was being delivered on Sat.u.r.day and she was as excited as if it were her own home she was decorating.
When he called her Friday she a.s.sumed it was to let her know what time all the furniture was going to be delivered the next day.
It wasn't. ”How do you feel about dinner?” he asked.
”Enthusiastic. I'm a big believer in three squares a day.”
”Very funny. How do you feel about dinner tonight? With me?”
”Even more enthusiastic. I absolutely do not feel like cooking tonight.”
”Seven?”
”Perfect.”
”Pick you up?”
She hesitated. ”Hmm. Tempting. I'm staging a place downtown. I don't think I'm going to have time to go home first. Why don't I meet you someplace?”
”Indian sound good to you?”
”Yes.”
”You're a very easy woman to please.”
She chuckled. ”You're hitting all the right notes.”
He named a place she'd heard of but never tried, and they agreed to meet at seven.
The staging job took longer than she'd antic.i.p.ated. After she'd plumped the last cus.h.i.+on and fussed with the final flower arrangement she saw she was running a few minutes late. However, she absolutely could not be seen in public without retouching her makeup, which she did in the car once she'd parked near the restaurant.
When she walked in, she couldn't see John at first. There were two men sitting alone at tables, but a quick scan showed neither was him. Both were well-turned out, obviously waiting for their wives or dates. She glanced at her watch. Okay, she was a quarter of an hour late, but surely he wouldn't...
She started to nibble on her freshly lipsticked lip when one of the two men waved at her.
”John?” She couldn't have been more shocked. He stood and came toward her. ”You look so different.” She'd seen potential there, but even she hadn't seen how hot he could be. ”What have you done?”
He was wearing the jeans she'd talked him into and the black sweater, which reminded her how good his body was.
But there was so much more he'd done to himself.
They returned to his table and he said, ”I took your advice. I went to Savoir Faire and had my hair styled.” He put air quotes around styled but he'd gone, hadn't he?
”I can't believe the difference a good cut makes.”
”The guy who did the cutting is the one who recommended the eyegla.s.s place.”
”That's what else is different. Your gla.s.ses are from this millennium. They look good. You have beautiful eyes.”
He seemed slightly embarra.s.sed by her enthusiasm for his new look and quickly changed the subject.
”How did your staging go today?”