Read Online A Scarlet Cord by Deborah Raney - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Deborah Raney
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feels.”
She nodded. The waiter brought their lunch then, but they talked more than they ate, and when Melanie finally looked at her watch, she was shocked to see that it was almost 1:30.
At her gasp, Joel looked at his own wrist. “Oh!” He slapped the palm of his hand to his forehead. “And here I promised to get Cinderella home before the clock struck midnight.”
“Well, it’s certainly not your fault, but … I’d better go. I really can’t miss this meeting. I’m sorry, Joel,” she said, looking at the half-eaten sandwich on his plate. “I’d be glad to call a cab so you can at least finish your lunch.”
He waved off her offer. “No … no, I’ve had all I want. Don’t worry about it.” He motioned the waiter over and explained their situation. He left enough cash on the table to cover the tab and tip, then ushered Melanie quickly back through the restaurant and out to the car.
“If we hit the lights right all the way through town, you should be okay,” he said, checking his watch again.
“It’ll be fine. Thank you for lunch. I really enjoyed it. I wish we hadn’t had to rush.”
“Me, too. Would … would you like to have dinner some evening?”
She tried not to let her surprise show on her face. “I’d like that.” Surely he could hear her heart thumping.
“Saturday night? This Saturday … Is that too short of notice?”
“No … no, that’d be fine.”
“Will seven o’clock work for you?”
“I think so … as long as I can find a sitter.”
“I understand. How about if I call you Saturday morning just to make sure it’s still going to work.”
“Okay.”
They rode in comfortable silence the rest of the way, and five minutes later, Joel dropped her off in front of By Design.
“Thanks again, Joel.”
“Thank you .” He patted the folder of drawings tucked on the dashboard. “These are wonderful.”
She waved away his praise.
“I’ll talk to you Saturday, then?”
“Okay.” She stood in the parking lot and watched as he drove away.
The prospect of dinner with Joel Ellington sent a shiver of—something—up her spine.
What had she gotten herself into?
Seven
Saturday afternoon as Melanie drove to pick Jerica up from a play date at Ami Dixon’s house, she found herself caught in a strange tug-of-war between anticipation and dread. Joel had called this morning and their date was on. Since Jeff Franzen, she had stopped entertaining the idea of another man in her life. With the responsibilities of the design firm—and with Jerica to think of—she hadn’t been willing to waste her free evenings with someone who was certain not to measure up to Rick.
Now she was almost afraid to admit that Joel Ellington seemed different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was about the man that had so quickly foiled her determination to stay uninvolved, but even as she felt anxiety about tonight, there was a sense of anticipation, too.
She pulled into the Dixons’ drive and rang the bell. Mike Dixon answered the door. “Hi, Melanie. Come on in.”
She stepped into the foyer.
“Are you sure we can’t keep Jerica for a few days?” Ami’s father asked.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
Mike laughed. “Seriously, she was an angel. Karen said the girls didn’t have one argument. She hardly knew they were here.”
“Are we talking about the same Jerica?”
“And the same Ami.”
“Well, wonders never cease.” Melanie heard a clatter on the staircase, and as if on cue, the two little girls appeared on the landing.
“Do I have to go home now, Mommy?” Jerica asked, peering over the stair rail into the foyer.
“Afraid so, punkin. Get your coat, though. It’s chilly out there.” Mike reached into the closet and handed Melanie the jacket. She held one sleeve open, waiting for Jerica to slip into it. “Did little Brendon survive the day?” she asked Mike.
“I think they wore him out. Karen’s thrilled. She’s putting him down
She nodded. The waiter brought their lunch then, but they talked more than they ate, and when Melanie finally looked at her watch, she was shocked to see that it was almost 1:30.
At her gasp, Joel looked at his own wrist. “Oh!” He slapped the palm of his hand to his forehead. “And here I promised to get Cinderella home before the clock struck midnight.”
“Well, it’s certainly not your fault, but … I’d better go. I really can’t miss this meeting. I’m sorry, Joel,” she said, looking at the half-eaten sandwich on his plate. “I’d be glad to call a cab so you can at least finish your lunch.”
He waved off her offer. “No … no, I’ve had all I want. Don’t worry about it.” He motioned the waiter over and explained their situation. He left enough cash on the table to cover the tab and tip, then ushered Melanie quickly back through the restaurant and out to the car.
“If we hit the lights right all the way through town, you should be okay,” he said, checking his watch again.
“It’ll be fine. Thank you for lunch. I really enjoyed it. I wish we hadn’t had to rush.”
“Me, too. Would … would you like to have dinner some evening?”
She tried not to let her surprise show on her face. “I’d like that.” Surely he could hear her heart thumping.
“Saturday night? This Saturday … Is that too short of notice?”
“No … no, that’d be fine.”
“Will seven o’clock work for you?”
“I think so … as long as I can find a sitter.”
“I understand. How about if I call you Saturday morning just to make sure it’s still going to work.”
“Okay.”
They rode in comfortable silence the rest of the way, and five minutes later, Joel dropped her off in front of By Design.
“Thanks again, Joel.”
“Thank you .” He patted the folder of drawings tucked on the dashboard. “These are wonderful.”
She waved away his praise.
“I’ll talk to you Saturday, then?”
“Okay.” She stood in the parking lot and watched as he drove away.
The prospect of dinner with Joel Ellington sent a shiver of—something—up her spine.
What had she gotten herself into?
Seven
Saturday afternoon as Melanie drove to pick Jerica up from a play date at Ami Dixon’s house, she found herself caught in a strange tug-of-war between anticipation and dread. Joel had called this morning and their date was on. Since Jeff Franzen, she had stopped entertaining the idea of another man in her life. With the responsibilities of the design firm—and with Jerica to think of—she hadn’t been willing to waste her free evenings with someone who was certain not to measure up to Rick.
Now she was almost afraid to admit that Joel Ellington seemed different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was about the man that had so quickly foiled her determination to stay uninvolved, but even as she felt anxiety about tonight, there was a sense of anticipation, too.
She pulled into the Dixons’ drive and rang the bell. Mike Dixon answered the door. “Hi, Melanie. Come on in.”
She stepped into the foyer.
“Are you sure we can’t keep Jerica for a few days?” Ami’s father asked.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
Mike laughed. “Seriously, she was an angel. Karen said the girls didn’t have one argument. She hardly knew they were here.”
“Are we talking about the same Jerica?”
“And the same Ami.”
“Well, wonders never cease.” Melanie heard a clatter on the staircase, and as if on cue, the two little girls appeared on the landing.
“Do I have to go home now, Mommy?” Jerica asked, peering over the stair rail into the foyer.
“Afraid so, punkin. Get your coat, though. It’s chilly out there.” Mike reached into the closet and handed Melanie the jacket. She held one sleeve open, waiting for Jerica to slip into it. “Did little Brendon survive the day?” she asked Mike.
“I think they wore him out. Karen’s thrilled. She’s putting him down
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