Read Online Designed for Love by Roseanne Dowell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Roseanne Dowell
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Okay,
business it is, but only after dinner. So tell me who you're involved with.
What's his name? What does he do for a living?"
I groaned. Now what had I got myself
into? I thought if I told Nick I was involved it'd solve the problem. I walked
up the ramp to the restaurant and took a deep breath. "His name is Bill.
He's an architect." Oh, Lord, what made me say that? Why didn't I make up
a name?
Nick took my hand and followed the host
to the table. "So is it serious with this guy, Bill? I didn't know you
were seeing someone."
I wished the ground would open up and
swallow me. I hated lying. "Pretty serious."
"Uh huh. So did you leave him home
miserable and lonely?"
"Actually he's here in Florida. He just
happened to have business here too."
"Really, that's great. We'll have to
get together. Why didn't you tell me? He could have come along tonight."
I grimaced. Just what I needed. Bad
enough I lied, now he wanted to get together. How to get out of that? "I
thought this was a business meeting. I thought Mrs. Gilmore would be
here."
Nick rubbed his chin and looked at me.
Oh, God, he knew I was lying. What was I going to do now? Why did I have to say
he was here to top it all off? What if he insisted on meeting him? How was I
going to pull that off?
Was there any chance Bill would go along
with such a ruse? Dare I ask him? Dumb, dumb, dumb. Where were my brains?
Seemed like ever since I met Bill, I couldn't think straight. Hell, I couldn't
seem to think at all.
"Well," Nick finally said,
"since she's not here and your friend's not here, whatta ya say we kick
back, relax, and have a little fun?"
The waiter appeared to take our order.
Nick ordered a beer and I asked for a cola.
"A cola, come on, girl, lighten up.
How about a cocktail, martini or something?"
I didn't much care for alcohol, but agreed
to a raspberry martini. I ordered the Crab Stuffed Shrimp and Nick ordered the
Jumbo Bayou Shrimp. When he reached his hand across the table and stroked mine,
my stomach lurched. I tried to pull away, but he took my hand and held it.
"Why so tense?"
"Look, Mr. Donatello, I'm not
feeling real comfortable right now."
Nick smiled and stroked my hand.
"You're not engaged or anything, are you? I mean how long have you known
Bill?"
The drinks arrived and saved me the
embarrassment of another lie. "Maybe we should skip dinner." I pulled
my hand away, picked up the drink and sipped it.
"Don't be silly, we've already
ordered."
I swore he enjoyed my discomfort.
"Okay, so we'll eat, then we'll go."
"Come on, Wendy, lighten up. When's
the last time you had a little fun? Surely you're not this tense with
Bill."
I leaned back and put my hands in my lap.
Safely away from Nick. I didn't like the look in his eyes. Typical guy, out for
one thing. I had a feeling this evening wasn't going to end well. How was I
going to face him in the morning? Hell, how was I going to work for him now?
And how the hell was I going to let him
down without jeopardizing my job? Only one thing to do. I'd have to ask Bill
for his help.
"No, I'm not this tense with Bill,
but that's because we're practically engaged. I mean not officially, but we've
been talking about marriage." At least the last part wasn't a total lie.
Bill and I had talked about marriage, just not to each other.
Nick took a swig of his beer. "Well,
hell, why didn't you say so to begin with? Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
offend you. Hell, I thought you were fair game."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. Fair game? What
did I look like, a piece of meat? I counted to ten. This was my boss after all
and I didn't want to lose my job. I let out a breath. "Okay, look, let's
forget the whole thing."
The waiter approached with our order. The
shrimp smelled and looked delicious. Usually I loved shrimp, but after the
incident with Nick I lost my appetite. Hopefully, we could eat and get the hell
out of here. Back to the safety of my hotel room. Although with Bill next door,
I wasn't sure how safe
business it is, but only after dinner. So tell me who you're involved with.
What's his name? What does he do for a living?"
I groaned. Now what had I got myself
into? I thought if I told Nick I was involved it'd solve the problem. I walked
up the ramp to the restaurant and took a deep breath. "His name is Bill.
He's an architect." Oh, Lord, what made me say that? Why didn't I make up
a name?
Nick took my hand and followed the host
to the table. "So is it serious with this guy, Bill? I didn't know you
were seeing someone."
I wished the ground would open up and
swallow me. I hated lying. "Pretty serious."
"Uh huh. So did you leave him home
miserable and lonely?"
"Actually he's here in Florida. He just
happened to have business here too."
"Really, that's great. We'll have to
get together. Why didn't you tell me? He could have come along tonight."
I grimaced. Just what I needed. Bad
enough I lied, now he wanted to get together. How to get out of that? "I
thought this was a business meeting. I thought Mrs. Gilmore would be
here."
Nick rubbed his chin and looked at me.
Oh, God, he knew I was lying. What was I going to do now? Why did I have to say
he was here to top it all off? What if he insisted on meeting him? How was I
going to pull that off?
Was there any chance Bill would go along
with such a ruse? Dare I ask him? Dumb, dumb, dumb. Where were my brains?
Seemed like ever since I met Bill, I couldn't think straight. Hell, I couldn't
seem to think at all.
"Well," Nick finally said,
"since she's not here and your friend's not here, whatta ya say we kick
back, relax, and have a little fun?"
The waiter appeared to take our order.
Nick ordered a beer and I asked for a cola.
"A cola, come on, girl, lighten up.
How about a cocktail, martini or something?"
I didn't much care for alcohol, but agreed
to a raspberry martini. I ordered the Crab Stuffed Shrimp and Nick ordered the
Jumbo Bayou Shrimp. When he reached his hand across the table and stroked mine,
my stomach lurched. I tried to pull away, but he took my hand and held it.
"Why so tense?"
"Look, Mr. Donatello, I'm not
feeling real comfortable right now."
Nick smiled and stroked my hand.
"You're not engaged or anything, are you? I mean how long have you known
Bill?"
The drinks arrived and saved me the
embarrassment of another lie. "Maybe we should skip dinner." I pulled
my hand away, picked up the drink and sipped it.
"Don't be silly, we've already
ordered."
I swore he enjoyed my discomfort.
"Okay, so we'll eat, then we'll go."
"Come on, Wendy, lighten up. When's
the last time you had a little fun? Surely you're not this tense with
Bill."
I leaned back and put my hands in my lap.
Safely away from Nick. I didn't like the look in his eyes. Typical guy, out for
one thing. I had a feeling this evening wasn't going to end well. How was I
going to face him in the morning? Hell, how was I going to work for him now?
And how the hell was I going to let him
down without jeopardizing my job? Only one thing to do. I'd have to ask Bill
for his help.
"No, I'm not this tense with Bill,
but that's because we're practically engaged. I mean not officially, but we've
been talking about marriage." At least the last part wasn't a total lie.
Bill and I had talked about marriage, just not to each other.
Nick took a swig of his beer. "Well,
hell, why didn't you say so to begin with? Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
offend you. Hell, I thought you were fair game."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. Fair game? What
did I look like, a piece of meat? I counted to ten. This was my boss after all
and I didn't want to lose my job. I let out a breath. "Okay, look, let's
forget the whole thing."
The waiter approached with our order. The
shrimp smelled and looked delicious. Usually I loved shrimp, but after the
incident with Nick I lost my appetite. Hopefully, we could eat and get the hell
out of here. Back to the safety of my hotel room. Although with Bill next door,
I wasn't sure how safe
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