didn’t buckle beneath her. To be so close to him, and so unexpectedly, she didn’t have time to be on her guard.
It was an effort to gather her composure again. Snatching away from him as if she was burnt, Charlie straightened and pulled away even as she blasted him with an icy look.
Needing breathing space after the encounter, Charlie headed for the stairway instead, temporarily forgetting her purpose. She got herself a cup of coffee and went back to her office. What needed to be discussed with Instrumentation could just as easily be done over the phone. She felt the need to hide in her office for now.
From her office windows, she had a clear view of the factory floor below. In recent days, she found herself staring out of the windows, looking at the people work. Or rather, watching Ryle work. He was an enigma. He seemed far too arrogant and self-assured to be satisfied with the menial tasks such as cleaning up and sweeping floors. There was an authoritative demeanor about him that even more seasoned management couldn't feign. How did he end up in the cleanup crew? She watched him now as he precisely and methodically swept the floor.
“ Hey, have you forgotten about our date?” Jeff gave a brief knock on her door, which she had left wide open after Karen left for the day.
Charlie nearly jumped, as she realized she had been staring out the windows again.
“ Mmm, sorry, I was…” She gave a little shrug and nodded to her computer, “I needed to finish a performance report before I leave. It might take me ten minutes. Why don’t I meet you at the restaurant?” She suggested.
“ Hey, I don’t mind waiting.” He said easily.
“ It’s probably better if we don’t leave together.” She told him.
He sighed, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. It was only for a brief moment and then he hid it. “All right, I’ll meet you at Captain Casey’s in twenty minutes or so?”
“ Okay.” She agreed.
Saturday was a sunny day. Charlie had another date with Jeff later that evening, but she wanted to spend the morning at the floral shop with Mandy and Megan.
Like last week, she stopped by Joe’s Café for some food before going into the floral shop. She half expected to run into Ryle there, but he was not there. With a sigh, she walked across to the floral shop.
It was a busy morning at the floral shop today. While Mandy helped her customers, Charlie looked after Megan.
“ So what are you wearing tonight?” Mandy asked when there was finally a lull later in the morning.
“ I’m not sure.” Charlie said thoughtfully. “We’re going to the opera, and then we’re meeting his friends for dinner.”
“ Hmm. Definitely elegant for the opera,” Mandy said.
“ I was thinking of the red dress, the one we bought together.”
“ The one with the sweetheart neckline? And the sexy slit up the thigh?” Mandy grinned.
“ Yes.” Charlie smiled, remembering it was Mandy who talked her into buying it even though at that time she had nowhere to wear it to.
“ That would be perfect for the opera with Jeff.” Mandy agreed, “Elegant and sexy.”
“ Hmm. Except we’re meeting his friends at a diner afterwards. I didn't want to be too overdressing for it.”
“ A diner?” Mandy said as if she didn’t hear her right.
“ Yes, a diner. His friend Jimmy and his wife, Mary, run the diner.”
“ Oh.”
“ His other best friend, Ed and his wife, Judy, will also be there.”
“ Wow, sounds serious.” Mandy murmured.
Charlie frowned. “Do you think?”
“ Oh, yeah, Jeff is the kind who wouldn’t introduce his friends unless he’s serious about the girl.” Mandy said with certainty.
“ Maybe I shouldn’t go…”
“ Charlie!” Mandy gasped. “How could you still have doubts? This guy adores you. He’s not like Brian at all.”
“ Still, it’s moving too fast.”
“ You’ve been friends for a long time.” Mandy pointed out.
“ True, but…”
“ No buts.” Mandy
It was an effort to gather her composure again. Snatching away from him as if she was burnt, Charlie straightened and pulled away even as she blasted him with an icy look.
Needing breathing space after the encounter, Charlie headed for the stairway instead, temporarily forgetting her purpose. She got herself a cup of coffee and went back to her office. What needed to be discussed with Instrumentation could just as easily be done over the phone. She felt the need to hide in her office for now.
From her office windows, she had a clear view of the factory floor below. In recent days, she found herself staring out of the windows, looking at the people work. Or rather, watching Ryle work. He was an enigma. He seemed far too arrogant and self-assured to be satisfied with the menial tasks such as cleaning up and sweeping floors. There was an authoritative demeanor about him that even more seasoned management couldn't feign. How did he end up in the cleanup crew? She watched him now as he precisely and methodically swept the floor.
“ Hey, have you forgotten about our date?” Jeff gave a brief knock on her door, which she had left wide open after Karen left for the day.
Charlie nearly jumped, as she realized she had been staring out the windows again.
“ Mmm, sorry, I was…” She gave a little shrug and nodded to her computer, “I needed to finish a performance report before I leave. It might take me ten minutes. Why don’t I meet you at the restaurant?” She suggested.
“ Hey, I don’t mind waiting.” He said easily.
“ It’s probably better if we don’t leave together.” She told him.
He sighed, and she could see the hurt in his eyes. It was only for a brief moment and then he hid it. “All right, I’ll meet you at Captain Casey’s in twenty minutes or so?”
“ Okay.” She agreed.
Saturday was a sunny day. Charlie had another date with Jeff later that evening, but she wanted to spend the morning at the floral shop with Mandy and Megan.
Like last week, she stopped by Joe’s Café for some food before going into the floral shop. She half expected to run into Ryle there, but he was not there. With a sigh, she walked across to the floral shop.
It was a busy morning at the floral shop today. While Mandy helped her customers, Charlie looked after Megan.
“ So what are you wearing tonight?” Mandy asked when there was finally a lull later in the morning.
“ I’m not sure.” Charlie said thoughtfully. “We’re going to the opera, and then we’re meeting his friends for dinner.”
“ Hmm. Definitely elegant for the opera,” Mandy said.
“ I was thinking of the red dress, the one we bought together.”
“ The one with the sweetheart neckline? And the sexy slit up the thigh?” Mandy grinned.
“ Yes.” Charlie smiled, remembering it was Mandy who talked her into buying it even though at that time she had nowhere to wear it to.
“ That would be perfect for the opera with Jeff.” Mandy agreed, “Elegant and sexy.”
“ Hmm. Except we’re meeting his friends at a diner afterwards. I didn't want to be too overdressing for it.”
“ A diner?” Mandy said as if she didn’t hear her right.
“ Yes, a diner. His friend Jimmy and his wife, Mary, run the diner.”
“ Oh.”
“ His other best friend, Ed and his wife, Judy, will also be there.”
“ Wow, sounds serious.” Mandy murmured.
Charlie frowned. “Do you think?”
“ Oh, yeah, Jeff is the kind who wouldn’t introduce his friends unless he’s serious about the girl.” Mandy said with certainty.
“ Maybe I shouldn’t go…”
“ Charlie!” Mandy gasped. “How could you still have doubts? This guy adores you. He’s not like Brian at all.”
“ Still, it’s moving too fast.”
“ You’ve been friends for a long time.” Mandy pointed out.
“ True, but…”
“ No buts.” Mandy
Similar Books
