“I agree, and the good thing is that she’s back with her owners, safe and sound.”
“Although she may not be with them for long. Because of the complications, the mom and newborn are going to stay with her parents for a while after they release her from the hospital. The problem is, the new mom is allergic to dogs. Anyway, I offered to take Karma.”
“That was sweet of you.” I squeezed Nick’s arm. He glanced down at it and then locked gazes with me before I slowly pulled away.
I glanced over at Dee to see her reaction on the matter, but to my surprise, she and Brandon had moved away from us and were talking over by the planters.
When had they moved over there? Was I so transfixed by Nick that I hadn’t even noticed they weren’t next to us anymore? Was there a moment when I had blacked-out?
Nick cleared his throat. “I really can’t remember what I was talking about . . .”
That makes two of us.
“Anyway, I love dogs and haven’t had one in such a long time,” he added. “Karma’s owners seemed to like the idea and said they would call me later to let me know. Well, we should get back to work. I really would like to finish most of the gazebo today. Are you okay if we work late?”
“As long as you take breaks every now and then, I have no problem with that.”
“Great.” Nick clapped his hands one time. “Brandon! Let’s get back to work.”
“Of course.” Brandon turned to Dee. “Talk to you later.”
She smiled. “You have my number.”
I pointed to the roof panel on the ground. “I’ll let you get back then.”
“Sounds good,” Nick said.
We walked back to the house, acutely aware that the guys were watching us.
After closing the screen door behind me, I walked toward my office.
Dee trailed right behind me.
I sat in my chair and swiveled around to face her as she sat down across the desk from me.
Both of us were quiet.
She stared at me.
I stared right back.
We were trying to read each other’s minds, I suspected.
I had no doubts we were thinking about two particular men who were currently working in my backyard, but I had to ask. “What’s with that big grin on your face?”
Her grin got wider, then she glanced out to the backyard. “I’m going to marry that man.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Oh, come on. They only say that in the movies.”
“I’m serious. I feel it. And before you even mention it, it’s not lust. It’s the weirdest thing, but when we look at each other, it’s like we’re talking without the words. It’s like we understand each other, without having been on a single date. I believe love at first sight exists. I know it sounds crazy, but I feel relaxed and at peace with Brandon when I see him, almost as if I’ve had a glass of wine.”
I nodded, pretty sure it was the same feeling I felt when I sat in front of the fountain listening to the water with my eyes closed. Also, the same feeling when Nick fed me the sushi at the restaurant. How could someone feeding me sushi be so euphoric?
Still, there was a difference; I didn’t think I was going to marry the man.
There were just a few moments where I got the feeling that Nick wasn’t such a bad guy after all.
I wanted to be friends with him.
I glanced through the screen doors as Nick and Brandon lifted one of the pieces of the gazebo roof over their heads to attach it.
Dee smiled. “And you have the hots for Nick.”
“I do not. I admit that he’s a fascinating man and—”
“Hot.”
“Fine, he’s hot, but it’s possible for him to be hot without me having the hots for him. Those are two completely different things.”
“If you say so.”
I didn’t think I had the hots for him. Really.
Dee leaned back in her chair. “In fact, why don’t you prove you don’t have the hots for him?”
I crossed my arms. “How am I going to do that?”
“By going to the speed dating event this evening. I think the reason you’re resisting going is because you have feelings for Nick.”
“That makes no sense. How could I have feelings for him? We haven’t even gone on a date.”
“Neither have Brandon and I. Yet . . .”
I blew out a frustrated breath. “Maybe I don’t feel like going to speed dating because I know it’s going to be a waste of my time.”
“You have the chance to meet up to twenty men in an hour.”
“I have the chance to meet twenty losers in an hour.”
“The men have been prescreened, are all over forty years old, and all are successful business professionals.”
“Blah, blah, blah, you’ve already told me that. Repeating information does not make it more appealing the second or third time around. It just becomes annoying.”
Dee crossed her arms and glared at me.
She was the one person in the world who knew me better than I knew myself.
I couldn’t take it anymore. “Fine. I’ll go.”
Dee studied me. “I don’t believe you.”
“Since when have I lied to you?”
“You mean today?”
I laughed and glanced over at my vibrating phone to check the caller ID. “It’s Gary.”
“He probably wants to know the latest on Caltonic,” Dee said.
I nodded and answered the call. “Hi, Gary. What’s going on?”
“Hey, Ruth. Just wanted to get the latest on Caltonic. Have you heard back from Byron?”
“Not yet.”
“We need to push this one through. The board is getting antsy that we’re not going to hit our numbers this quarter. How close are you to closing the deal?”
“I was hoping it was already going to be closed by now, but I’m guessing that it’s still tied up with their legal department. I’m going to see Byron this afternoon. I can give you an update after I meet with him.”
“Sounds great. Why don’t you stop by the office after you meet with him? How’s six o’clock?”
“Well, uh . . .”
I glanced at Dee.
“What?” she whispered.
“Hang on just a second, Gary.”
“Okay . . .”
I stuck the phone in my desk drawer and closed it, then leaned toward Dee, whispering, “He wants me to stop by the office after meeting Byron.”
“No! No! No!” Dee said in a low voice, wagging her finger at me. “Don’t you dare. That’s your excuse for skipping the speed dating. You’re going. I’ll handle whatever Gary needs.”
I stared at Dee, torn about what to do, and knowing I had to make a snap decision because Gary was still on the phone waiting. I had never said no to Gary since I had started working for the company ten years ago. Anything he wanted, he got it. If he wanted me to jump, I asked how high. He was going to suspect something if I said no, but part of me wanted to.
Dee shook her head emphatically. “Don’t. You. Dare.”
Don’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself.
Why am I not surprised that Nick’s advice popped into my head again?
I sighed and fell back into my chair, pulling the phone from the drawer and raising it back up to my face. “Hey, Gary. Yeah, unfortunately I can’t make six o’clock. I’ve got things I’ve got to take care of this evening. I can give you a call with an update, though.”