Title: The Right Touch

Rating: K

Category: Romance

Disclaimers: These guys aren't mine but I love 'em.

Author's Note: Enjoying the feedback, people. Thanks much!

----------

The RightTouch

Chapter 8

Late Saturday night

"I'm home," Sue announced as she took off her jacket. "Sorry I got you worried. We lost track of time."

Comfortably snuggled on the sofa, Lucy and Myles had turned as one. "It's okay," replied Lucy, "as long as you're fine."

"Dinner must've been good if you forgot the time," Myles commented.

A smile appeared on Sue's face. "It was—very good," she agreed.

Lucy noted the change in her friend's expression with interest. Who was the dinner companion?

"Anyone we know?" she asked casually trying to get a name.

"Are you checking up on her?" Myles asked in mock surprise. "I think she's old enough to date without your permission."

Lucy turned to him. "I know that. I was just being polite and asking how her evening went like any friend would."

Sue bit her lip to keep from smiling. She was familiar with Lucy's idea of polite curiosity—a police interrogation would probably be less probing.

"Oh, I see." His expression spoke volumes. He, too, was familiar with his girlfriend's inquisitiveness. "I can just imagine when our children start going out—their prospective dates will have to go through background checks by their mother."

Lucy frowned at him. "What's wrong with being interested?" she demanded.

Myles leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Nothing, my dear. I love you just the way you are." He was rewarded with a smile.

"It wasn't a date," Sue corrected. She tilted her head in thought. "Although he did pay even though I insisted I should."

"I knew it! There's a guy involved," Lucy said triumphantly. "Okay, now you've got me really curious. What's his name and why did you want to pay?"

"It was Bobby," answered Sue. She mentally prepared herself for the deluge of questions she knew that would follow her simple statement.

Lucy did not disappoint. "Bobby as in the Bobby who calls at ten forty Bobby?" she asked in surprise. "Bobby whose girlfriend just hired us to provide the flowers at the biggest charity event of the season? Bobby who we've never met? Bobby..."

"I think you clarified which Bobby," interrupted Myles. "Now give the woman a chance to answer."

Sue's eyes opened wide. "Yeah, that Bobby."

"How...?" asked a practically speechless Lucy.

"He said he went to his office to get something, saw the light on in the shop and went to check it out. He must have seen me and knocked on the window because he got Levi's attention. Before you know it, we were sitting in Ernie's having dinner." Sue looked a little surprised herself at what happened.

"Okay," said Lucy absorbing the information. "Is he as nice as you thought he'd be in person as he is on the phone?"

"Even nicer," Sue smiled as she thought of their dinner conversation. "We had a nice time." Unconsciously, she sighed. It had been a most enjoyable and thoroughly unexpected evening. "I'm going to bed. We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow. Good night." She signaled to Levi to follow and closed her bedroom door.

Lucy turned to Myles. "Was it my imagination or did she look like she had a good time...a very good time?"

"She had a very good time," agreed Myles. "And so?"

"And so, this guy already has a girlfriend. Why'd he take Sue out to dinner?"

Myles grimaced. "I don't know if eating at Ernie's qualifies as going out to dinner," he remarked thinking of the busy deli. "Besides, it's none of our business. Sue's a big girl and she can choose who she wants to go out with."

"I guess you're right," Lucy admitted reluctantly as she snuggled back into Myles' arms. After a few seconds she commented, "He probably wanted to see if he could finally match the face to the voice."

"You're probably right," agreed Myles soothingly.

"But he didn't have to take her to dinner," she brought up.

"No, but maybe he was hungry and didn't want to eat alone," he suggested. "His girlfriend must be extremely busy attending to all the last minute details that go with this extravaganza next week Saturday."

"You're probably right again," agreed Lucy with a smile as she looked at Myles. "Have I ever told you what a smart guy you are?"

"I know I am," he said smugly. She glared at him. "I'm marrying you, aren't I?"

Her expression softened as she raised her hand to caress his cheek. "Yes, you are—in seventeen months and twenty days."

"I can't wait," he said as he leaned forward to kiss her.

----------

Restaurant

"Hello, stranger," Bobby greeted Darcy as he stood up to pull out her chair. He dropped a light kiss on her lips.

"I know and I'm sorry," she said apologetically. "It's one crisis after another for this benefit. I just can't believe it. Thank God, I have Nicky," she commented gratefully about her assistant. "I don't know what I'd do without him."

Bobby understood. Nicky was the perfect foil for Darcy. He deftly handled whatever his boss threw at him and was able to calm her when things looked overwhelming. They made a good team.

"Maybe a bonus and a couple of days off?" suggested Bobby.

"Good idea," nodded Darcy. "We both need one. He deserves it and so do I."

The waitress arrived pen poised to take their order. "Ready?" she asked. Quickly, their order was taken and once again they were left alone.

"I have an idea," began Darcy.

Bobby looked at her in interest.

"Why don't we go somewhere for a couple of days?" she suggested with an appealing smile. "I've missed you."

He regretfully shook his head. "Much as I'd love to, I can't. I have a project due."

"Oh well," she sighed, "at least I tried."

"I'm sorry, Darce," he apologized. "How 'bout as soon as the project's done?"

"I have to check my calendar," she said. "I'll cross my fingers."

He smiled. "How did your meeting with the sponsor go?"

"Sponsors," she said with a sigh. "They can drive you to an early grave."

"How so?"

"The sponsor...well, actually the sponsor's wife wanted to change the color scheme of the gala to honor her mother who recently passed away of heart disease," explained Darcy. "It's a terribly sweet gesture, but not at this late date. Everything's been co-ordinated and ordered. She was disappointed but as a concession, I did agree to use certain flowers in the table arrangements which reminds me, I need to call Sue to let her know."

"Sooner would be better than later," he commented. "She's working on the designs this morning." He leaned back as their orders were placed in front of them.

Nodding her thanks, Darcy picked up her fork. "She is?" she asked slowly. "And you know this because..."

"We had dinner last night." Unconsciously, Bobby smiled as he remembered last evening. He had had a good time.

Darcy saw the smile and her lips tightened slightly. "I thought you said you never met her."

"Oh, I hadn't...until last night." At her questioning look, he explained, "Since I had an unexpected free evening," referring to their cancelled date, "I went to the office to get a folder and ran into her as she was coming out of the shop. I introduced myself... she introduced herself and Levi and before we knew it, we were having dinner," he said echoing Sue's words.

"Levi? Her boyfriend?"

"Her hearing dog."

"Oh," she responded a trifle disappointedly. " I saw a dog at the florist but I didn't know that was hers."

There were a few minutes of silence as they ate their breakfast. Bobby heartily tucked into his while Darcy took small bites. She cast quick glances at him.

"She's pretty, isn't she?" she asked breaking the silence.

"That she is," he agreed. "And very easy to talk to. I don't know when was the last time I enjoyed a conversation so much—present company excluded, of course." He flashed a smile at her.

"Of course." She returned his smile.

---------