The Right Touch

Still K Rating

Romance, of course!

Sadly the characters aren't mine

Author's Note: The course of true love ne'er runs smooth. Thanks for the reviews!

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Chapter 13

Monday morning

"As you can see, the estimated costs are within the budget you mentioned, Miss D'Angelo," said Sue. She shared a glance with Lucy. They crossing their fingers the woman would like their proposal. Myles had promised he would put in the order for whatever they needed as soon as they called.

"Please call me Darcy since we'll be working closely for the next few days," she insisted. "I'm delighted with you designs. We'll use them for the gala. These figures look about right but I'll have my assistant check them to be sure. If everything is fine, he'll give you a call to come down and sign the contract this afternoon."

Sue and Lucy tried to contain their excitement. This would be the big break they were looking for!

They were interrupted by a knock. Howie stuck in his head. "Could one of you come and help me with this customer?" he asked plaintively. "I'm not sure what he wants. I'm not sure if he's even speaking English."

"I'll go," offered Lucy. "You stay here and answer any of her questions," she told Sue.

Sue nodded. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked.

Darcy was standing, putting the papers into her briefcase. "I understand this benefit is important to you and your partner,' she said casually.

"Yes, it is. We appreciate the opportunity you're giving us," Sue said with a smile.

"Well in that case," began Darcy, "I would appreciate it if you could show your gratitude by leaving my boyfriend alone. You have the job. You don't need to play up to him any more."

"Excuse me? What did you say?" asked a stunned Sue not sure she lip read correctly.

Darcy stopped and pinned Sue with her stare. "How did you know the florist I usually use cancelled on me? Is that when you decided to introduce yourself to Bobby?" she demanded. "I know you've been going out with him behind my back and I know you two talk on the phone often. I want it stopped. He is my boyfriend. Is that clear?" Her ugly words hung in the air.

"That's not true!" Sue denied. "You called us. I never suggested Bobby mention our shop to you! It was all his own idea!"

"Bobby's always been a sucker for a sob story. He probably felt sorry for you—you know, the poor little deaf girl. Well, I'm here to see that you don't take advantage of his good nature any more. The phone calls and meetings are to stop. You'll probably be running into each other this week but once the gala is over, you don't see him any more. Do I make myself clear?" Darcy repeated.

Slowly, Sue nodded. "Crystal clear."

"Good," Darcy said decisively as she snapped her briefcase shut. She walked out of the office without a backward glance.

Shaken, Sue sank into the chair. Could it be true? Did Bobby feel sorry for her? He seemed to enjoy himself the times they were together. Had it all been a sham?

"Sue!" called out Lucy, interrupting her dark thoughts. "It's Bobby on the line. He wants to talk to you." She stopped taking a good look at her friend. "Hey! Are you all right? You don't look so hot," she said in concern.

"I think it's the excitement of everything," Sue lied. "Could you tell Bobby I'll call him back later? Darcy wanted me to do something as soon as possible."

"Sure," agreed Lucy with a puzzled look on her face. "Anything I can do to help?"

Sue shook her head. "It shouldn't take long."

"Okay." She left but not before throwing a concerned look over her shoulder.

She needed to think. Scribbling a note to let Lucy know she'd gone out, Sue quietly slipped out the back door with Levi.

The city was beginning to show signs of spring but Sue was oblivious to her surroundings. Her thoughts were focused on the events of the past forty-eight hours trying to separate what was real and what was imagined. What was real was the attraction she felt for the handsome architect. From the moment they spoke on the phone, she felt at ease with him. And meeting him in person exceeded her wildest dreams. Warm, charming, and witty, she enjoyed his company and he appeared to like being with her, too. Otherwise, why would he have invited her to spend the evening with him and his niece and nephew?

Never to talk to him again, never to see him again—she didn't know if she'd be able to keep that part of the deal. While not explicitly stated, the implication was for Sue to stay away from Bobby if she wanted that contract. She was tempted to say the hell with it but there were Lucy and Myles to consider. The contract and the exposure the shop received through the gala would benefit their florist enormously. Then Lucy and Myles could get married. No, she had to go through the arrangement for their sakes.

Sighing, she retraced her footsteps back to the shop. Life wouldn't be the same without the phone calls. And now that she met him, life wouldn't be the same without him—his smile, his funny comments, their conversations. He made her...Wait! What did she just say? Sue halted in her tracks and stood there, a most startling thought occurring. Could she...was it even possible after two days...could she be falling in love with Bobby?

A bump by a passing pedestrian woke her up from her epiphany. "Levi," she said to her companion, "this is an interesting development."

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Bobby was busy at his desk when there was a knock on his door. He'd been expecting it. "Come in," he called out.

"And when did you meet?" Jack asked without preamble. "I was under the impression it was strictly a platonic phone friendship."

"It was...until Saturday night," said Bobby.

"And what happened Saturday night?"

"Look," said Bobby, "I have a meeting with a client at ten and I need to get this finished," he said tapping the plans on his table. "Can we discuss this at lunch?"

"You're on."

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Restaurant

"So what happened Saturday night?" asked Jack picking up right where he left off in Bobby's office.

"Is there something special about this Saturday night you're talking about?" asked D. "Did I miss something?"

"Bobby's met his florist in the flesh," announced Jack.

"You did? What'd she look like?" D asked in interest. They'd spent a few lunches trying to guess what the mystery woman would look like.

"Blonde, pretty, about five six," said Jack.

D looked at Jack. "Wait. How do you know this? I thought you said Bobby met her."

"I did," Bobby said firmly taking control of the conversation. "But Jack here got to meet her when I came to baby sit on Sunday night."

"But I thought you met her on Saturday night," stated D slightly confused. "You took a stranger with you to baby sit Jack's kids? Am I missing something here?" His glance darted between Jack and Bobby.

Jack just looked at Bobby waiting for an answer to his question.

Bobby took a breath. "Darcy was busy so I went to the office to get some work on Saturday night," he emphasized slightly, "and parked on the street. And when I got out of the car, I realized I was close to The Right Touch. It just so happened Sue was ready to leave the shop. We met...we hit it off...we had dinner...we had a good time. She invited me to look at her sketches the next day and while there Jack here called for help with the kids so I asked her to help me and that's the whole story," he summed up.

"I need some details here," said D. "You asked a woman you literally just met out to dinner?"

"What do you mean just met?" protested Bobby. "We've been talking to each other for months! It's not as if we're strangers."

"I'm surprised she agreed to have dinner with a suspicious character like you," commented Jack with a twinkle in his eye.

"She had some reservations so we walked to Ernie's," Bobby clarified.

"Smart girl," praised Jack. "Who paid?"

"I did," said Bobby in exasperation. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

"I do, " started D. "These sketches, what kind were they? Are they anything like etchings? You know what they say...you have to be careful when you're invited to see etchings," he teased.

Bobby glared at his friends. "The sketches were for the floral arrangements she's proposing for Darcy's benefit this coming Saturday. The original florist had to cancel at the last minute so I suggested Sue." He looked at his watch. "In fact, she had a meeting with Darcy this morning. She hasn't called back."

"Who? Darcy?" asked Jack.

"No," replied Bobby shaking his head, "Sue. I left a message for her to call me. I wanted to know how the proposal went. But she hasn't called back."

"Probably got busy and forgot all about calling you back," stated D. "So tell me, what's she like?"

"Nice, very nice," answered Bobby. "And sweet. Josh and Megan really liked her."

"Yeah," agreed Jack. "Josh is ecstatic he beat Bobby here at skee ball. He wants Sue to come back so they can do it again."

"That is a major victory," smiled D.

"I've demanded a rematch," Bobby declared.

"Does Darcy know you've met Sue?" Jack asked casually.

"Sure she does," replied Bobby a bit hesitantly as he fiddled with his glass of water. Jack and D shared glances—didn't seem like someone was too happy. "Told her last night."

"Last night?" Jack eyed his friend speculatively. "You were with Josh, Megan and Sue last night. When did you talk to Darcy?"

"She was waiting for me at my place and she asked where I was and since I have nothing to hide, I told her," he said matter-of-factly.

"I see," said Jack.

Bobby looked at him. "And what does that mean?"

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Nothing. I just said 'I see'. Can't a person say 'I see' without being questioned?"

"Not when you say it like that. Explain yourself." There was a moment of silence.

"I just wondered if Darcy believed you."

"Of course she did!" Bobby replied indignantly. "She knows she has nothing to worry about."

D kept his mouth shut. He and Jack had had discussions about Darcy's tendency to be territorial about her boyfriend. Her actions were usually so smoothly done that Bobby never knew it was happening—a laugh, an arm slipped through his, an excuse to draw him away when he seemed to show too much interest in a female. It was all very subtle.

"Good. Then everything's fine and dandy."

D glanced at his friends and saw a flash of uncertainty flash across Bobby's face. Maybe everything was not so fine and dandy.