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The Right Touch Chapter 19
Disclaimers: the usual
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Saturday afternoon
Sue tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she surveyed the ballroom. Crystal gleaming, the pale pink tablecloths spotless, the centerpieces providing splashes of color—the place looked gorgeous. Howie was placing the last arrangement on the stage.
An arm came around her shoulder. It was Myles with Lucy.
"You done good, ladies," he praised expansively. "The place looks fabulous."
"It does, doesn't it?" Lucy smiled in pleasure.
"We couldn't have done it without your help, Myles," smiled Sue giving credit where it was due. "And Howie's."
"Anything to help two of my favorite women in the world—after my mother, of course," he remarked.
"Of course," said Lucy dryly. She and her future mother-in-law had had their differences but had resolved most of them, especially when Myles indicated he would support Lucy every time. Mrs. Leland had graciously given in. Her son's happiness was too important to her.
"Darcy's coming this way," she remarked noting the brunette surveying the ballroom, her assistant close by. "Does she look pleased?"
"I can see the corner of her mouth tilting upwards," commented Myles. "Does that qualify as being pleased?"
The trio waited for Darcy to approach them. She stopped every so often to make slight adjustments to each table they passed all the while taking to her assistant who took notes. Finally, she reached them.
"Nice, very nice," she commented coolly. "Thank you for all your hard work. Nicky will send you the check for your services." She glanced at each of them, her gaze lingering longest on Sue.
Sue could see the glint of triumph in Darcy's eyes but refused to react. She would not give that woman the satisfaction of seeing how miserable she was. Sue only hoped Bobby could be happy with a person like that.
Without another word, Darcy turned and left the three people standing there.
"You should be receiving the check next week," spoke the assistant. "If you don't, please give me a call." He handed Sue his card. "My number's on there. The flowers look great. Darcy's very pleased with the overall effect." With a smile, he was gone to catch up with his boss.
"If that's how she acts when she's pleased, I wonder how she acts when she's not?" muttered Lucy.
Sue glanced at her friend and then at the woman in question. "Very much the same."
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Seven o'clock, Bobby noticed. If he hurried, he'd only be a little late for the benefit. That last minute meeting with Dan Peters had run longer than originally promised. He hoped that Darcy had checked her voice mail. Otherwise, she'd be in for a rude surprise when they all sat down to dinner and he wasn't there. That would put her in a really bad mood for his news.
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Saturday night
Sue came out of the bedroom holding her wrap and purse.
"You look great," remarked Lucy.
In a simple pastel pink gown that complimented her coloring, Sue looked lovely. But her paleness had Lucy worried. Since she stopped talking to Bobby, Sue had devoted all her time and energy into the shop and preparing for the gala. She ate little and Lucy knew for a fact, she was hardly sleeping. Her once bright and perky friend was now quiet and withdrawn. Drat that Bobby Manning! thought Lucy.
"Thanks. You look beautiful," said Sue sincerely. Lucy had chosen a dark red dress glittering with sequins and beads. "Myles is a very lucky man."
Lucy grinned. "So I keep reminding him." The doorbell rang. Lucy pointed to the entrance. "Speak of the devil."
A quick peek through the peephole and the door was flung open. "You look so handsome!" marveled Lucy as she stepped aside to let him in. She sniffed playfully at his evening clothes. "And no mothball smell to speak of! You'll do."
"Ha, ha," said Myles dryly. He dropped a quick kiss on her lips. His eyes widened as he had his first good look at Lucy. "Magnifique! You are truly a vision in that gown. I may be stuck to your side all evening to ward off the wolves."
"I'm only interested in one animal and that's you," she assured him.
"Are you calling me an animal?"
"Be thankful I wasn't specific," remarked Lucy. She moved to get her things. "I'll be back in a jif." She disappeared in the direction of her room.
Myles turned to Sue. He, too, noticed by her paleness. Lucy had discussed the problem with him and he adamantly refused to get involved.
--- Flashback
"How can you just sit there and do nothing," she'd told him. "You saw how they were on Sunday. Bobby's definitely attracted to Sue and Sue's in love with him!" she'd declared.
"I'll take your word for it but nonetheless, Bobby's involved with another woman. It's not so simple as getting Bobby and Sue together," he'd explained. "How does he feel about Darcy?"
"But Darcy's getting tired of him," she'd brought up. "We could just... "
"No," Myles had said firmly. Lucy stopped and looked at him. "If your informant is correct, Ms. D'Angelo may be issuing Bobby an ultimatum to marry her or take a hike some time in the future. Or Bobby could wake up and realize he's attracted to Sue and break it off with his girlfriend. In either case, we do not interfere. This is a problem between Sue and Bobby. Is that clear?"
"But she's hurting, Myles," Lucy had stated in concern.
He'd kissed her forehead as he hugged her. "I know, Lucy, but they have to figure it out themselves. I don't think either one of them would appreciate it if we stuck our collective noses in their business."
"I guess you're right but she's so unhappy."
"The best thing we can do is to be there for Sue and hope for the best."
She'd gazed at him affectionately. "You really are a smart guy, Myles Leland the III."
"That's what I keep telling you."
--- Flashback end
"Dan said he'll meet us at the hotel," Myles informed Sue. "His meeting lasted longer than scheduled." Myles shook his head. "You'd never think economists would have so much to talk about."
"What do they talk about?" asked Sue curiously.
"What makes the world go round?"
"Love?" she hazarded a guess.
"Good guess, but wrong. It's M-O-N-E-Y, money. Anything and everything that has to do with money is the field of economics," he explained patiently.
"Well," remarked Sue still vaguely confused, "that certainly makes it clear...I think."
Myles shrugged. "Take my word for it."
"Okay, I'm ready," announced Lucy draping her shawl over her shoulders. She tucked her arm in Myles. "Let's go dazzle them."
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Hotel Lobby
"He said he'd meet us at the door," said Myles as he looked around in the crowd.
"There!" called out Lucy. "I see him!"
Three pairs of eyes watched as they followed Dan Malone through the well-dressed attendees.
"Good timing," remarked Myles. "We just got here."
"Sorry. The meeting went a little longer than expected," he apologized to the group but he only had eyes for Sue. "You're looking quite beautiful, Sue."
Lucy's eyes flickered from Sue to Dan and back again. Dan was definitely interested in Sue, but Sue was not. She was polite and friendly but not much more.
"Thank you," she smiled. "You look very handsome in your tuxedo."
"Now that we've established we're all looking quite exceptional, why don't we go inside so we can view your handiwork under the lights?" Myles suggested.
As Myles surrendered the tickets for the benefit, Sue idly looked around. She spotted some famous faces here and there. She felt Lucy nudge her.
"I think those women are talking about the flowers at the desk," she whispered excitedly. "Our flowers."
Sue's head turned in the direction Lucy was discreetly pointing. Indeed, three women were looking at one of their arrangements and from their gestures, discussing the flowers. Sue looked back at Lucy and eyes sparkling, "The one in the white said she's been looking for a new florist so maybe she'll give us a call!"
"Which I'm sure will be the first of many calls to come," beamed Myles confidently as he extended his arm towards Lucy. "Shall we?"
Dan turned to Sue. "Congratulations," he smiled.
"Let's not celebrate yet," she cautioned. "That's only one woman."
"Myles is right," Dan assured her mimicking Myles' gesture. "It'll be the first of many more."
Sue smiled and slid her arm through his. 'Let's."
There was a nice crowd milling around, people chatting with acquaintances, making new ones. Occasional laughter burst like bubbles in the conversations ebbing and flowing around them. Sue noted the bejeweled woman dressed in their expensive gowns and cast a quick glance at her off the rack dress.
Dan noticed her peek. "You look lovely," he assured her patting her hand.
She flashed a smile of appreciation. He was sweet.
Lucy had suggested they walk around in different directions to gauge the reactions to their flowers. Dan patiently escorted her around the ballroom, pointing out anyone he thought might be commenting about the floral arrangements and sharing any remarks he overheard.
"You must be bored," apologized Sue. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. Working in a think tank, your world is a little insular. It's good to get out and mingle with the real world. As an economist, it's fascinating to see our theories in practice."
"Myles said economics is everything and anything that has to do with money," Sue repeated.
Dan thought about it a moment, then nodded. "That's as good an explanation as any."
Sue smiled. "I'll remember that." She looked around at the glittering crowd. "So what do you think of the real world?" She frowned for a moment. "Although I don't think this really qualifies."
"Well," he said looking directly into her eyes, "the little I've seen looks pretty wonderful."
Realizing he was talking about her, Sue flushed a faint pink at the compliment. He was sweet but she wasn't ready to move on. She was still in love with Bobby. As she opened her mouth to respond, a hand gently landed her shoulder. Turning around, it was Bobby.
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Bobby glanced at his watch as he hurried up the steps. He was only few minutes late. Handing over his ticket, his gaze swept the ballroom looking for Darcy or Nicky. The tall assistant would be hovering nearby ready to jump at her every order.
He continued to scan the crowd as he threaded his way through stopping occasionally to smile and greet people he knew. There she was, speaking with the catering manager. Looks like dinner would be starting soon. Quickly, he made his way to her.
"Hello, Darcy," he smiled as he bent down to give her a swift peck on the cheek.
She stopped her conversation briefly to glance at him, then turned back. "Is everything clear?"
"Yes, Miss D'Angelo," the manager assured. "I'll take care of it right away."
She flashed a smile. "Thank, Jacob. I appreciate that." With a bow, he was off.
"You're late," she said without preamble. "I said eight o'clock."
"I left you a voice message saying I would be late," he reminded her.
She reached into her bag and withdrew her cell. She pressed a couple of buttons. "So you did," she nodded. "I have this darn thing on vibrate and I guess I must've missed your call."
His eyes narrowed. "You think I lied?"
"No," she said coolly, "just checking." She waved in a general direction of her right. "Our table is there. Dinner will be served soon. Have a drink and I'll meet you there as soon as I take care of a couple of details." She turned on her heels and left.
Hmm, it might be easier than he thought to break the news to Darcy that they were over, he thought to himself. He took a few steps before he stopped a waiter to snag a glass of champagne. Taking a sip, he peered at the crowd over its rim. The rich, the famous, and the powerful were there as well as a smattering of regular people like himself that had tickets courtesy of someone else. He spotted his boss and his wife talking to another couple. As his gaze darted around, it landed on a vaguely familiar face. He'd seen that man before...but where?
His brain struggled to place his face when it dawned on Bobby—that was Sue's lunch companion. People were blocking his line of sight so he shifted a few steps to get a look at who the man was talking to. As his view improved, he saw, with a sinking heart that the bloke was talking to Sue.
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"Hello, Sue," Bobby greeted her with a sweet smile. God, he missed her!
"Hello, Bobby," she said gravely as she returned his gaze. She resisted the impulse to throw her arms around him and satisfied herself by looking at him. For a moment, they were the only ones in the crowded room.
Someone bumped into Bobby jolting him back to reality. His eyes swept her form. "You're looking quite lovely."
"Thank you." She turned towards her escort. "This is Dan. You met him a couple of days ago at the restaurant."
Bobby extended his hand. "You do know you have the most beautiful woman in the room with you tonight."
"I know," responded Dan quietly. Although they seemed to connect at lunch, he wondered why Sue had been friendly but distant. Now that he'd observed the interaction between the tall stranger and the woman with him, he knew why. Sue was in love with this guy, Bobby, he thought with regret.
"Bobby," said a bright, brittle voice, "we should be getting to our table." Darcy slipped a possessive arm through his. "Hello, Sue. I'm surprised to see you here."
"The place looks beautiful," responded Sue ignoring the implied insult. "Congratulations." She turned towards Dan. "Miss D'Angelo is the co-ordinator of the event." She gestured to her date. "This is Dan Malone."
Dan's eyes swept the room. "You did a fantastic job, Miss D'Angelo. And of course, it goes without saying, the flowers just add to the whole ambiance." He smiled at Sue as he squeezed her hand. She returned his smile.
Bobby's jaw tightened when he saw that smile. He wanted to be the one holding Sue's hand...he wanted to be the one to make her smile. Well, as soon as this soiree was over, he'd set his plan in motion.
"Yes, the flowers are lovely," Darcy graciously admitted. She glanced up and spotted the look on Bobby's face. Her grasp on his arm tightened a shade. "It's been nice meeting you, Mr. Malone. Shall we, darling?" she cooed to Bobby.
Startled at the endearment, Bobby just nodded. He thought he spotted a flicker of hurt in Sue's eyes but it was quickly gone.
"You okay?" asked Dan in concern when the other couple left.
She looked at him and nodded. "I'm fine," she fibbed. "Let's find our table and share what we heard with Lucy and Myles. Looks like The Right Touch may be part of the growing economy if even half the people call us."
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Throughout dinner and the program, Sue steadfastly refused to look in the direction of Bobby's table. She concentrated on her date and her friends. It hurt too much to see Bobby with Darcy. She looked quite striking in her shimmering dark green gown. No wonder Bobby was in love with her.
Bobby surreptitiously glanced over at Sue's table as often as he could without drawing attention to himself. It was relatively easy since Darcy still had to attend to a myriad of last minute details.
Sue looked lovely. What would she say when he confessed he was in love with her and had been for a while? Would she believe him?
His eyes fell upon the woman beside him. Darcy was at her vivacious best talking to the people on their table. This was the woman he had fallen for, but it wasn't love. Not the kind of love he felt for Sue.
Nicky came over and discreetly whispered in her ear. She whispered a few words back and he disappeared to do her bidding.
"Sorry," she apologized to Bobby. "Another detail."
"You've done a fabulous job," he assured her. "I think this benefit is even better than last year's one."
"You really think so?" she brightened.
"I'm positive."
"I appreciate that." She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.
"Hey, Darcy," called out one of their dinner companions, "when are you two going to set the date? Haven't you two been dating long enough?" the guy joked.
"I'm ready whenever Bobby gives the word," she laughed.
"Well, Bobby?" the same man demanded.
"I'd like to discuss it with Darcy in a more private setting," Bobby replied tactfully, "after the gala."
Completely misinterpreting his words, the table buzzed with the possible news. "Would it be premature to suggest a toast?" asked another person.
Bobby was in an awkward position. He couldn't let Darcy and her friends think he was proposing but at the same time, he couldn't let her be humiliated. He thought quickly.
"I tell you what, when the time comes to make that announcement, you can make the toast," he proposed hoping it would avoid any embarrassment.
"Deal," the person genially agreed.
Darcy looked at Bobby thoughtfully. He'd been taken completely off guard by Gerald's suggestion. Bobby wasn't going to propose. Was he planning to end their relationship? She caught him glancing in another direction. Unobtrusively, she followed his gaze and looked to see what was of interest. It didn't take long for her to spot it—it was Sue.
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