After explaining that she’d forgotten to message the group until that morning, that she wouldn’t be able to make it, she said that Justin had messaged, “I hope everything is okay. I’m so disappointed you won’t be able to come. I was hoping that this was a trip we could get to know each other better.”
“He isn’t subtle, I’ll give him that.”
“Not at all,” she said glumly, still staring at the message. “What would you reply?”
He thought about it for a minute as he maneuvered into a parking spot a few blocks from the antique store. “If it were me,I would want absolute honesty. Make sure there is no room for misunderstanding or hope. How about, ‘Everything is fine, I just completely forgot to message everyone.’”
“Speak slow,” she interrupted, “I’m typing.”
“Okay,” he chuckled, “then write, ‘I’m spending the weekend with my…’” He hesitated. “‘With my boyfriend.’”FML.
He saw her fingers falter. “I only thought if you wrote boyfriend, it would soften the blow. A ‘It’s not you, it’s just that I’m already taken’ kind of a thing,” he quickly added.
“You’re a genius.” She looked up from her phone and grinned. Pressing send on her phone, she said, “Done and done. Whew! That’s a relief. Let’s go look at wallpaper.”
thirty-eight
BÉBHINN
I’m spendingthe weekend with my boyfriend.Bébhinn was still feeling tingles in her belly over Dagr’s words. Obviously, her brain knew he hadn’t meant it, but her poor, hopeful heart enjoyed hearing those words come out of his mouth.
Thankfully, she had been able to concentrate at the wallpaper store and found stunning early 19th-century floral paper mounted on two Masonite panels that her mom would die over.
The profusion of flowers and deep colors reminded Bébhinn of her great-gran’s garden.
She’d grown up listening to her mom talk about how she and her sisters used to run wild through Nan’s gardens. She couldn’t wait to see her face when she opened them.
They’d left the store with the owner’s promise of packaging the panels. The shop would make sure they shipped to Bébhinn’s home.
After a long, relaxing lunch at a pretty bistro, Dagr took her to his flat, which happened to be above his fancy London firm. The black and glass building was impressive. His firm ownedfive floors and shared the penthouse with the other building’s owners, which had a gym, spa, and pool.
She spun around, taking in his personal space. She assumed his décor would be all blacks and grays and was surprised by the warm palette—creams, golds, browns, greens, and blues.
“What do you think, Miss Interior Designer?”
“Both surprised and impressed,” she answered honestly. “I expected a much darker color story. This,” she spun around once more, “is perfect. It couldn’t be more lovely if you’d hired Triskelion.”
She could tell her opinion pleased him. “You’d better show me to my room so I can get ready. What time is the car picking us up?” She already knew they would be having dinner during the auction with dancing to follow.
“Six,” he said over his shoulder as he led her to a stunning guest room that was all done in shades of cream.
“Oh, Dagr, it’s like the room was made for me. If you weren’t a successful attorney, I would beg you to work for my mom.” She laughed when he shook his head and held up his hands in a stop gesture.
“The only thing I did was tell the decorator that I prefer natural colors and comfortable furniture. No matter how grand a house my grandparents lived in, it always felt like a home. Their style influenced Dad and me a lot. Neither one of us cares for cold and austere.”
“Super sleek and modern has its place, but my preferences run very close to yours. I hope someday you get to visit my family’s place. It’s got a similar feel to this.”
“I’d like that. Well, I’d better leave you to it. From past experience, I know women can take an extraordinary amount of time to prepare for these things,” he chuckled.
She smiled as he left her room, shutting the door behind him. Her smile faltered once she was alone, wondering overhis comment. How many women had he had “past experience” with?
“Stop being a jealous weirdo,” she berated herself. He was older and would have had many relationships.
“He’s not in a relationship with you anyway, numpty. Friends only,” she growled under her breath.
Putting Dagr’s past to the back of her mind, she slipped into the luxurious en-suite bathroom and turned on the steam shower. It was time to see if she could loosen up Mr. Griffiths’ strict code of conduct, she thought, smiling at herself in the mirror.
thirty-nine
