“Are you taking her out again soon?” Seraphina asked.
“I want to. If she does.”
“She does,” Seraphina said.
“Any ideas for good date spots?”
“You nailed it with the picnic on the beach. Maybe a nice dinner at Tidewater? It’s a romantic spot.”
“I’m on it.”
We continued to chat about other ideas as we headed out of my office to the front counter where Annie was just finishing up with a customer.
“Seraphina, look at me,” Annie said, bouncing over to us. “I have an apron and everything.”
“You look great,” Seraphina said.
“She’s a natural,” I said.
“I’m learning a ton,” Annie said. “And it’s so fun to meet all the customers. You can tell a lot about a person by what book they buy.”
Seraphina gave us both hugs and then hurried out the door to do her other errands. As she walked out, a blonde woman in a pink suit walked through the doors. The realtor. From the app. What was her name?
She saw me and headed straight for me, her gaze a bit hawklike. I braced myself.
“Dorian Flynn, correct?”
“That’s me.”
“I’m Camille Archer. I sent you a note on the app but, since I didn’t hear from you, I thought I’d drop by and say hello in person.” She smiled and tossed her mane of white blonde hair behind her petite shoulders.
She was pretty. Sort of. I mean, she should have been pretty. Her features were symmetrical, with a small, upturned nose, pouty lips that may or may not have had filler in them. Blue eyes, perfectly made up. Yet, she was not attractive. Not to me. It might have been her aggressiveness that threw me off. That andshe kept touching my arm while she was talking to me in a way that felt very used-car salesman. If Annie and I were dogs, this woman was a fox.
“I’m having a little soiree at my house this weekend,” Camille said. “You should come.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“I’m celebrating winning realtor of the year. For the second time in a row.” She smiled, showing white teeth that seemed too small for an adult but fit her mouth perfectly. I imagined them sharp, cutting into whatever she wanted to devour. Hopefully not me.
“I hope it’s not too forward, stopping by like this. But your profile really spoke to me.”
What had it said to her?
She was opening her mouth to continue when the door swung open behind her.
Delphine walked in carrying a small paper bag in each hand, her sunglasses pushed up into her hair, wearing a blue sheath dress and heels. Looking like a million bucks. As always.
She stopped, only briefly, at the sight of Camille Archer standing beside me, before striding over to us.
“Hey,” Delphine said, ignoring Camille.
“Hi. What’s up?” I asked.
Poe came running out from taking a nap in my office, making a beeline for Delphine, immediately rubbing himself against her ankles. Annie popped out of the historical fiction corner.
“Mom, what are you doing here?”
Delphine held up the bags. “I brought sandwiches for you and Dorian.”
