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“All right then. Take tomorrow off, and I’ll pick you up at seven Saturday night.”
Catherine had been looking forward to their date, but now she was relieved it wasn’t until Saturday. “Seven’s fine. Good-bye.”
After she’d closed the door, Luke looked around for something to throw, but other than the philodendron, which would create a dirty mess on the new carpet, nothing lay within reach. Still, he felt as though every word out of his mouth had been wrong, and he was sick to death of feeling guilty.
Friday, Catherine read, worked in her garden and bought groceries. On Saturday she went into Pasadena’s Old Town to shop for something new to wear that night. Not that she needed anything new; she simply didn’t want to wear a dress Sam had selected or that she’d worn with him, and that eliminated everything she owned.
She was uncertain what to purchase until she found an apricot sand-washed silk sheath and jacket in a trendy boutique. The flattering outfit was casual in style, and the soft sensuous fabric was a joy to wear. She then needed shoes, which were more difficult to find. By the time she’d completed her shopping, it was late afternoon, and she had to rush home to get ready.
There was a message on her answering machine from Joyce. She hadn’t heard from Shane, but she was going to the party alone to look for artwork for future decorating jobs. She sounded resigned rather than happy, but Catherine was too nervous about her own evening to take the time to call and offer encouragement.
She loved to scent her bath water with bubble bath, soak and read, but that night she was too nervous to relax, let alone read. She was dressed and ready to go forty-five minutes early, but her heart was in her throat as she paced from the entryway to the kitchen and back again.
She’d never been so anxious before a date. Despite their tendency to disagree, she liked Luke enormously, but she was beginning to fear that either she was too much for him, or sadly, not nearly enough. It was an awful thought either way, and when the doorbell finally chimed, she had to run all the way from the kitchen to the front door. Then, before she welcomed Luke, she took a moment to gather the composure she certainly didn’t feel.
Luke was dressed in a charcoal gray suit, white shirt and maroon and silver striped tie. He looked so handsome it hurt, but it was the fragrant spring bouquet he carried that proved to be her undoing.
A colorful mix of yellow roses, purple iris, sparkling white daisies, sprigs of pussy willow and tendrils of ivy, it was delicate and utterly enchanting. The instant she took it from him, she dissolved in tears.
Luke closed the door behind him and took her elbow to guide her toward the living room sofa. “You don’t like flowers? When your yard is so pretty, it didn’t occur to me you might not want any.”
Horribly embarrassed, she fought to control her sobs and began to hiccup. “I love the flowers. It’s so sweet, and completely unexpected.”
He was positive he’d mentioned buying her flowers when they talked about going out on a date. Perhaps her memories of that night were blurred by the pleasure they’d shared, but he recalled every minute in exquisite detail. He leaned over to kiss away a tear rolling down her cheek.
“You look so pretty, and I didn’t mean to make you sad.”
“I’m not sad,” she insisted, “just overwhelmed.”
He sat back slightly. “You’re not usually so easily overwhelmed. In fact, you’re often downright obnoxious.”
“I hope you’re just trying to make me laugh.” But the playful insult really did make her feel better. “I’ll go and wash my face, then I’ll be ready to go.” She left the sofa carrying the flowers, but he rose and caught her arm.
“Why don’t you tell me where I might find a vase, and I’ll put the flowers in water.”
“Oh, yes, of course, I wouldn’t want them to wilt. Here, let me do it.”
He followed her into the kitchen, where she quickly produced a crystal vase from a high cupboard. She filled it with water, then trimmed the stems before placing the flowers in the vase. As he watched her, he ran his hand up her back and rubbed her shoulders gently.
“It’s no wonder you’re nervous, but I haven’t been out on a date recently, either. I hope we’ll have a good time.”
“Yes, so do I.” As soon as she had the bouquet artfully arranged in the vase, she turned to hug him. “You cut your hair,” she exclaimed.
“I thought it was about time, but did it look that bad?”
“No, in fact, I liked it long, but it’s still feathered over your ears, so it’s not really that short.”
“I hope not. I made a dinner reservation, but I don’t mean to rush you. Would you like to make yourself a cup of tea and rest a minute before we leave?” he suggested.
“No, really, I’m fine. I just need to touch up my makeup. Would you like anything to drink while you wait?”
“No, but while you’re repairing your mascara, you ought to remove the price tag from your jacket. That’s a gorgeous outfit, but there’s no need to advertise it’s new.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh no.” She slipped off her jacket, and there was the tag dangling from the side seam. “I should have noticed this, but thank you for saving me from any further embarrassment tonight. I’m so sorry. What must you think of me?”
He leaned over to smell the flowers. “I think you either like me an awful lot, or not at all.”
“And you can’t tell which?” she asked incredulously.
