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Finishing the drink in a few sips, she focused once again on her computer screen. The window treatments she’d found from one of her favorite manufacturers matched the sofa the clients insisted upon. Unfortunately, they clashed with the wall paint she planned to propose. Unless she wanted to change the paint color, she needed to find something else. So far the only other window treatments she’d found that worked were floor-length curtains, which the clients had specifically stated they didn’t want. With a sigh, Addie called up another manufacturer website she liked.
The office door opened and Tara stepped in as she scrolled through the various selections. “Addie, Marcy Blake is here to see you.” Tara crossed to her desk and dropped a business card in front of her. “She’s from Today Magazine.”
She’d never heard of the woman, but she’d both heard of and read Today Magazine. At one time she’d even had a subscription to the popular monthly magazine, which ran articles on everything from celebrities to important news stories. Just last month it had featured the story of how a family survived for three months on an uninhabited island after their boat went astray in the Pacific Ocean.
“Thanks, Tara. Send her in.” As Tara left, Addie scanned her desk, moving anything with a client name or address into a drawer.
A moment later the door opened again and a stylish dark-haired woman entered. “Thank you for seeing me, Addison. I hope this isn’t a bad time.”
Was there ever a good time to talk to reporters? “No, it’s fine. Please have a seat.” Addie folded her hands before her as Marcy placed her leather bag on the floor and sat.
Marcy gave her a wide smile as she focused all her attention on her. “I’m sure you know why I’m here.”
Addie nodded. Trent warned her that the other magazine article about them wouldn’t be the last. Even still, the reporter’s visit today surprised her.
“Trent Sherbrooke has well established his reputation as a playboy going from one model or socialite to another. He even dated a Danish princess for a few months.” The reporter told her things she already knew but had tried not to think about. “And then all of a sudden you, a small business owner, show up on his arm. People are intrigued. They want to know all the details.”
She wanted to squirm under the reporter’s gaze, which made her feel like a bug under a microscope. Clearing her throat instead, Addie said, “There’s not much to tell.”
Marcy waved a hand, the bangle bracelets on her arm clinking together. “When it comes to someone like Trent Sherbrooke, there’s always a lot to tell. How about we start with how you two met?”
Her gut instinct was to tell the reporter it was none of her business. Whatever happened between her and Trent concerned only them. But she’d read enough magazine articles to know when it came to well-known public figures, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, not long ago she’d read an article about Trent’s cousin Sara after she announced her engagement to billionaire Christopher Hall. So unless she wanted the reporter to make stuff up, she’d better answer. “We met by accident. He bumped into me on Benefit Street outside Ambrosia Pastry Shop and Cafe one afternoon.”
Marcy placed a MP3 recorder on the desk and switched it on. “Is that when the picture of you two together that appeared in the Providence Gazette was taken?” As she spoke, she pulled a notepad with questions from her bag.
The woman came prepared. Addie eyed the long list of questions on the pad. Judging by the length, they were going to be there for a while.
For over an hour Marcy asked questions that spanned from how they met to whether or not she’d met his family. She’d even gone so far as to ask if t
hey’d discussed moving in together yet. Throughout the interview Addie reminded herself that it was better for both of them if she answered rather than let Marcy speculate and fabricate some kind of story. Of course, she realized that even by answering the questions that didn’t mean Marcy wouldn’t concoct something of her own anyway. Wasn’t that something celebrities complained about all the time?
“Thank you for answering my questions today, Addison. I appreciate your cooperation.”
Addie forced a smile as she watched the reporter return her belongings to her bag. “Anytime, Marcy.”
Slipping the leather strap from her briefcase onto her arm, Marcy stood, her Cheshire cat smile on her face again. “I wish you all the best of luck with Mr. Sherbrooke. Maybe you’ll be the one to finally tame him. Just because a princess couldn’t doesn’t mean you can’t.”
At the reporter’s comment fear twisted around her heart, but Addie made herself smile. “Thank you. Have a nice day.”
She kept the smile on her face until the office door closed behind the reporter. Once alone again she sagged back into her chair and blew out a slow deep breath. Even before their brief run-in on the sidewalk that day, she’d known about Trent’s reputation. That didn’t mean she liked to think about it or what it meant for their future together. Rather, she preferred to enjoy their time together, getting to know the real him. And while much of what she read about him was true, there was so much more to him. He had goals that he wanted to accomplish that no magazine ever wrote about. He enjoyed hanging around and just watching movies with her. He hated country music but listened to it anyway in the car with her because she liked it. And no matter what, Trent was always polite and considerate. Not once since they’d started dating had he put his own personal preferences first. Magazine articles never mentioned any of those things. Things that she loved about him.
Addie didn’t even pause as the word love materialized in her thoughts. They hadn’t known each other all that long, but already her heart had become engaged in their relationship. She’d never fallen so hard so fast for a guy. With her last relationship, they’d known each other for more than a year as friends before ever going on their first date. Even then their relationship remained casual for the first few months of dating. Only after five or so months had they committed themselves to a long-term relationship that in the end lasted for two years.
Nothing about this thing with Trent resembled that relationship or any of her others. She missed him like crazy when they were apart. When they were together they didn’t need to do anything special. She enjoyed sitting in his arms and talking. As far as she could tell he enjoyed it, too. He never insisted they go out. In fact, if she hadn’t read otherwise in countless magazine articles she’d guess he hated clubs and parties.
And if you hope to see him tomorrow, you better get back to work. Addie hit a key on her keyboard and the screen came to life again. Yup, she’d save the dreams for tonight when she climbed into bed.
***
Trent leaned back in his office chair and looked around, once again amazed at the transformation. The ideas, which looked good on Addie’s computer screen weeks ago, appeared even better in reality. She’d turned the lackluster space into a personal sanctuary, a place almost as inviting and comfortable as his own home. If she’d done that to this space, he couldn’t wait to see the end results to his home in Newport.
Already he pictured the two of them in the kitchen she’d designed sharing breakfast while they enjoyed the ocean view. She’d promised to have the final designs for the bathrooms ready for tomorrow night. Whether she managed it or not didn’t matter to him. All he cared about was seeing her. It’d only been a little more than a day since she left his apartment Sunday morning and gone to work at the bakery, but his body claimed it was much longer. After two nights falling asleep with her cuddled close, he’d had trouble falling asleep the night before without her. Then when he’d woken that morning alone, his apartment seemed cold and empty. Tomorrow morning it would be the same way.
There’s one way to fix that. The thought jumped into his head. If she moved in he’d fall asleep with her next to him every night and see her every morning. Not only that, but if she moved in she’d have money and perhaps quit the bakery. Asking her would benefit both of them. His mood brightened at the thought.
But was it too soon? He’d never asked a woman to move in with him. Was there an appropriate time frame for that sort of thing? And if he did ask, would she agree? The initial confidence toward the idea dimmed. Before he jumped in and did something unwise, he better think about it.
Across the room, a knock sounded on the door just before it opened and Marty Phillips entered for their scheduled appointment. “Judging by those photos in The Star Report Magazine, you’re making great progress with Addison.” Marty dropped his briefcase on the conference table. “Excellent work.”
