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“Libby.” My eyes widened.
However, David countered well. “Knowing Sylvia as well as I do, no doubt she pays top dollar. She treats her staff well, am I right?”
She only nodded, and I thought he was a little caught off guard as she tipped her head to the side.
I set the box of flowers on the counter and inhaled the sweet, addictive scent. Between the carnations and roses and lilies, it was borderline assault, but in the best possible way.
“These are really gorgeous, thank you.” I pulled the flowers and vase from the box, nose deep between the stems once again, and set it in the middle of my white table, the bright colours popping on display.
“I saw them and thought of you.”
Libby put her hands over her heart and made anawwface. Thank goodness she was behind David, and he didn’t witness her display.
“Are you here to see your work?”
“Nope. Just wanted to drop these off and see how your day was going so far.” He took the coffee Libby had made and took a sip. “This is good, real good.”
“Thank you.” She disappeared into the living room and returned with our mugs.
I stood on one side of the peninsula, beside Libby, and across from David. No one spoke, just the occasional slurp or squeak following a sip of coffee.
He cleared his throat and stared into his cup before lifting his gaze to meet my eyes. “I know Saturday is a market day for you, but do you have plans that evening?”
I shifted back and forth on my feet, trying not to look at Libby. No doubt she wore a wild-eyed smile. “I’m pretty sure my social calendar is wide open. Vera and I were maybe going to have a picnic on the beach, but that’s about all.”
“Oh well, I don’t want to take time away from your daughter.” His words almost backtracked like he was doing, putting some distance between him and the counter.
I raced to think fast before he pulled the invite away. “It’s all good. Saturdays are typically quite busy anyway. Vera and I can go Friday night or Sunday night. The beach will still be there, and the weather is likely better those days too.”
Libby pulled her phone out and thumbed through a few open apps. “Yep. Friday night looks like an all-star night for picnics on the beach.”
“There you go.” How desperate was I suddenly sounding? I needed to cool things off a bit. Desperation was a smell I didn’t want to give off.
“Perfect. So… Saturday night, it’s a date?”
A date. The words sang in the air, and I may have been the one to put the high notes on top.
David drank his coffee, his gaze flitting from me to Libby and back again. “Can I pick you up?”
“Sure. What will we be doing?”
“Are you opposed to seafood? I know you have some kind of chicken hatred.”
“It’s not a hatred per se, but no, I don’t have seafood allergies.” Just that seafood was typically allergic to my pay, as in there wasn’t enough money for it.
“And you are okay with dressing up for the evening?”
Colour me intrigued and Libby too, as her face brightened as if the clouds had just parted, highlighting her in a ray of sunshine.
“How fancy?” I internally cringed at the idea of needing a ball gown, although the thought of David in a tuxedo produced a lot of images.
“Business fancy?”
That was a new one, and I laughed accordingly. “What level is that?”
“A nice outfit. Not black tie, but maybe something you’d wear to a wedding.”
“A wedding, eh? We’re not going to one, are we?”
