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“That’s not necessary. I know you’re probably busy.” She gave me a stiff smile and turned on her four-inch heels toward the door.
When the clicking of her stilettos faded, I got out my phone to text Darby. To my surprise, there was one from him.
I saw the photo of us on Breck’s Instagram this morning. He came before work to show it to me and asked me a lot of questions. You’ve caused quite a stir in the friend group! I had to talk fast to fill them all in on what we’re up to. I hope you’re having a good day. I’ll see you later. Looking forward to it. Very much.
I smiled into the phone, knowing I would have to explain it all in detail to the ladies. For now, I texted back to Darby.
Lots to tell you butSHE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMEDcame by just now. In brief, she saw the photo and came down to the office. Almost immediately afterward and the plan is working perfectly. I’ll tell all when you get here this afternoon.
I waited for a response, but none came. He was probably in the middle of morning classes. It was only ten, and already I was counting the minutes until I could see him.
* * *
Darby showedup a few minutes before four with a load of wood in the back of his truck. I went out to the parking lot to greet him. The afternoon was one of our perfect autumn days, full of sunshine and a freshness in the air. He wore faded jeans, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap with “Cliffside Bay” etched across the top. Sunglasses covered half of his face and it wasn’t until he ripped them from his face and grinned at me that I knew all was fine between us. “There you are. My coconspirator.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I hadn’t heard from him after my last text. Had I made a mistake to post the photograph without speaking to him first? But all those fears dissipated when he reached for me and swung me up into his arms, twirling me around in a circle. “I can’t tell you how good that felt this morning—seeing the photo and knowing she came running over here,” he said when he put me back on my feet.
“I was worried you were mad.” My voice sounded more vulnerable than I expected. I didn’t like that, but I didn’t seem to have much control over myself with good old Dickens-loving Darby.
“Why would I be mad?” His brow furrowed as he gazed at me with curiosity in his eyes. “We agreed to the plan last night.”
“Yes, well, I didn’t hear from you today so I wasn’t sure.”
“Ah, I see.” He brushed my shoulder with his fingertips. “You’re that type.”
“What type?”
“Like me. You worry about stuff and overthink everything.”
“Yes, that about sums it up,” I said, chuckling to hide how he’d touched me.He gets me, I thought.And seems to like me anyway.
His eyes roamed up and down my body, causing quivers in all the right places. “You’re dressed too nice to help me unload this wood, but I’m dying to hear about your conversation with Arianna.”
I didn’t like hearing her name from his mouth. What was wrong with me? I truly needed to get myself together.
“I’ve got to go inside and get ready to do the wine-and-cheese thing or I would help.” I scanned the piles of wood in the truck. “You don’t have a truck.” I hadn’t thought about it until just now. “Where’s your car?”
“Well, that’s a sad story that I’ll tell you later. Breck lent me his truck for as long as I need it. He’s so cool that way.”
“He is. Tiffany too. They’d give their friends the shirts off their backs if they thought we needed it.”
“Agreed. What time will you be done inside?” Darby asked. “I’m planning on working until dark.”
“Now that I have more staff, I usually head home around eight. I have someone scheduled to man the desk for late check-ins and ensuring all the guests are settled for the night.” I’d have liked to have someone stay through the night, but I couldn’t afford it. Instead, I just made sure guests knew when they checked in that no one would be at the front desk past ten.
“I could make you dinner tonight.” Darby’s feet made a crunching sound in the loose gravel of the parking lot as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “If you don’t mind frozen pizza and beer.”
My chest expanded and hummed. He wanted to see me tonight. “No, come to my apartment. I’ll make us something quick and easy.”
“You sure?”
I smiled at him, noticing the way the rays of afternoon sun illuminated his eyes, making them appear more green than hazel. “I’m sure. I’ll see you around nine?”
“I’ll be there.” He turned toward the truck. “For now, I need to hustle. Where’s the best place to put all this?”
I asked him if he could store it outside the little fence that surrounded my grassy lawn where the natural grasses and flowers had grown over the summer. I’d enjoyed seeing the greenery return, but a gazebo and some additional grass around it would give everything a more finished look. All in all, it would be a good addition. Hopefully my current guests would look past the construction and focus on the river that glistened in the late-afternoon sun.
He agreed and then waved me away. “Go on. Go pour your wine.”
