Susan Mallery - Before We Kiss

“Interesting.”

“Now the lecture series,” she said, pointing to the chair by the desk.

He sank onto the seat. She settled across from him and handed him pages she’d printed out on her computer.

“I think these are the most interesting so far. This man is an astrophysicist. He talks about the origins of the universe in terms laypeople can understand. He’s supposed to be funny and relatable.”

“Our clients aren’t the science types,” he told her.

“Well, I think he’d be really interesting, but I thought you might say that.” She handed him a second sheet. “What about a race car driver? He’s very successful on the Formula 1 circuit. I looked him up online and he has a few really funny videos.”

The car guy had more appeal, but Sam wasn’t feeling it. “How many women are interested in cars?” he asked. “Even racing? Taryn’s going to say it’s not anything she wants to listen to.”

Dellina sighed. “I can hear her tirade already,” she admitted. “Darn. I thought this was it.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. “Darn?”

She smiled again. “I don’t swear in front of clients.”

“A good policy.”

She stood up suddenly and hurried to the wall where she scribbled a few words. He studied the list and saw it was items she had to research or questions she needed to get answered. Like “Does Castle Ranch have a first aid kit?” and “Confirm none of the children have food or sunscreen allergies.” She was thorough, he thought, wondering why he’d resisted hiring her for so long. Sure their night together had ended badly, but she was good at her job and he respected that.

The sound of someone knocking on the front door was followed by a female voice calling, “It’s me.”

Dellina turned. “My sister Fayrene,” she said.

A petite blonde walked into the office. She was pretty, with hazel eyes, but what caught his attention was the small fluffy dog who walked next to her.

Dellina turned. “Hi,” she said, then nodded to Sam. “I have a client meeting.”

He rose. “Sam Ridge.”

Fayrene’s eyebrows rose. “One of the football players. Nice. Fayrene Hopkins. This is Caramel. She’s a Pomeranian.”

Dellina finished writing and faced her sister. Her gaze dropped to the small dog. “She’s adorable. Pet-sitting?”

“Yes. Oddly enough, Mayor Marsha brought her to me.”

“I didn’t know she had a dog.”

“Me, either.”

Dellina crossed to the small animal and let Caramel sniff her fingers. “You’re too cute for words,” she told the dog. “Can I pick her up?”

“Sure. She’s superfriendly and really well behaved.”

“Hey, pretty face,” Dellina said in a low voice. “You want me to pick you up?”

Caramel gave a little half jump as Dellina reached for her. Dellina snuggled her close, then laughed when the dog licked her chin.

Sam eyed the fluffball and wondered how much she would shed on his clothes. Although he had to admit, Caramel looked pretty cute. More teddy bear than dog. And she seemed to have a decent personality.

He’d never had pets growing up. His house had been wild enough with three kids and his not-quite-normal parents. A dog or cat wouldn’t have stood a chance.

Dellina’s cell rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. “I have to take this. It’s about another lecture possibility. I’ll be right back.” She handed Caramel back to Fayrene and ducked out of the room.

Fayrene looked at him.

Sam saw that the sisters had some similarities. The same shape to their faces and the set of their shoulders. Although Dellina was a few inches taller, which he liked. He remembered what he’d been told.

Fayrene took her sister’s chair and smiled at him. “So, you’re a man.”

Sam immediately glanced toward the exit. No conversation that started like that was going to go well, he thought grimly. Maybe he and Dellina could wrap up the rest of the details over the phone.

He cleared his throat. “Yes.”

Caramel wiggled free of Fayrene and jumped into his lap. Before he knew what was happening, she’d planted her tiny back feet on his thighs, her front feet on his chest and was staring at him expectantly.

“What?” he asked as he stared into round dark eyes.

“I think she wants you to hold her,” Fayrene said. “I’ve only had her a couple of hours so I don’t know everything she likes.”

Sam didn’t want to hold the dog, but he also wasn’t sure about her staring. He reached for her, not clear on how to pick her up. As his hands closed around her, he realized she was a lot smaller than she’d seemed. She was mostly fur. Her body was small, her bones slight. Jeez, he could crush her if he wasn’t careful.

But before he could figure out how to hand her back to Fayrene, Caramel had wiggled and shifted until somehow she was on her back, gazing up at him. Her expression held contentment and absolute trust. She relaxed against his arm, nestling her head in the crook of his elbow. He stroked her chest, then rubbed her little belly. She sighed and closed her eyes.

“She likes you,” Fayrene told him.

News that was both gratifying and terrifying.

“You’re one of Dellina’s clients, right?” Fayrene asked.

He nodded. “She’s planning an event for my company.”

“Great. And there have been a lot of women in your life?”

Sam’s head snapped up. “Excuse me?”

Fayrene grinned. “Groupies. Girls in hotel rooms. You know what I mean. You’re experienced when it comes to women.”

Sam shifted uncomfortably. What the hell was she asking?

“It’s about my boyfriend,” Fayrene told him.

“The mysterious Ryan.” He relaxed and thought of the dry-erase board with the Ten Ways to Get Him to Propose header. “There’s an obvious solution.”

“To what?”

“The proposal.”

Fayrene’s hazel eyes widened. “Okay. What is it?”

“Tell him you want to get married.”

Her mouth twisted in disappointment. “Like that is ever going to happen. I can’t just say I’ve changed my mind and want us to get married now.”

“Why not?”

Her gaze turned pitying. “Because he’s the guy. He’s supposed to propose. I want the romantic moment. If Ryan really loved me, he would know things were different. Or he wouldn’t be able to wait for me. He’d insist.”

Sam thought attitudes like that were one of the reasons the divorce rates were so high. “Unrealistic expectations and too much idealized fantasy about what it should be,” he muttered. “If Ryan loves you, he’ll respect you. Did you two agree to wait for a few years before getting married?”

“Yes.”

“Then every single day he doesn’t mention getting married, he’s showing you he loves you and wants what you want.”

“But I don’t want that anymore.”

“He’s a man, not a mind reader. He’s doing exactly what you asked him to do. Changing the rules now isn’t fair to either of you. This is the man you want to spend the rest of your life with. If you can’t be honest about how you feel, how do you expect your relationship to last?”

Fayrene’s eyes narrowed. “You’re no help at all,” she told him, then stood and scooped up Caramel. The little dog settled easily in her arms.

“Tell him the truth,” Sam called after her.

Fayrene didn’t answer and seconds later the front door slammed.

Dellina returned to her office. “Did my sister leave?”

“Yes. I don’t think she was happy.”

Dellina didn’t look overly concerned as she settled back in her seat. “What did you say?”

“That if she wants to change the rules with Ryan, she needs to tell him directly.”