Promises to Keep. Linda Hudson-Smith

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      “I think I’ll just have a side order of wings. I’m not that hungry,” Courtney said.

      Darius glanced up and made eye contact with her. “I noticed at brunch you don’t seem to eat much. Are you dieting?”

      Courtney chuckled. “J.R. and you must’ve put your heads together on this subject. He also questioned what little I had on my plate, but I don’t feel I undereat. I’ve certainly overdone it a number of times.”

      Darius laughed. “Who hasn’t overdone it?”

      “For the most part, I’m simply not a big eater,” Courtney explained. “I also get full pretty quickly. The portions on my plate have nothing to do with dieting, though I do try to eat healthy. But when it comes to breakfast foods, I can eat like a horse.”

      “There’s nothing wrong there. What about having a salad with your wings?”

      Courtney shot him a cool glance. “I had planned to order a salad. Do you suggest what foods Candice should eat?” Courtney wanted to remind him that he had a fiancée to be concerned with. What Courtney ate or didn’t eat shouldn’t concern him one bit.

      “Sorry if I hit a nerve. That wasn’t my intent. To answer your question, I do concern myself with what Candice eats. She’s a diabetic, who tends to ignore her health issues as if they don’t exist. Her diabetes is a big concern for me. Unfortunately, I have the tendency to become overanxious, especially with folks I care about.”

      Slightly embarrassed by her odd behavior, Courtney bit down on her lower lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know about Candice’s health. I can see why you’d voice concern.”

      His eyes softened as he looked across the table at her. “I try not to call attention to what others eat, but sometimes I end up doing it anyway. It’s only because I care.”

      “Point well taken,” she said, hoping they’d move on and leave this topic in the dust. “Does anything on the menu have your palate worked up?”

      “The chicken and waffles is my favorite dish. I always say I’m going to try something else, but I never do. I don’t come here as often as I’d like, but that’s by choice. Too much of anything isn’t good for anyone. I’m hyper enough without all the syrup.”

      A male waiter arrived at the table just as Darius finished his remark. He quickly suggested that Courtney’s order be taken care of first. Once the waiter had written down both of his patrons’ meal choices, he left.

      Darius pulled from his briefcase the information on the band he’d downloaded from his computer. He handed Courtney the paperwork. “I’d like you to look these over. I’m considering using this band for the reception if they’re free on our May date.”

      Courtney took hold of the paperwork and laid it aside. “When you spoke about the band, I didn’t know you intended to hire them for the reception. I thought when you went with the full-service catering package you were content to have us take care of the entertainment. Why the sudden change of heart?” she asked rather pointedly.

      Darius wasn’t sure, but he thought he’d heard a sharp edge in Courtney’s tone. Had he offended her? If so, he’d insulted her unwittingly. “I’m still committed to the full-service contract. A friend just happened to tell me about this band…and I thought I’d check them out. It seems I’ve stepped on your toes, unintentionally so. Because of our contract, I actually wanted to see what you thought of this particular band.”

      Deep down inside, Courtney regretted her quick, testy reaction. It wasn’t like her to speak before gathering all the facts. She hadn’t meant to come off as churlish, either. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t already mentioned the band to her. She had misinterpreted his intent by thinking he’d planned to use them for another event that she wasn’t handling for him. “Looks like I got it all wrong,” she admitted. “Thank you for valuing my opinion. That means a lot to me.”

      “Does that mean you’ll meet me on Thursday to check out these guys?”

      Courtney grinned, impressed by how clear he made things. “You never miss an opportunity to go after what you want, do you? Piranha comes to mind on occasion.”

      Stunned by the remark, he raised an eyebrow. “Is that really how you see me?”

      “Yes.”

      Darius was somewhat puzzled by her coolly spoken assessment. “I admit to going after what I want, but it’s never at the expense of anyone else’s feelings. I seize an opportunity when it presents itself, but there’s nothing underhanded about my motives. And I’m definitely no killer fish.”

      This man had a way of keeping Courtney way off balance. He had just shattered the image of him she’d conjured in her mind. Still, there was the question of a fiancée he seemed to conveniently forget he had.

      “Forgive me, Darius. I don’t know why I keep trying to sum you up in a word or two and then lump you into one category or another. It’s obvious that you’re not an easy man to define. It’s also apparent that you’re every man and it’s all within you.”

      Darius couldn’t keep from laughing. “So now you’re comparing me to the song ‘I’m Every Woman.’ Only you could’ve come up with that one! The fact you’re even trying to define me is flattering. But I think you’re delving way too deep. I’m very easy to explain. I’m not a mystery.”

      Like hell you aren’t. Darius was a man of deep mystery. Courtney had a feeling he knew how to get exactly what he wanted. She also thought he knew how to keep whatever he was after once he got it. If he wasn’t engaged, she’d love to be the woman he desired, the one he’d commit to forever.

      Courtney hated being this delusional over a man. And any thoughts of him and her together were definite delusions. She was very clear on that. Willingly admitting that she was badly smitten wasn’t easy for her.

      The waiter arrived back at the table and served their meals. He then made sure the couple had everything they needed before taking off again.

      Courtney and Darius ate in silence, each lost in thoughts of what lay ahead of them for the rest of the day and beyond. For some time, Courtney had been thinking about taking a week off work and disappearing to an island paradise. She knew she couldn’t leave town until after the Fairfax reception was a wrap. She was very interested in the success of all her events, but she wanted to make Candice and Darius’s reception the event of the year.

      Courtney had a hard time deciding what to wear to Club 21 for her meeting with Darius. Before she met him, she hadn’t given much thought to clothing choices. She had simply concentrated on a professional look for the office and dressy attire for special events; casual worked best when she was enjoying some rare leisure time.

      Looking too sexy had suddenly become a worry for Courtney, so she traded the outfit she had finally decided on for something a lot less provocative.

      What was the point in trying to entice a man who was taken?

      A crisply creased pair of white denims, a cool red-and-white-striped top and a casual blazer in white brushed cotton replaced her sexier attire. She wasn’t big on using a lot of makeup, but she’d used even less than normal for this evening outing. She didn’t want to look like a plain Jane, СКАЧАТЬ