Third Time's a Charm

by Virginia Smith

  9

  The afternoon whizzed by in a flurry of rush projects and cryptic phone calls from Chicago. The only smidgen of satisfaction Tori could muster was knowing that Kate was tormenting Mitch from afar too. She caught sight of him across the office several times, and he looked as stressed as she felt. Had he made any progress on his marketing plan? She didn’t have the nerve to ask him.

  At eight fifteen she slipped through the deserted office and into the restroom with her makeup bag and the dress she’d brought to change into. This date with Ryan wasn’t something she’d looked forward to. Not that she was dreading it, but she just couldn’t afford the distraction right now. All the issues pressing in on her—her job, Joan’s wedding, Daddy—gave her a claustrophobic feeling, like she couldn’t breathe. The last thing she needed was to add the complication of a guy into the mix.

  In the restroom, she slipped out of her suit and pulled the dress over her head. It settled around her waist with a silky whisper, and she tugged at the hem until the skirt flowed freely. Ah, there was nothing like the smell of new fabric to lift a girl’s spirits. Unless, of course, it was new shoes. And she happened to have a pair of those too, adorable strappy sandals in exactly the same shade of red as the dress.

  Twenty minutes later, she passed approval on the girl in the mirror. Makeup fresh. Hair perfectly arranged with every curl in place. A hint of gold in her earlobes, nothing large enough to be distracting. Gorgeous dress that made the skin on her long bare arms gleam like ivory. She twisted sideways, watching the hemline flutter gently around her calves. Perfect.

  She gathered her belongings and headed for her cubicle. When she rounded the corner, she nearly plowed into someone coming in the opposite direction.

  “Mitch!” Terrific. She’d thought everyone had gone home. “What are you doing here?”

  “Working, what else?” His eyes grew round as his gaze swept downward. “Wow, Sanderson. You look . . .”

  His throat moved as he swallowed whatever words he’d been about to say. Tori hid a satisfied smile. If she wondered whether she’d achieved the desired effect, she now had her answer. She’d managed to render Mitch speechless.

  Wickedly, she pressed her advantage. She twisted on her sandals so the skirt fluttered attractively and tossed her curls with a wide-eyed question. “Do I look okay?”

  For a moment he didn’t answer. Something smoldered in the gaze he fixed on her, something that sent an answering shiver down her spine. But in the next instant, the pompous grin returned to twitch at his lips. “Kinda dressed up for a date with a plumber, aren’t you?”

  The elevator tone sounded at that moment. Tori turned on a heel and swept toward the reception desk as the doors slid open, Mitch following along behind.

  Ryan stepped out, holding a vase of flowers. Again, she was struck by his muscular build, his wholesome good looks. His head turned, and when he caught sight of her, his face lit. A second shiver in as many minutes caused the hair on her arms to rise as he moved toward her with a powerful stride.

  “You look amazing.” His husky whisper reflected the admiration in his warm eyes.

  “Thank you.” She tore her gaze away from his and looked at the flowers, a cheerfully colorful assortment of Gerbera daisies. “How pretty.”

  “I hope you like them.” He extended them toward her.

  She lay her clothes, makeup, and purse on Fran’s empty reception desk and took the vase. “They’re my favorite. Thank you.”

  “Ahem.”

  Mitch stood off to one side, watching. Tori suppressed a groan. Of course, he’d want to get a glimpse of the plumber.

  Ryan wore a polite expression. “Hello.”

  Mitch came forward, hand extended. “Hi there. Mitch Jackson. I’m Tori’s”—his gaze slid to hers for an instant— “co-worker.”

  “Ryan Adams. Nice to meet you.”

  The smile Ryan gave Mitch as the two shook hands was entirely genuine. And under the regard of another guy, Mitch actually lost a touch of his smug conceit. Tori’s breath caught as she looked from one man to the other, both of them extremely handsome, though in vastly different ways.

  Had she ever lived through a more awkward moment?

  “Well.” Her voice sounded louder than she intended. Both guys looked at her. “It’s late. We should be going.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Mitch gave her a bright smile. “After all, Cinderella turns into a pumpkin when the clock strikes midnight.”

  Ryan’s gaze warmed her skin. “Oh, I doubt that.”

  When Tori started to gather her stuff, he stepped forward. “Here, let me help.”

  She handed him the garment bag and picked up her purse. What was she going to do with the flowers, leave them in her car in the parking garage with the rest of these things? As much time as she spent at the office, she’d barely see them at all before they wilted if she took them home.

  On impulse, she thrust the vase toward Mitch. “Would you mind setting these on my desk?” She turned a smile toward Ryan. “That way I can enjoy them all week.”

  Mitch froze for only a moment before relenting. “Sure, Sanderson. I’ll be your errand boy. No problem.”

  “Thanks.” She gave him a perky smile, picked up her makeup bag, and tucked her free hand into Ryan’s arm. “Ready?”

  Mitch didn’t move, but stood watching them, holding the vase of colorful blooms. When the elevator doors closed and blocked him from view, Tori breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Seems like a nice guy,” Ryan said as the elevator plunged toward the underground parking garage.

  “Mmm hmm.”

  Her head tilted back, Tori watched the display above the closed doors, her mind obviously elsewhere. A completely unreasonable stab of jealousy shot through Ryan. Had he picked up on some unspoken communication between the two of them up there? He’d definitely sensed a hint of rivalry in Mitch’s overly firm handshake. Not that he blamed the guy. If he worked with someone as stunning as Tori, he’d be falling all over himself all day long. Of course, since 90 percent of the customers who came into the store were guys, so would they. Business would triple with Tori running the register.

  “What’s the grin for?” Her question startled him.

  He ducked his head, embarrassed. “I was just wondering why you agreed to go out with me. Especially when I didn’t exactly make a dazzling impression on Sunday.”

  A dimple appeared in one of her cheeks as she grinned. “That wasn’t your fault. Besides, you piqued my interest by mentioning that class, remember? I want to hear about it.”

  “Okay, but it’s not very exciting.” The doors opened and he put a hand out to hold them as she exited. “Strategic Financial Management.”

  She stopped two steps into the parking garage and turned a surprised look on him. “Finance? I figured it was something to do with your job.”

  “Like what? Strategic Shelf Stocking?” He laughed. “Or maybe Change Counting 101?”

  “Stop it.” She gave him a playful slap on the arm. “I didn’t know what it could be, which is why I was so curious.” The clack-clack of her heels echoed on the concrete as he followed her across the garage to her car. “You’re taking college classes?”

  He nodded. “I’m getting a B.B.A. in Business at Eastern.”

  They reached her car, a white Toyota. She dug around in her purse for a minute, then pulled out a set of keys. “What do you plan to do when you’re finished?”

  He scuffed a heel on the rough cement. “I don’t know. I want to own my own business someday, but I haven’t settled on what kind. Maybe something to do with the agriculture industry. Or maybe retail, since that’s what I know. But I have a couple of years to decide. I’m paying as I go, and I can only afford two classes per semester.”

  A half-smile hovered around her lips. “I had no idea.”

  She punched a button on her keyless remote and the trunk popped open. Ryan lifted it upward, then noticed she had gone still. Creases lined her smooth forehead
as she stared inside. A box sat in the gray-lined interior.

  He read the words in black marker on the side. “Tori’s Stuff. I guess this came from your grandmother’s attic on Sunday?”

  Wordlessly, she nodded.

  Judging by the look on her face, she wasn’t happy to see it there. He pushed the box to the rear so he could lay the garment bag flat, then took the smaller case she held and tucked it in the corner. Maybe she’d forgotten to take the box into her apartment.

  When he’d closed the trunk, he said, “I wasn’t sure where you wanted to go for dinner.” He nodded toward the darkened sky outside the parking garage. “It’s a nice night out there if you’re interested in walking over to deSha’s.”

  With what looked like an effort, she tore her gaze away from the trunk and turned a smile on him. “That’s fine. I like deSha’s.”

  He placed a hand on her back, his touch light against the soft fabric of her dress, and gestured toward the street-level exit. They hadn’t taken three steps before she stopped.

  “Wait a minute.” Her lips curved hesitantly. “Remember that big project I was telling you about?

  “The one that might earn you a promotion.”

  “That’s right. Well, I’m supposed to be creating a marketing plan for Maguire’s Restaurant. I’ve only been there once.”

  Ryan had heard of Maguire’s. It was supposed to be pretty fancy. Probably more expensive than the one he’d planned to take her to. But if he could help with her project, it might earn him brownie points. Besides, looking into those big blue eyes, what else could he do but agree with whatever she said?

  “Maguire’s it is. My car’s this way.”

  Hopefully the bill for dinner wouldn’t blow his budget for the whole month. He’d planned to ask her to go out with him again. And somehow she didn’t look like the type to appreciate the ninety-nine-cent menu at the fast-food restaurant.

  The parking lot outside Maguire’s held a fair number of cars for almost nine thirty on a Tuesday night. Tori examined them with the eyes of a researcher as she walked with Ryan toward the restaurant. Most were late-model autos, shiny and expensive looking. She counted three Lexuses and four BMWs.

  “Do you think I need a tie?” Ryan plucked at the collar of his button down, and tucked his shirt straighter into his belted slacks.

  Tori shook her head. “I’m sure you’re fine.”

  He swung open the polished wooden door for her, his admiring glance traveling the length of her dress. “Nobody’s going to be looking at me anyway.”

  Warmth flooded her as she stepped through the doorway. Ryan’s compliments were delivered with such sincerity, and without even a hint of the insinuating tone that turned Mitch’s into near-assaults.

  When the door swung closed behind them, it took Tori’s eyes a minute to adjust to the subdued lighting inside the restaurant. The polished wood surfaces of carved high-back chairs reflected the softly flickering firelight from a huge hearth along the rear brick wall. A nice touch, though obviously unnecessary for heat this time of year. Silver gleamed in pools of light cast by chandeliers hovering above linen-covered tables. Most of the tables were occupied. The clink of crystal mingled with the hum of low voices as two couples seated at a table in the corner toasted with raised wineglasses.

  A tall blonde in a classic black sheath dress stood behind a hostess stand. She smiled as they approached. “Welcome to Maguire’s Restaurant. Will there be two of you for dinner this evening?”

  Tori glanced up at Ryan. His eyes had gone round, and he gulped before nodding. “Yes, two for dinner.”

  The woman scratched a notation on a seating chart on the illuminated stand, picked up two menus, and smiled at them. “Right this way.”

  Tori paid covert attention to the customers as she followed the hostess through the main dining room to a second room beyond a well-stocked bar. Most of the diners were well dressed, the men in business clothes and the ladies in dresses or suits. She passed one table and noticed a woman wearing a ring with a diamond nearly as big as a piece of ice in the glass she lifted. A few were casually dressed, so Ryan shouldn’t feel out of place.

  They were given a corner table in the second dining room, which was as elegantly apportioned as the first. Most of the other tables were full of customers who spoke in low voices. At a table in the opposite corner, a lone woman wearing a black blouse and skirt leaned over a thick stack of papers, writing. As Tori watched, she raised her head and picked up a coffee cup, her eyes moving as she swept the room above the rim. The manager, maybe?

  Tori lowered herself into the chair Ryan held for her and took the menu from the hostess.

  “Your server will be with you in a moment.”

  The woman disappeared, and Tori leaned across the table to whisper at Ryan. “I thought this place would be deserted by now.”

  “Me too.” He matched her tone. “I think I saw Stuart Saeland back there.”

  “The U.K. basketball player?” Tori twisted toward the doorway. “Where?”

  “In the other room. He was the small giant sitting against the left wall.” Ryan grinned. “Want me to get his autograph for you?”

  She giggled and settled back in her chair. “No, that’s okay. But Eric would probably pay good money for it.”

  “My brother would too.” He opened the menu, and his eyes moved as he glanced down the list of items.

  She saw his throat convulse with a quick, nervous-looking gulp. Apparently Ryan didn’t go for fine dining often.

  The waiter arrived at that moment to fill their water glasses. When they both declined anything else to drink, he left, promising to return for their order in a moment.

  Tori opened her menu and noted the variety of the dishes with an analytical eye. What could she find here to help her craft a unique brand for Maguire’s? The menu listed a few chicken entrees, a couple of fish selections, but as she remembered, the specialty of the house seemed to be steak with signature sauces. The only other time she’d been here, she’d had sirloin with mushroom merlot reduction that was almost fork tender. Even the memory made her mouth water.

  She glanced at the prices and experienced a flash of guilt. This was definitely not the cheapest place in town. Could Ryan afford it? She’d basically forced him to bring her here, and she hadn’t even considered the impact of a high-priced restaurant on the budget of a hardware store clerk who was paying for college tuition. Maybe she ought to offer to pay for her own, since it counted as research and she could put it on her expense report. But how to suggest that without implying she didn’t think he could afford this place? She didn’t want to offend him. Better just to order something inexpensive.

  He looked at her over the top of the menu. “What are you in the mood for?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t usually like to eat much this late.”

  A grin curved his lips. “Except for the occasional super-size order of fries?”

  She returned his smile. “Except for those.”

  The waiter returned, and set a basket of bread on the table between them. “Would you like an appetizer before you begin?”

  “Not for me,” Tori said.

  Ryan shook his head. “Me either.”

  The waiter clasped his hands behind his back. “Have you decided on your order, or shall I give you a few more minutes?”

  Tori glanced at her menu. The least expensive entree listed was chicken breast in Madeira wine sauce for twenty-two dollars. “I’m not really very hungry.” She hoped the rumble in her stomach wouldn’t make a liar out of her. “I think I’ll have a garden salad with Italian dressing, and a bowl of French onion soup.” The two added up to sixteen dollars, surely not much more than an entrée at deSha’s, where Ryan had been planning to take her.

  Ryan’s grip on his menu relaxed. “I’ll have the same, but with Ranch on the salad.”

  To his credit, the waiter’s pleasant expression didn’t change, though surely he was doing a quick mental calculation of
his tip potential based on the total ticket price. “I’ll bring that right out.”

  When he retreated toward the kitchen, Tori peeled back the white napkin covering the bread basket. The yeasty aroma that wisped into the air made her mouth water. She placed a thick slice on her bread plate and then tilted the basket toward Ryan.

  “So,” he said as he selected a piece, “tell me about your project. You’re developing a plan to address the four P’s, right?”

  Tori paused in the act of tearing off a bite-sized piece of bread. “Excuse me?”

  “You know.” He spread butter on his bread. “The marketing process. Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.”

  “I know what the four P’s are,” she told him. “I’m just surprised you do.”

  He set his knife on the edge of his plate. “I took Principles of Marketing last year. But all I have is textbook knowledge. No practical experience.”

  Wow. The plumber, as Mitch called him, was full of surprises tonight. First he showed up with her favorite flowers. Then she found out he was attending college and paying for it as he went along. And now this. Impressed, Tori almost forgot to enjoy the soft, flavorful bread as she chewed.

  She took a sip from her water glass. “Well, the Product, Price, and Place are already set, so my plan will focus on Promotion. I’ve got to come up with some ideas for a killer ad campaign, including branding and everything.”

  “So you need to study the customer demographics.” He glanced around the room. “Not really a family-friendly place. Looks like a fairly well-off crowd. I wonder what the lunch crowd is like.”

  Tori followed his glance. He was right about the restaurant not being popular with families, at least at this time of night. There wasn’t a single child in the place. “I’d be willing to bet they do a lot of business lunches. It’s right off New Circle Road and only a few miles from downtown, so easy access from any business location.”

  Their salads arrived, with the promise of soup to come. When the waiter left, Ryan said, “Where’s the new location?”