“Sounds wonderful. I’ll tell them we’re getting Cinderella ready to go to the ball with her prince. Roni will probably roll her eyes and look at me like I’m crazy but Talia will love the idea. Besides, they love to come over and play with your dog.”
Dawn nodded. Her mind was already spinning off on a detour triggered by Gabi’s mention of a prince. She’d never seen Tim Hamilton in a tuxedo but she could imagine how he’d look. Princely pretty much summed it up.
Oh, Father, she thought, help me. I don’t know why You’ve put me in this position but I don’t feel adequate to cope with it. Please, please, stay with me. I can’t do it without You.
That short prayer was so honest it opened her eyes to the truth she’d been overlooking. She wasn’t in this alone. She never had been. Trusting God for the easy things in life was usually relatively painless. The true test of her faith was trusting Him—really trusting Him—during difficult times and in confusing circumstances.
Dawn smiled, realizing that the answer to her prayer had been within her all along. Her focus was wrong. Instead of worrying about what other people thought of her she needed to keep her eyes on Jesus and live the way He’d taught. Doing that would bring everything else into line, no matter what occurred.
“‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,’” she quoted, looking over at Gabi for affirmation.
The pretty Latina nodded. “Right on, sister. Now you’ve got it. You’re going to have a wonderful time.”
Having Gabi and the girls keep her company in her small apartment all afternoon that fateful Saturday helped Dawn stay distracted. And watching the girls babying Beau had given them all plenty to laugh about. Once the others left, however, the butterflies in Dawn’s stomach started to flap their little imaginary wings something awful.
Dressed in the shimmering blue dress, she pivoted in front of the full-length mirror on the back of her bathroom door and stared at her image, barely recognizing the slim, sophisticated woman looking back at her. Where had the real Dawn Leroux gone? That certainly wasn’t her in the mirror! That woman was too beautiful. Too elegant. And too unsteady in such high-heeled shoes, she added with concern. Losing her balance in those stupid shoes and taking a spill in front of all the stockholders would make a lasting impression on them, all right.
She lightly patted the upswept hairdo Gabi had created. It was becoming, but it further emphasized the contrast she felt between who she really was and who she was pretending to be. That bothered her. She felt she should be comfortable as herself, not trying to impress people by changing her appearance.
About to pull the pins and release her hair to fall around her face and over her shoulders as it usually did, Dawn was startled by a knock.
Beau was worn out from his afternoon efforts at entertaining Gabi’s girls but he nevertheless raised his head and managed one halfhearted “woof.”
“It’s okay, boy,” Dawn said. Giving him the corresponding hand signals she said, “Down. Stay.”
He yawned and looked relieved, closed his eyes and stretched out on his side, clearly ready to resume his interrupted nap.
Dawn’s glance darted to the kitchen clock. Who could be at the door? Tim wasn’t due for another hour. Maybe Gabi had forgotten something and had returned for it.
She called, “Coming,” and made her way across the living room, careful to balance in the new shoes.
Smiling, she opened the door. “Hi! Did you… ”
It was Tim! Dawn was speechless. There he stood, in all his tuxedoed perfection, not a hair out of place and more handsome than ever. In one hand he held the velvet jewelry box Heather had shown her at the Hamilton house.
She boldly looked him up and down without realizing she was doing it. When her gaze rose to rest on his face she was startled to see an expression that revealed more than mere surprise. Apparently Heather had gotten her wish. The man was obviously shocked all the way to his socks! Well, no wonder. She was pretty surprised at the transformation she saw in her mirror, too.
Turning from side to side to display the shimmering dress Dawn asked, “How do you like it?”
“It’s…it’s—” Tim seemed at a loss for words. Finally he settled on “—amazing.”
“Thank you.” She stepped aside. “My friend Gabi and I had a pizza party this afternoon while she did my hair so I’m afraid the place is a little messy, but you’re welcome to come in for a minute if you’d like.”
The shake of Tim’s head was barely discernible. He peered past her to assess the dozing mastiff. “No, thanks. Looks like Beau wouldn’t mind but it still wouldn’t look right to your neighbors.” He handed her the velvet box. “Mom sent this. Heather said you knew all about it.”
“Yes. Thank you.” Accepting the small, flat jewelry box, Dawn noticed that her hand was shaking. “I don’t mind telling you, wearing this scares me to death. But your sister wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
She left the door standing open as she lifted the hinged lid of the box and once again saw the magnificent necklace. “Oh, my. It’s even more beautiful than I remembered.”
“Much more beautiful,” Tim said quietly.
His voice was low and a little hoarse-sounding, leading Dawn to glance back at him. Judging by the direct way his gaze met hers, she was tempted to imagine he was referring to her rather than to the diamond necklace.
She lifted it gingerly. “I don’t know if I can fasten this properly. I wouldn’t want it to fall off and get lost.” She looked pleadingly at Tim and held the necklace out to him. “Would you do it for me?”
He took it. “Turn around.”
As she did so, he closed the distance between them and Dawn sensed his overpowering presence. She’d always been aware of Tim’s charisma but she’d never before noticed his nearness affecting her this much. He wasn’t touching her, yet she felt as if he’d put his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace.
The necklace brushed against her skin and settled at her throat. She placed the fingertips of one hand over it. Her pulse was racing so rapidly she was certain Tim could see the beats jumping below her jawline.
In moments he’d fastened the necklace and stepped back. He cleared his throat. “Can you manage the earrings?”
“I think so.” Dawn laid the box on an end table so she’d have both hands free. Her ears were pierced and the posts were screw-on so she wasn’t as worried about losing the delicate drop earrings.
When she finished she looked to Tim. “There. How’s that? I hope it’s not too much.”
“It’s perfect.” His voice was deep, his tone sensitive. “You’re perfect.” At that, he began to smile. “I hope I get to spend a little time with you after all the other men get through fawning over you.”
“Hah. Nobody ever fawns over me,” she said, “except maybe Beau.” The weary dog opened one eye and thumped his tail against the floor at the mention of his name.
“Well, they will tonight. I guarantee it. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes, but… Aren’t we awfully early?”
“You said you’d never been to Opryland before so I thought we’d walk around the grounds first. They have acres of gardens with waterfalls and even a river, all under a glass atrium. I think you’ll enjoy it.”
Dawn hesitated. “Walk?”
“We could ride the riverboat if you’d rather.”
“It’s just these shoes,” Dawn explained. “Heather insisted on them but I’m not used to such high heels. I’m not sure how good they’ll be for taking a leisurely stroll.”
“I wouldn’t care if you went barefoot,” Tim said, smiling. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before I give in to hunger and beg a piece of your leftover pizza. It smells delicious.”
“It was. But I’m afraid you’re too late. Gabi and the girls were here all afternoon and they saw to it that Beau got all the scraps. There’s nothing left but the cardboard box.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to wait for the fancy cui
sine at the Ristorante Volare. It’s always been very good.”
Dawn picked up the clutch Heather had chosen to match her outfit, made sure she had her key and joined Tim at the door. “Okay. Guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Do you have a wrap? It might be chilly later.”
“Nope, no wrap. I told your sister I’d rather freeze to death tonight than spend one more penny of your money.”
Laughing softly, he offered her his arm. “In that case, Ms. Leroux, to show my appreciation, I promise I’ll give you my jacket to wear if you need it.”
Although she said, “It’s a deal,” in her heart-of-hearts she was hoping and praying his sacrifice of his own comfort wouldn’t be necessary. Her senses were already so on edge she was afraid she’d self-destruct if she actually donned a coat that was still warm with Tim’s body heat and smelling of his aftershave.
Her high-fashion shoes weren’t the only unsteadying thing she was dealing with tonight. Ever since Tim had arrived at her door she’d felt as though her whole world was wobbling out of kilter and that feeling was getting stronger by the minute. When Gabi had warned her to be careful about swimming with sharks, she’d forgotten to mention how handsome and charming those sharks could be.
The evening she and Tim had spent delivering meals to Stuart and Ada and the others had been nothing compared to the challenges she was about to encounter. This was a whole new universe for a simple girl from the bayous. Now that she thought about it, the possibility of falling on her face had a lot less to do with her shoes than it did with her sheltered upbringing.
Then again, Dawn reminded herself, she wasn’t ashamed of her background and she intended to make no apologies for it. As a child, she’d played school by dressing up one of her father’s old hound dogs and pretending it was her only pupil while she’d taught a make-believe class.
Attending this gala with Tim had a lot of similarities to that child’s pastime. When her game was over and the clothing removed, the old dog had still been a dog. When this evening ended and she took off the diamonds and other finery, she’d still be Tim’s capable executive assistant. Nothing more. Nothing less.
She didn’t lament the truth of her conclusion. It was simply how things were. How they should be. She didn’t fit into his high-powered world any better than he’d fit in at one of her parents’ outdoor crawdad boils down in Louisiana, with its ethnic food and uniquely Cajun zydeco music. The memory of her happy childhood made her smile.
Tim paused to open the car door for her. “Is something funny?” he asked.
“No. I was just remembering how much fun it was when I was little and life was so easy and uncomplicated.”
He looked puzzled as he replied, “That sounds odd to me. I can’t recall a time when I didn’t take everything seriously.”
Dawn averted her eyes so he wouldn’t be able to discern her innermost thoughts. She didn’t want him to know she thought that was the saddest confession she’d ever heard.
Chapter Nine
Passing through Nashville to Opryland would have taken longer if they hadn’t been making the trip on a Saturday evening. Still, the traffic on Highway 65 was ample.
“I play golf over there,” Tim said, pointing as they passed a beautifully manicured course. He’d been trying unsuccessfully to get Dawn involved in a conversation ever since they’d left Hickory Mills. For a person who usually had an opinion about everything, she was being far too quiet to suit him.
She merely nodded.
“Have you ever played?”
“Golf?” She shook her head. “No.”
“Would you like to learn?” Her raised eyebrow prodded him to add, “It’s good for you. I mean, if you’re interested in healthy hobbies you can get great exercise walking the golf course.”
“Unless you ride in one of those little electric carts,” she said. “Do you?”
“Well, sometimes. But it still gets me out in the sun and fresh air.”
“True. I suppose it is better than living at your desk 24-7. Did you go to the office today?”
“Yes. Why?”
“I just wondered.”
Judging by her tone and the look on her face, Dawn didn’t think much of his work ethic. Tim couldn’t understand why she had such a problem with it. She always put in a full day’s work without shirking so why should she begrudge him the same kind of dedication?
He decided to ask. “Why am I getting the impression you think I work too much?”
“Because you do,” she answered. “You don’t seem to know how to relax and have fun.”
“I’m relaxing right now,” Tim said. “This is enjoyable, isn’t it?” He was sorry the minute the words were out of his mouth. Dawn’s arching eyebrow and wide-eyed, silent response told him she definitely disagreed.
He persevered. “So it’s a stockholder’s meeting. So what? That doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun, too. We’re certainly dressed for it.”
That brought a cynical laugh from his companion. “Hah! I’m so uptight I almost hate to breathe for fear something will snap and I’ll self-destruct.” She paused. “Don’t get me wrong, Tim. I do appreciate your thoughtfulness in paying for this outfit. Really, I do. But my idea of having fun requires a lot less finery and a lot more spontaneity.”
“I can be spontaneous in a tuxedo.”
“Maybe you can, but I’m afraid to move for fear my dress will rip or my shoes will dump me in a ditch or my hair will fall down or something equally embarrassing.”
“I did wonder about that,” he said. “Why did you put your hair up like that? It makes you look—”
Her head snapped around. “What? It makes me look what? Sophisticated?”
“Well…” A blush threatened and he forced himself to subdue it by thinking logically. “I was going to say more formal. You usually look so approachable it’s kind of off-putting.”
Instead of the huff he’d expected, he heard Dawn sigh, then saw her reach up and begin to remove pins until her hair fell free to swing against her shoulders.
“Wait! I didn’t mean you had to take it down,” Tim said.
“I know.” Her voice sounded softer, as if she were relieved to have reclaimed a portion of her normal persona. She was rummaging around in her small handbag. “Uh-oh. I forgot to bring a hairbrush.”
Tim smiled at her wide-eyed artlessness. “We can fix that. I’ll stop and buy you one. Just tell me where.”
“Any drugstore will be fine. I’m not fussy.”
It pleased him to have finally found something he could get for her that didn’t make her scowl. He took the nearest off-ramp and pulled into the parking lot of a strip mall.
“You coming?” he asked.
“Not dressed like this,” Dawn answered. “Just pick up a little brush I can stick into this purse. Nothing fancy, okay?”
“Sure. Be right back.”
Tim left her and headed for the store. He’d never shopped for anything like a woman’s hairbrush before but he figured it couldn’t be that hard. If he was capable of heading a media empire, he could certainly manage to locate one suitable item in a discount drug store.
The overhead signs directed him to the right area. After he found the display of hair accessories, however, he just stood there and stared. Though he had a dozen choices, none of them seemed to be the kind of quality merchandise he preferred.
He checked his watch. There wasn’t enough time to return to Engel’s or look for a similar upscale department store in Nashville, so he decided to settle for what was at hand.
Rather than try to choose one brush from among the many, he simply gathered up everything he thought might please Dawn and purchased the whole lot. Returning to the car he handed her the bulging plastic sack.
Her mouth dropped open. “What’s all this?”
“A hairbrush. Pick the one you want and toss the rest into the backseat.”
“You bought them all?” She was staring into the open top of the sa
ck.
“No. Just the littler ones. I wanted to be sure you had what you needed.”
Instead of the thanks he’d expected, Tim saw her lips press into a thin line. Finally, she took a brush from the bag and opened the plastic bubble covering it.
Admiring her as she brushed her silky hair, he was feeling a sense of accomplishment until she said, “You have too much money, Mr. Hamilton. Way, way too much money.”
Dawn couldn’t help being awed by the entrance to Opryland. A wide, circular drive led to a massive, airy building whose columns and porticos reminded her of the Hamilton house, only on a much grander scale. A uniformed doorman opened her door and greeted her like royalty.
Tim handed his car keys to the parking valet in exchange for a claim check, then joined her and offered his arm. “Shall we?”
“I guess it’s too late to change my mind now, huh?” The crestfallen look on his face spurred her to add, “Just kidding,” and loop her hand through the crook of his elbow as they climbed the stairs together.
Inside, the vastness and splendor of the lobby took her breath away. Rich, red brocade carpet covered the floor. An irregularly shaped ceiling of varnished wood with white beams rose to a peak like a giant teepee above a crystal and brass chandelier that had to be fifteen or twenty feet across. Potted ferns as big as trees softened the decor and a sweeping staircase rose, then divided, flanking the lower lobby with open balconies.
Dawn faltered. “Oh, my!”
“I thought you’d be impressed,” Tim said. “Wait till you see the atrium. I’m not much into plants but whoever keeps the grounds must be a master gardener.”
He led her through the lobby and out the opposite side.
Dawn breathed a quiet, “Wow.” She’d imagined a greenhouse stretched over a garden but never anything of this magnitude and beauty. In keeping with nature’s flowing design, there wasn’t a straight line in the place. An indoor river, complete with sightseeing boats, curved around islands of greenery and multistoried buildings she assumed must house shops or restaurants. Above, steel beams supported a roof that was so high it arched over full-size trees the likes of those growing in Sugar Tree Park.
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