Love Contract. Lisa Watson

      He closed the distance between them. Adrian hugged his mother and gave her a peck on the cheek. “That may be true, but now isn’t that time.”

      Norma Jean opened her mouth to call after him, but abruptly closed it. A questioning look crossed her face. Suddenly, she laughed aloud. “Fascinating.”

      * * *

      After dessert, everyone pitched in to clean up. Milán felt right at home rolling up her sleeves and helping out amid a throng of people. Justin and Sabrina took turns discussing past exploits and dating horror stories, prompting Milán to touch on a few debacles of her own ending with Eduardo. She was surprised to find that the sting she felt thinking about their breakup had subsided.

      When they were done, the Langleys decided to leave. Milán hugged them both.

      “It was great meeting you, and Justin.”

      “Likewise,” Sabrina told her.

      Adrian walked his friends to the front door. He was about to open it when Sabrina cornered him. “Why did you stop me from telling Milán you speak Spanish?”

      “Was that what I did?”

      Sabrina’s eyes narrowed. “You know darn well that’s what you did.” She pointed a finger in his chest. “I know you, Adrian. You never do anything without a reason. What are you up to?”

      “I’ve heard that a lot this evening.” He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “I promise you I’m not up to anything.”

      “That suave thing doesn’t work on me. I’m not going to go all gaga and forget that you haven’t answered my question,” she informed him.

      “No, that only works when I do it.” Justin laughed before gently guiding his wife out the front door.

      Sabrina dug her heels in at the threshold. “I mean it, Adrian. You’d better not do something to Jeanie’s new friend that I as a woman might personally take offense to.”

      Adrian placed a hand over his heart. “You have my word.”

      Before she could reply, her husband maneuvered her onto the porch.

      “I owe you one,” Adrian said jovially.

      “You got that right.” Justin closed the door behind him.

      Adrian returned to the kitchen to find Milán offering to help put the food away.

      “You have helped enough for one evening,” Norma Jean announced. “You and Cliff go out and enjoy the deck. Adrian will help me with the leftovers.”

      She glanced between them with uncertainty. “Are you sure, Jeanie?”

      “Yes,” she smiled, reassuringly. “We can handle this.”

      “We?” Adrian called from the doorway.

      “Yes, we,” his mother stressed.

      Adrian arched his eyebrow at that. When Milán turned to face him he replaced the shocked look with a grin and said, “Of course.”

      Once they were through, Norma Jean shooed him out of the kitchen.

      “You go on. I’ll put coffee on and be out shortly.”

      * * *

      By the time Adrian slid the door open and stepped onto the deck, Milán and his dad were deep in conversation. He took a minute to observe the two of them unseen. He couldn’t help but watch how the breeze kept blowing her hair across her cheek, or how she continually swept it out of her way. After a few times, she opted to pull it securely behind her ear. He was only half listening to something his father was saying, but tuned in each time Milán laughed or spoke.

      A keen eye when it came to observing people, Adrian could tell if an action was sincere, or contrived. Listening to Milán as she interacted with his father, he knew without a doubt that the interest she showed his dad was genuine. Oddly, that made him smile.

      He stepped into view. “It’s nice out tonight.”

      “Sure is,” his father chimed in. “I was just telling Milán about Chicago winters.”

      “She’s from Florida, Dad. I don’t think she’s all that anxious to hear about our frigid temperatures just yet.” He regarded her for a moment. “Coral Gables, right?”

      Milán’s head snapped up. “Yes. How’d you know that?”

      “I read the résumé you left and checked your references. You received your BFA and Master’s degree in Interior Design from the Miami International University of Art and Design. After graduating you interned at an architectural firm and did some freelance projects and received your accreditation as a professional staging expert. From there you were hired at a well-known firm in Miami before going to work at a company in Coral Gables. Your past employers spoke very highly of you, Milán. Your design portfolio is very impressive, as well.”

      She was unable to hide her surprise. “Thank you.”

      Heathcliffe pushed away from the railing. “I’d better go in and help your mother finish up. She may say she doesn’t need it, but if I don’t at least offer, I’ll hear about it later,” he chuckled and then went inside.

      Adrian sat down on one of the benches stretching his legs out in front of him.

      “I’m sorry about the kitchen run-in. I seem to rub you the wrong way, don’t I?”

      “It appears you go out of your way to do so, Mr. Anderson.”

      “That’s not my intent,” he admitted. “Miss Dixon, would you do me a favor?”

      Milán lowered herself into a chair across from him. “It depends. What is it?”